Ancient Athlete SPORT

Go Curiosity Ancient Athlete SPORT

Decade: 770BC CHALLENGE CARD Reference: 90770SP02 Difficulty: 7

Background & Context

Milo was a popular champion with an astonishing record of success. Sadly, however, his vanity caused his death.

Your Challenge

Act out the story of Milo of Croton.

• Prepare a script or notes. • Include his athletic successes. • Talk about his method of strength training. • Mention his military and/or personal triumphs.

Curiosity Suggestion Optional Extension

Your performance could be a live It is often said that today’s media like presentation to your class, or a to knock down and find fault in those video. who are seen as ‘too’ successful. Milo could have been a victim of the equivalent behaviour in Ancient Greece. Can you think of an example of a celebrity and their treatment by the media, and write a brief account of their story?

Milo, from a Greek colony in southern Italy called dertook in order to display his super skills. He Croton, was a Greek athlete and the most cannot be doubted to be a heroic figure too. He led renowned wrestler in antiquity. Over his career, the Crotoniate army to victory over the Sybarites he won 32 wrestling competitions. (a neighbouring colony) when they invaded in around 510BC, supposedly going into battle Milo won the boys’ wrestling competition at the wearing his Olympic crowns. 60th Olympiad. He was then the men’s champion eight years later and over the next four There is also a story that he once saved his friends, successive Games. Refusing to retire, he was including Pythagoras, when the roof collapsed on more than 40 when he competed four years later, the building in which they were meeting. At great defeated only because his opponent avoided risk to himself, Milo stayed and supported the engaging in combat and instead focussed on central pillar until his friends had escaped and running ‘the old man’ ragged. only then dashed out himself.

The Olympic Games was the most famous and However, it was in trying to prove his strength yet largest sporting event, but it was only one of four again that brought about his demise. Wandering sets of games that took part every four years and through a forest, Milo came across a tree trunk attracted competitors from all over the Greek with wedges down its centre, parting it down its world. Milo also dominated the Pythian Games length. Milo placed his hands into the gap in the (winning seven times), Isthmian Games trunk and attempted to split the trunk apart. In (winning ten times) and Nemean Games (winning doing this he loosened the wedges which then fell nine times). If an athlete won all four games in out and the trunk closed on him, trapping him. one cycle, they gained the grand slam title Unable to release himself, he was left imprisoned ‘Periodonikes’. Milo won this award five times. to be preyed upon by wolves.

Milo is said to have built his strength through Winners of events at the Olympic Games became using what is really a very simple strategy. One local and national heroes. They were honoured day, Milo decided to lift up a new born calf of his with gifts and privileges and were well-known, neighbour’s and carry it on his shoulders. He respected figures. They were perhaps the returned each day and did the exact same thing. equivalent of our sporting (particularly football) Of course, every day the calf was growing and celebrities of today. Indeed, this was probably the eventually, after four years, he was no longer only way an average person in Ancient Greece lifting a calf but a fully grown bull. could possibly elevate themselves in terms of social standing. Milo enjoyed showing off his legendary strength. There are stories of the various challenges he un-

Hints & Tips

Watch Horrible Histories ‘Milo’s stupid death’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irb9cpn0a4c

Useful information on the Ancient Greeks: Greeks – Internet Linked by Susan Peach and Anne Millard, Usborne Books.

For background on Greek drama performances, look at How Would You Survive as an Ancient Greek? by Fiona MacDonald, David Salariya Books.

Some background on the history of Ancient Greece: www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zxytpv4

For background on the Ancient Olympics: www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greek_olympics_01.shtml