Ancient Olympic Decorative Arts
What we know today about the ancient games is based on archaeological evidence and ancient written text. The Olympics officially began in 776 BC and ran until the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius outlawed Pagan festivals in 394 AD. This was a 1200 year uninterrupted span for the Games which was held at Olympia every 4 years. The games were a perfect outlet for the many independent Greek city-states to demonstrate their civic pride. Everyone is familiar with the famous professional warriors produced by the Spartans. These warriors has great athletic skill and training and it became accepted that the games were a better way to compete for victory, a form of mock battle as it were. Although there were no team sports in the Ancient games, an athlete represented his whole City when he entered the arena. Training for the games took place in Elis, a staging ground about 40 miles from Olympia. The Athletes would march into Olympia a day before the games began in a great processional ceremony.
The Olympic games were open to every free Greek citizen who would make the trek from as far away as Asia Minor or the Italian colonies. During the pilgrimage journey and during the Olympic festival itself, there was truce established throughout the land, a ban on warfare and judicial proceedings. Spectators, officials, athletes and trainers felt safe to journey to Olympia. As many as 40,000 spectators would fit into the main stadium and another 30,000 workers, servants, family members and slaves could also have been accommodated in camps around the city. The logistics of having that many people at the festival was challenging to say the least. There were shortages of the basic conveniences we take for granted; not enough water, food, bathrooms or showers. As ripe and unhygienic as the atmosphere was, the Olympics festivals were the place to be for the Ancient peoples. The events lasted officially for 5 days and nights. One was considered to have completed a life goal if they could have attended the games at least once. After all, the Olympics was also a religious festival. The contests, banquets, and rites were held in honor of the great patriarch deity Zeus. A 40 foot tall ivory and gold statue of Zeus, one of the 7 Wonders of The Ancient World, presided in the main temple complex. On the second day of the Festival 100 white oxen were sacrificed at a large altar and the bulk of the meat was cooked and distributed to the spectators in a public feast.
The ancient Olympic athletes were professionals. The democratic society of ancient Greece allowed poor fishermen and illiterate bakers to compete with the aristocratic elite on the playing field. This provided great opportunity for social advancement. Young children who showed promise in sports were sponsored by the village elders and placed with professional trainers. Great financial gain and fame was the prize for victory. Spectators could also profit on betting on the outcome of contests. Officially the winner at the Olympic games was crowned with a laurel wreath, but back home in their native city, he was hailed as a hero, given a parade, a civic position, free meals and a pension for life. Athletes could go around to various contests all year leading up to the Olympics becoming rich. For example, a typical prize for a contest in Corinth or Athens could have been 50 amphora filled with olive oil, the modern equivalent of $40,000. These athletes were treated well. They had entourages, trainers, coaches, and masseuses. Top athletes in antiquity were equivalent to modern day NBA stars!
According to the earliest records, only one athletic event was held in the ancient Olympics--a foot race of about 183 m (200 yd), or the length of the stadium. A cook, Coroibus of Elis, was the first recorded winner. When the powerful, warlike Spartans began to compete, they influenced the agenda. The 18th Olympics included wrestling and a pentathlon consisting of running, jumping, javelin throwing, discus throwing, and wrestling. Boxing was added at the 23d Olympiad, and the Games continued to expand, with the addition of chariot racing and other equestrian events. Of the combat sports, wrestling, boxing and the pankration, the pankration was particularly gruesome.
Olympia was said to be only second to Athens in the beauty of the sculpture. Olympic winners were quick to commission statues of themselves to honor their victories. The Olympics became international in the Roman Empire, open to world athletes but soon the games lost appeal to the spectacle of the Gladiator games of the professional soldiers. The sporting games were held well into the Christian times and in the late 4th Century AD, the great statue of Zeus was removed and hauled to Constantinople. It was destroyed in a fire a century later. Olympia suffered repeated earthquakes, floods and barbarian raids in the 6th and 7th Centuries AD and soon the city was covered over by river silt and laid buried. Olympia and the games were rediscovered in the 18 Century and made popular again in the Victorian era. Today, technology allows the modern games to reach billions of viewers and the format of the games has changed quite significantly but the excitement, competitive spirit, fame for the athletes and the ability to represent your home town is the same as it was in antiquity!
1. Discus
The ancient Greeks considered the rhythm and precision of an athlete
throwing the discus to be as important as his strength. The discus
was made of either stone, iron, bronze, or lead, and was shaped
like a flying saucer and weighed from around 3 to 9 pounds. Sizes
varied, since the boys' division was not expected to throw the
same weight as the men.
2. Javelin
The javelin was a man-high length of wood, with either a sharpened
end or an attached metal point. It was lighter then the standard
military issue of the time. It had great advantage over the modern
day javelin which made it go further. A leather thong, agkyle,
at midpoint on the shaft created a loop for a throwers two fingers
which gave him more leverage and greatly increased the precision
and distance of a javelin's flight.
3. Long Jump
The long jump was a very difficult event which required excellent
balance. Unlike today where jumpers get a running start, the ancients
had to commence from a stationary starting position. Athletes
used lead or stone jump weights (halteres) shaped like
curved barbells which were swung back and forth to provide momentum
so as to increase the length of their jump. The halteres
were swung out in front of the athlete during his ascent, and
forcibly thrust behind his back during his landing. He had to
land on his feet or suffer a foul.
4. Running
There were 4 types of races at Olympia. The stadion was the oldest
event of the Games. Runners sprinted for 1 stade (192 m.), or
the length of the stadium. The other races were a 2-stade race
(384 m.), and a long-distance run which ranged from 7 to 24 stades
(1,344 m. to 4,608 m.). As if these races weren't enough, the
Greeks had one particularly grueling event which we lack. This
was a 2 to 4-stade (384 m. to 768 m.) race by athletes in armor.
If we remember that the standard hoplite armor (helmet, shield,
and greaves)weighed about 50-60 lbs, it is easy to imagine what
such an event must have been like. This race was especially useful
in building the speed and stamina that Greek men needed during
their military service.
5. Wresting
Like the modern sport, an athlete needed to throw his opponent
on the ground, landing him on a hip, shoulder, or back for a fair
fall. 3 throws were necessary to win a match. Biting was not allowed,
and genital holds were also illegal. Attacks such as breaking
your opponent's fingers were also permitted.
Chariot Race
4 horses were tethered to a war chariot which pulled the driver.
Up to 40 chariots were in competition at once. The track with
a turning post was 600 yards long x 200 yards wide. The driver
had to have great skill to turn his rig past the post at just
the right moment or be thrown. The race had 12 laps so they had
to turn posts 24 times! There were many accidents and a good deal
of carnage. The victory was not to the rider but to the owner
of the chariot and horses.
Combat Events
For the warrior, his display of athleticism was paramount. Enormous strength could insure loyal comrades on the battlefield and bring you closer to the level of Zeus, who had unlimited physical power. Wrestling was the gentlest of these physical matches or combat sports. Genital holds were illegal. In boxing, Greek rules banned eye gouging and body blows. All blows were always aimed at the head and one could identify a boxer by his horribly disfigured face. There is an incident recorded where a Roman aristocratic boxer was denied his inheritance because his brothers could not recognize him. The deadliest of the combat sports was the Pankration, which also offered the most in prize money. It was a combination of boxing and wrestling where groin kicks, strangulation, arm locks and kicking was legal. This event required the most skill offensively and defensively and competitors did often die.
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5584. Attic Red Figure Drinking Kylix Depicting
a Javelin Thrower, Ca. Late 5th Century BC. A shallow terracotta
black glazed cup with two handles protruding from near the rim.
The center tondo is decorated in the red-figure technique
with a nude athlete holding a javelin and standing before an
altar. Ex Dutch Collection. One of the highlights of the games
was the victory banquet where potent wine would be mixed with
water and served in a shallow vessels called a kylix.
$6300 |
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4238. Attic Black Figure Belly Amphora depicting
the Goddess of Victory, Nike, Ca. 540 to 530 BC. A deep bodied
vessel to carry wine, with twin handles and ring base. The central
panel has similar scene on either side: three figures nicely
painted; a figure of the Goddess Nike in motion, between two
males. A band with hearts above main panel. 10-1/8 in H. Ex Swiss
Collection. The Goddess Nike fought on the side of the Olympian
gods against the Titans, and displayed the physical prowess of
a great warrior. Nike's prowess however was not confined to the
military sphere; in fact, she symbolized victory in many areas
of ancient Greek life, including athletics and thus olympic contests,
which could be interperted as a mock form of battle. $8400 |
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5590 Greek Silver 1/4 Stater Hemidrachm
from Olympia, Ca. 323 to 271 BC. The obverse features a laureate
head of Zeus. The reverse features a standing eagle facing right
and the letters FA & A. 1/2 in D. Issued every four years
during the games and used as currency to pay athletes and trainers.
A scarce coin unusually well centered. $495 |
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5587. Greek Silver Stater from Aspendos, Ca.
300 to 250 BC. The obverse features two naked athletes wrestling,
grasping each other by the arms. The reverse features a slinger,
advancing right, about to discharge his sling. In a field to
the right, triskeles of human legs. 7/8 in D. Excellent tone.
This coin is a tribute to the wrestlers that participated in
the Ancient Olympics. An athlete needed to throw his opponent
on the ground, landing him on a hip, shoulder, or back for a
fair fall. Three throws were necessary to win a match. Biting
was not allowed, and genital holds were also illegal but atacks
such as breaking your opponent's fingers were perfectly acceptable!
$695 |
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5582. Hellenistic Gold Laurel Wreath
of Victory, Ca. 4th to 2nd Century BC. Overlapping sheet gold
leaves arranged in a row over a thin vine like band. Each naturalistic
leaf has been repousse worked with veins. 8-1/2 in L. + custom
plexi-mount. Private NYC collector. Excellent condition. This
type of wreath would have been used to honor individual athletes
as a victory crown conveying very high status and wealth. $6200 |
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5487. Etruscan Bronze Heraklese 5th Century
BC. The standing hero depicted nude with muscular torso, fine
facial features and with one hand raised (once brandishing a
club); the other arm has a lion skin draped over it. Deep olive
green patina. 4-3/8 in H. + mount. Ex Collection Marcel Gibrat,
1915-1993. Mr. Gibrat worked as an art restorer for the Metropolitan
Museum of Art from 1957 to 1965. Heraklese or Hercules was originally
a Greek mythological hero, the son of Zeus, noted for his strength
and courage and for his many legendary exploits, who was no doubt
an inspiration to the athleticism needed for the competition
of the Olympic games. $1800 |
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5586 Roman Alabaster Head of Zeus, Ca.
2nd Century AD. Carved with thick curly hair tresses and deep
undercut brow and beard. After the Hellenistic original by Bryaxis
for the Serapeum in Alexandria. Ex NY Collection. As the ruler
of the Olympian gods, Zeus held enormous power and authority
as the Patron Deity of the Games. Once every four years the Olympians
held a festival including the games to honor him. $8500 |
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5583. Fine Roman Bronze Statue of the
God Zeus, king of Mt. Olympus, Ca. 1st to 3rd Century AD. Cast
standing nude, with muscular torso, wearing a radiating wreath,
drapery over left shoulder and holding a thunderbolt in right
hand. 3-1/8 in H. As the supreme god and ruler of Olympus, Zeus
was a sky god with control over weather, especially the elements
like rain and lightning and is often depicted with the thunderbolt.
$5500 |
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5580 Roman Bronze Strigil, Ca. 1st Century
AD. Curved bronze slightly concave scoop with a double rectangular
handle which is impressed with two stamps. Nice encrusted patina.
8 in L. Excellent condition. + custom mount, Provenance: Private
NYC collector. Ancient perfumes were oil based rather then the
alcohol based scents used today. Ancient athletes in the gymnasium
baths would have rubbed these scented oils into their bodies
and scraped the skin clean with the strigil. $1500 |
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5581. Roman Bronze Aryballos, Ca. 1st to 3rd
Century AD. Rounded body with sloped shoulder, thin neck, flared
mouth and turned circles in base. 4-1/2 in H. Rich green patina.
Ex English Collection. This type of bottle would have held scented
oils used in the athlete's & trainers bathing routine. $850 |
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5588 Roman Pottery Oil Lamp Depicting
a Boxer on one Knee, Ca. 1st Century AD. An orange slip painted
clay disc shape lamp with fill, protruding volute spout with
wick hole. The center has the deflated boxer in licinum [loin
cloth], short cropped hair and hands bound in traditional
leather wrappings. 3-3/8 in L. Intact and with earth deposits.
Ex Florida Collection. Rare. $1600 |
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4799. Roman Bronze Appliqué Bust
of a Wrestler, Ca. 1st Century AD. Solid cast in the form of
a youth with tight fitted cap, full facial features and wearing
a necklace, possibly a medal of victory. 2-3/4 in H. Excellent
green patina. Intact and choice. Ex German Collector. $1500 |
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Interesting links on the Ancient Olympic Games The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games - University of Pennsylvania Athens 2004 Official Olympic Site (Modern Games) Hellenic Ministry of Culture's Guide to the Ancient Events Perseus Projects Virtual Site on the Ancient Olympics (Tufts) Athens' museums and galleries are mounting sport-oriented shows for ancient art enthusiasts attending the Olympics. The Museum of Cycladic Art has organized a show titled Magna Graecia: Athletics and the Olympic Spirit tracing the Olympic ideal to the frontiers of the ancient Greek world with more than 270 archaeological objects from 30 museums in Greece and Italy! |
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Bibliography on the Ancient Olympics Ancient Olympic Games The Naked Olympics
Magna Graecia. Athletics and the Olympic Spirit on the
Periphery of the Hellenic World (2004) by G.N.Chr. vivid Tassoulas
(editors)
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