PRIZES FROM ATHENS THE PANATHENAIC GAMES

In ancient times, religion was a cohesive element in the city-state and found expression in festivals, institutionalised games, and rituals. The concepts of competition, victory and glory were directly connected with the anthropocentric world-view of the ancient Greeks, and also with the ideas of wholeness and completion: the ancient ideal was to achieve perfection of both body and mind. The panhellenic games were therefore established at a very early date in the great sanctuaries at Olympia and Nemea in honour of Zeus, at Isthmia in honour of Poseidon, and at Delphi in honour of Pythian Apollo. Festivals held in cities were no less famous, the most important being the Panathenaic Games held in Athens.

Detail from Panathenaic amphora, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 20044 (360/59 B.C.)

1 THE PANATHENAIC FESTIVAL THE CONTESTS

The Panathenaia was a very ancient festival at Athens, dedicated to the patron Originally, at least, the Panathenaia was a religious festival and the games that goddess of the city who traditionally celebrated her birthday on 28th Hekatombaion accompanied it also had a religious character. They represented the sacrifice of effort –that is, about 15th August. It was a multifaceted festival and comprised a variety of and physical energy to the patron goddess of the city-state. At the same time, the city events, including artistic and athletic contests and also a grand procession to the took a lively interest in the games, partly because they promoted the city on a Acropolis. This procession is depicted on the Parthenon frieze. It culminated in the panhellenic scale and partly because the athletic contests, at least, were associated handing over of the peplos (‘robe’). This was a gift presented by the Athenians to with the military training of the youth. The combination of athletic and religious the wooden cult statue of Athena, which was believed to have been sent from heaven ceremonies and spectacles proved very popular, and the entire festival aroused by Zeus and which stood at first in the Old Temple and later in the Erechtheion. great enthusiasm amongst the Athenians for the Panathenaic The procession was followed by sacrifices to the goddess. athletic contests. The Athenians believed that the Panathenaic festival was The Panathenaic games included about twenty founded by the mythical Erichthonios, and events. The competitors were divided into three that it received its familiar institutional age categories: boys (12-16 years), ‘beardless youths’ form in 566 B.C., on the initiative of the (16-20 years) and men (over 20 years). There were both individual tyrant Peisistratos. At this time, the most and team events. The contests themselves fell into three groups: splendid celebrations of the festival were a) artistic contests, b) Olympic events (equestrian and athletic), introduced in the form of the Great in which athletes from all over Greece could compete, and Panathenaia, which was held every four c) events associated with the local traditions, in which only years, in the third year of the Olympiad. Athenian citizens could take part. Responsibility for the The festival continued to be celebrated organisation of the games rested with ten athlothetai, one for almost a thousand years, until about from each tribe, who served for a four-year term of office. A.D. 410. The duration of the festivities The Panathenaic festival was of very great importance to the and the regulations, events and prizes Athenian state, which spent large sums of money on the underwent considerable changes during rituals and sacrifices and also on the prizes awarded Detail from Panathenaic this long span of time. Marble block with inscription amphora, Volos, Archaeol- to the winners of the contests. Some of this money, IG II2 2311, Athens, Epigraphical ogical Museum K· 4266/91 mainly to fund the games that were part of local Athenian Museum (ca 380 B.C.) (336/35 B.C.) traditions, came from donations by wealthy citizens.

2 3 THE PRIZES

The Panathenaic games were chrematites – that is, games There was thus a combination of religious (depiction of the patron goddess), for which money-prizes were awarded. They were also athletic (depiction of the event for which they were the prize) and political the only games in ancient Greece for which a prize was (state inscription of the city) elements that, together with their large size and awarded for second place, usually worth one fifth the value the high quality of their manufacture and decoration, made these vases very of the first prize. special. For most of the events, the prizes awarded to the winners Every Panathenaic amphora held about 36 kilos of oil. On average, 50-70 were works of high-quality art: Panathenaic amphoras full amphoras were awarded for the first prize, while the winner of the chariot- of oil. race received 140 amphoras. This was the equivalent of 5 tonnes of oil, worth about 1680 drachmas, which was equal to about five and a half years’ Panathenaic amphoras were vases made to state wages for a workman. The Athenians are reckoned to have presented 1400- commission. Most of them are over 60 cm tall. They are 2000 Panathenaic amphoras full of oil at every Panathenaia. Of these, about black-figure pots, that is, the figures are executed in black 200-300 amphoras are preserved (less than 1% of the total). The details in against a red background –a technique that ceased to be this booklet relating to the number of Panathenaic amphoras awarded as used for all other Athenian vases in the middle of the 5th c. prizes for the various events are drawn from the inscription IG II2 2311, B.C. One side of the vase had a depiction of the event dating from ca 380 B.C. and now in the Epigraphic Museum in Athens, for which the amphora was the prize, while the other which records the prizes awarded at this period. Parts of the inscription are invariably had a representation of Athena as goddess of missing and we have no evidence for some of the contests. war, fully armed, standing between two Doric columns usually wreathed with cockerels. The vase bore the So-called pseudo-Panathenaic amphoras have all the characteristics of inscription “∆√¡ ∞£∂¡∂£∂¡ ∞£§√¡” painted in the Panathenaic amphoras but are smaller and lack the most important element, pre-Euclidian Attic alphabet, later also “TøN A£HNH£EN the state inscription. Scholars disagree about their purpose. Some believe A£§øN” (from the games at Athens) next to one of that they were intended for those who came second, or for other games, or the columns. Only vases bearing this inscription are that they may have been commemorative functional vases for the considered Panathenaic-prize amphoras. In the middle celebrations that followed victories at the Panathenaic games, or even that of the 4th c. B.C., an inscription giving the name of the they were used as model samples in the pottery workshops. eponymous archon was added.

Detail from Panathenaic amphora, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1914 (14.130.12) (ca 530 B.C.) 4 5 THE PROGRAMME OF THE PANATHENAIC GAMES

In the Classical period, the festival is reckoned to have lasted for about one week, during the final third of the month Hekatombaion. Most scholars believe that the festival followed roughly the following programme:

Day 1 POETRY-RECITATION AND MUSIC CONTESTS

Day 2 ATHLETIC CONTESTS FOR BOYS AND YOUTHS

Day 3 ATHLETIC CONTESTS FOR MEN

Days 4-5 EQUESTRIAN CONTESTS

Day 6 GAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOCAL TRADITION

Detail from Panathenaic Day 7 amphora, Athens, National TORCH-RACE AND ALL-NIGHT VIGIL Archaeological Museum 20048 (363/62 B.C.) Day 8 (28th Hekatombaion) PROCESSION TO THE ACROPOLIS AND SACRIFICES

6 7 8 poem: “HO¢E¶OTENTYPIN£I” (“OnceuponatimeinTiryns...”). stands onapedestal,holding his staff;frommouthcomethefirstwordsof are depictedbeardedandholdingastaff.Onthevaseinillustration, therhapsode they werenotallowedtomakemanymovements,gestures,etc. Invase-paintingsthey appeared onlyatpublicfestivalsandneverinprivatehouses. Accordingtotherules, The rhapsodesinvariablyperformedsolo,withoutmusical accompaniment,and period, byAlexandrianphilologists. The Homericpoemsweredividedintorhapsodiesmuch later, intheHellenistic were recited. the previousoneleftoff.Inlatertimesentireepisodes,involving about500-800lines, of Homerwasusuallyrecitedinorderwitheachrhapsode continuingfromwhere poetry, usuallytheepicpoemsofHomerandlyricalpoetry. Atthegames,text Not muchisknownabouttherhapsodiacontest,whichwasa competitioninreciting The Greekwordrhapsodiaderivesfromwordsmeaning‘tostitch’and‘ode’. Panathenaic amphoras,butvaluablewreathsandmoney. the Panathenaiain162B.C.Theprizesawardedforartisticcontestswerenot (rhapsodia). Accordingtoaninscription,dramacontestswerealsointroducedinto The artisticcontestsincludedmusicandcompetitionsinpoetry-reciting P A o R e t T r y I S - R T e c I C i t

a C l

O ( R N h a T p E s o S d T i a S )

C o n t e s t

Red-figure amphora, London, British Museum GR 1843.11-3. 34 BM Catalogue of Vases E270 (ca 480 B.C.)

9 AÁˆÓ·Û P·„ˆ‰È·Û 10 by aflute-player. accompaniment forathleticcontests.Thepyrrhicdancewas invariably accompanied Flute-playing wasverycommoninancientAthens,bothas amusiccontestandas into theinstrument.Theflute-case,orsybene,isoftendepicted invase-paintings. (auletes) worealeathermouth-bandwhichhelpedhimto regulate theflowofair and weresometimesthesameofdifferinglengths. Theflute-player in whichthemusicianplayedtwoflutesatsametime.The fluteshadmouthpieces 1st prize: Wreath worth 300 drachmas 300 worth Wreath prize: 1st Wreath prize: 1st in whichthecompetitionswerehenceforthheld. them inthe5thcenturyB.C.andbuiltOdeionofPeriklesbeneathAcropolis, contests wereheldfromthe6thcenturyB.C.onwards,butPeriklesinstitutionalised in theverylargeprizesawardedtoattractfamousprofessionalperformers.The The musicconteststhemselveswereregardedasveryimportant,andthisisreflected and ofcourseatthecelebrationsthatfollowed. of acontest,fortheprize-givingceremony,asanaccompanimenttocertaincontests, Athens. Inadditiontothemusiccontests,servedasasignalforbeginning then, therewasacloserelationshipbetweenmusicandathleticcontestinancient character andwasthereforeanexcellenteducationaltoolfortheyoung.Naturally, artistic orsocialevent,andevenofdailylife.Theyalsobelievedthatitshapedthe Ancient Greeksconsideredmusictobeanindispensableaspectofanyintellectual, are depictedon amuchlargerscale,possibly indicating thatthemusiciansare boys. the singerholdsbranches.Atleft andrightsittwobeardedjudgesorspectators,who and lookingateachother,on a hightable.Themusicianplaysthedoublefluteand a boy.Therewasalsocontest onlyforboys.Thevasedepictstwomusiciansstanding musicians. Oneplayedthedouble fluteandtheothersang.Thesingerwasusually A M C C 2nd prize: 100 drachmas 100 prize: 2nd C C o o v n n o o U l t t n n e e o S t t s s e e I i t t C

s s

C t t

f f f f o o C o o o r r r r

O n

a a a a t u u N u u e l l l l o o s e e T t d d t t a a E s i i a a i i S

( ( T ( ( s s f f i i l l n n S u u g g t t e e i i n n - - p p g g l l

a a a a y y c c e e c c r r o o s s m m ) ) . . p p This wasacompetitionexclusivelyformen, a a n n i i e e d d

b b y y

a a

f f l l u u t t e e - - p p l l a a y y e e r r ) ) This wasacontestfortwo . .

Pseudo-Panathenaic amphora, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Norbert Schimmell, 1989.281.89 (ca 540 B.C.)

11 AÁˆÓ·Û A˘ÏˆÓ 12 1st prize: Gold wreath worth 1000 drachmas and 500 drachmas 500 and drachmas 1000 worth wreath Gold prize: 1st drachmas 300 and drachmas 500 worth Wreath prize: 1st boys andformen. also hungonthekithara.Themusicianoftenusedaplectrum.Therewerecontestsfor usually woreluxurious,richlydecoratedclothes.Impressivedecorativeribbonswere gave performancesonlyinpublicareas.Kithara-playersenjoyedgreatfame.They played thekithara,astringinstrumentassociatedwithprofessionalmusicianswho depict thecontestitself,butshowawardingofprize, usually byVictory. movement oftheheadandopenmouth.Often,however, vase-paintingsdonot as inthevaseillustrated,itisclearthathesingingandplaying fromthebackward the musicianisplayingkitharasolo,orsingingtoit.If scenedepictsacontest, Naturally enough,itisnoteasyinrepresentationsvase-paintings todetectwhether a largesumofmoney. in which,accordingtotheinscription,therewerefiveprizes, eachconsistingof sang tohisownaccompaniment.Onlymencouldcompete.This wastheonlycontest K C C 2nd prize: 1200 drachmas 1200 prize: 2nd drachmas 200 prize: 2nd 3rd prize: 600 drachmas 600 prize: 3rd drachmas 100 prize: 3rd o o i 4th prize: 400 drachmas 400 prize: 4th t 5th prize: 300 drachmas 300 prize: 5th n n C C h t t o o e e a n n s s t t r t t

e e a f f s s o o t t

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( ( i i s s t t h h i i n n a a g g r r i i a a n n - - g g p p

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) ) k k . . i i t t This wasacontestinwhichthemusician h h a a r r a a This wasacontestinwhichthemusician ) ) . .

Red-figure amphora, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fletcher Fund, 1956 (56.171.38) (ca 490 B.C.)

13 AÁˆÓ·Û KÈı·Ú·Û ATHLETIC CONTESTS TRACK EVENTS The contests that corresponded with modern track events were called gymnikoi agones in ancient times, because the athletes competed nude (gymnos). Some contests were originally held in the Ancient Agora, but most of them took place in the area of Phaleron, in the deme Echelidai. After the construction of the Panathenaic Stadium in 330 B.C., the track events were transferred to it. Running This was one of the earliest events at all the games. The number of runners depicted on vases ranges from three to five. They are usually shown with their head and legs in profile, but their torso turned frontally, and with their left leg and arm raised. There were various kinds of race, depending on the distance to be covered. It can sometimes be deduced whether the runners are covering a short or a long distance from the position of their body and their movements. Occasionally, the Û name of the running event is written on the vase. Ô Stadion. The unit of distance used in running events was the length of the stadium, Ì

the track on which the athletes ran, which varied from stadium to stadium, depending Ô on the size of the arena. In Athens, the stadion was 185 m. This was the only distance Ú

run by boys. The stadion was the oldest event of all and the winner of it gave his name ¢ to the Olympiad. Diaulos. The diaulos was a race of two stadia, or 370 m. The start and finishing line were at the same place. In some vases, a post can be seen: this was the turning post, around which the runners turned before completing the return leg. Preliminary heats were held for the stadion and diaulos, which were sprint races. Excavations in the Ancient Agora of Athens have revealed ten lanes, indicating that ten athletes ran at the same time. Hippios. The hippios was a middle-distance race in which the runners covered a distance of four stadia; this was the length of the hippodrome, which accounts for the name hippios. Dolichos. The dolichos was a long-distance race of twenty to twenty-four stadia. The event was associated with messengers who carried messages all over Greece, and marked the beginning of the gymnikoi agones.

Prizes (for the stadion): Boys 50 Youths 60 Men 80 Panathenaic amphora, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1914 (14.130.12) (ca 530 B.C.) 14 15 16 In thisevent,runnersusuallycompetedinthediaulos R a c e

i n

A Prizes: Men 70 70 Men Prizes: r m spectacular contests. the militarytrainingandexerciseofyouths. At thesametime,itwasoneofmost Detail fromred-figureamphora,Paris, Musée o du LouvreG214(ca480-470B.C.) u r (ca. 370m.)wearingahelmet helmet andgreaveswere abandoned, leavingonlythe shield. Astimepassed,the and greavesholdinga shield. Theshieldscarried by theathletesbelonged overt connectionwith to thestateandwere This eventhadan naturally identical.

Detail from Panathenaic amphora, Athens, 3rd Ephorate of Prehistoric & Classical Antiquities, A 6374 (middle of the 4th century B.C.)

17 OÏÈÙÔ‰ÚÔÌÈ· 18 e) the otherthree. placed twoofhisfingers,whileheheldthejavelinwith the centreofgravityjavelin,throughwhichathlete finger. Thethrowwasassistedbyaleatherloopattached at d) thicker inthemiddleandthinnertowardsedge. of stoneormetalandhadaspecificdiameterweight. It was b) c) make animpression.Theuseofhaltereswasnotobligatory. performed inapitofsoftearth,sothatthejumper’sfeetwould from himjustbeforehelandedontheground.Thejumpwas discs), heldoneineachhand,whichthejumperthrewway aid ofhalteres(jumpingweights:ellipticalstoneormetal Prizes: Boys 30 Youths 40 Men 60 60 Men 40 Youths 30 Boys Prizes: a) The pentathlonconsistedofthefollowingfiveevents: According tomyth,thepentathlonwasestablishedbyJason. The coordinationoftheseabilitiesdemandedbothmentalstrengthandwill-power. the eventinvolvedacombinationofstrength,speed,endurance,skillandflexibility. Competitors inthepentathlonwerelookeduponasidealmodelsforathletes,since the winnerof overallcontestwasdecided. and neverinawrestlingcontest orarace.Thereissomedisputeastoexactlyhow athletes areusuallydepicted, invariablyinthelong-jump,discusandjavelin, own right,butonlyaspartofthe pentathlon.OnPanathenaicamphoras,onetofour that thelongjump,discusand javelinwerenotheldasseparateeventsintheir always thelast.Scholarsaregenerally agreed disputed, exceptforthewrestling, whichwas The orderinwhichtheeventswereheldis P e n W W J J D D J J R R u u a a t u u v v i i m m r r s s n n a e e e e c c p p n n l l s s u u t i i i i t t i i n n n n s s l l n n h i i . Thejavelinwas1.5-2m.longandthethicknessofone . Theathletesallusedthesamediscus,whichwasmade g g n n g g l . Thiswasalongjumpperformedwiththe g g o (stadion). . n Inv, 86333(ca430B.C.) Naples, MuseoArcheologicoNazionale Detail fromPanathenaicamphora,

Panathenaic amphora, London, British Museum GR 1842. 3-14.1 BM Catalogue of Vases B 134 (ca 520-500 B.C.)

19 ¶ÂÓÙ·ıÏÔÓ 20 Prizes: Boys 30 Youths 40 Men 60 60 Men 40 Youths 30 Boys Prizes: first tothrowhisopponentthree times. The winnerwastheonewho wasthe as seeninthetwovasesillustrated. ing, andwrestling‘ontheground’, and wasdividedinto‘upright’wrestl- pale. Theeventincludedmanyholds the ancientGreekwordforwrestling, spread. Thepalaestratookitsnamefrom training oftheyouthandwasverywide- Wrestling wasasportfundamentaltothe regarded asthepatrongodofwrestling. journey fromTroizentoAthens.Herakleswas himself bydefeatingtheogreKerkyononhis learned wrestlingfromAthena,orinventedit mythological subjects.Accordingtomyth,Theseus A wrestlingmatchisoftenincludedinrepresentationsof athlete, waitinghisturntofightthewinner. vases usuallydepictthereferee,whoholdsarod,andalsoephedros(reserve) sometimes inscribedonthevase.Thepairingsweredeterminedbylot.Scenes impossible todistinguishbetweentheminvase-paintings.Thenameoftheeventis Wrestling, boxingandpankrationwereknownasheavyevents,itisoften W r e s t l i n g (360/59 B.C.) National ArchaeologicalMuseum 20046 Detail fromPanathenaicamphora,Athens,

Panathenaic amphora, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 20044 (360/59 B.C.)

21 ¶·ÏË 22 illustration. sign ofsubmission,ascanbeseeninthe defeat byraisinghisindexfingerinthe on aboxingmatch.Theloseradmitted boxing thongs.Therewasnotime-limit competitors inthepankrationalsowore with thepassageoftime.Occasionally they becameharderandmoredangerous later “sphairai”andfinally“oxeis”(sharp), of theboxer.Originally“meilichai”(soft), wound aroundthehand,wristandfingers in Homer.Theyconsistedofstripsleather boxing. Theyarementionedforthefirsttime fighters wereacharacteristicfeatureof boxing thongs(himantes)wornbythe at theopponent’sheadandneck.The punches, mostofwhichweredirected Boxing involvedthethrowingofmany Prizes: Boys 30 Youths 40 Men 60 60 Men 40 Youths 30 Boys Prizes: B o x i n g 5th centuryB.C) Archaeological Museum1689(early Panathenaic shape,Athens,National Detail fromred-figureamphoriskosof

Pseudo-Panathenaic amphora, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 447 (ca 500 B.C.)

23 ¶˘ÁÌË 24 Prizes: Boys 40 Youths 50 Men 70 70 Men 50 Youths 40 Boys Prizes: illustrated. thongs, asintherepresentationonvase Sometimes pankratiastsalsoworeboxing and wrestlinginscenesvase-paintings. eyes. Itisnoteasytodistinguishitfromboxing pankration exceptbitingandgougingthe Any holdorblowwasallowedinthe of boxingandwrestling. the Minotaurbyemployingacombination was theinventorofevent:hedefeated According tomythology,Theseus,again, until oneofthetwoopponentssubmitted. in whichthecontestcontinuedonground This wasacombinationofboxingandwrestling P a n k r a t i o n Museum (332B.C.) amphora, London,British Detail fromPanathenaic

Panathenaic amphora, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 20045 (360/59 B.C.)

25 ¶·ÁÎÚ·ÙÈÔÓ EQUESTRIAN EVENTS In Athens, the equestrian events were the oldest contests and were associated with the foundation of the games at the Panathenaic festival. Some of them were held in the Ancient Agora, but the majority took place in the hippodrome near Neo Faliro. The precise location of the hippodrome has not been established. The equestrian events were essentially aristocratic in character, since only the wealthy could afford to own, raise and train horses. Some of the events were open to all, while some were restricted to Athenian citizens. The latter included the apobates race, target javelin from horseback, and anthippassia. The equestrian events were also divided into categories on the basis of the age and sex of the horses. The charioteer and rider competed on behalf of the owner of the horses, and it was the owner who received the prize. This meant that women, too, could win prizes. · Horse-Races È

The riders rode bareback, without either saddle or spurs, and held the reins and Ì a whip in their hands. The race for full-grown horses was run over six laps of the Ô Ú

hippodrome. There were also races for mares and foals. ‰

Prize: 16 Ô   I

Detail from attic black-figure column-krater, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 11706 (ca. 550-540 B.C.) Panathenaic amphora,Nafplion, Archaeological Museum, 1 Glymenopoulos collection (ca. 530-520 B.C.) 26 27 28 and thedistancecoveredwaseightlapsofhippodrome. “tethrippon”, andthedistancecoveredwastwelvelapsof hippodrome. Prizes: For full-grown horses: 140 140 horses: full-grown For Prizes: chiton andholdsthereinsalongstickwithsomekindof goadattheend. wheel axle.Inrepresentationsinvase-painting,thecharioteerusuallywearsalong chariot withtheaidofasolidwoodenpolewhichwasconnectedtomiddle the carhadarailthatcharioteercouldhold.Thehorseswereharnessedto The chariothadtwowheelsonwhichthecarofwasmounted.Attop, This wasthemostspectaculareventofall,andit,too,araceforwealthy. C C C C C For foals: 40 40 foals: For h h h h h a a a a a r r r r i i i i r o o o o i t t t t o - - - - r r r r t a a a a - c c c c R e e e e

a w w w w c i i t t i i e h h t t h h

t t

w w Archaeological Museum 18577(ca510-500B.C.) Details fromattic black-figure pyxis,Athens,National f f o o o o

u u h h r r o o

r r h h s s e e o o s s r r . . s s e e The chariotdrawnbytwohorseswascalled“synoris”, s s . . The chariotpulledbyfourhorseswascalled

Pseudo-Panathenaic amphora, Athens, Ancient Agora Museum P 24661 (ca 500 B.C.)

29 AÚÌ·ÙÔ‰ÚÔÌÈ· 30 spectacular events. Eleusinion, andwasoneof the most Agora, onthe‘AncientRoad’to The eventwasheldintheAncient and receivedseparateprizes. The charioteerandhoplitewereequals then remountedwhileitwasstillmoving. jumped downfromthechariotand During therace,hoplite competed againsteachother. a charioteerandhoplite form: four-horsechariotswith The eventhadthefollowing citizen nexttohim. as acharioteer,withanarmed at thefirstPanathenaicfestival myth, Erichthoniosappeared also attributed.Accordingtothe hero Erichthonios,towhomtheinventionofchariotis This eventwhichwastraditionallyestablishedbythelocal A p o b a t e s

R a c e J. PaulGettyMuseum79.AE.147(340/39B.C.) Detail frompanathenaicamphora,Malibu,

Panathenaic amphora, Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum 79. A E.147 (340/39 B.C.)

31 AÔ‚·ÙËÛ AÁˆÓ·Û 32 AÓıÈ·ÛÈ· Prize: 5 5 Prize: with militarytraining.Inthescene onthevase,riderswearchlamysandpetasos. fixed tothetopofapole.Theeventrequiredgreatskillandwas directlyconnected While thehorsewasgalloping,itsriderthrewjavelinata target,usuallyashield the hippodrome. nation andspeed.Theeventwasheldin through theother,withgreatcoordi- battle, inwhichonegrouppassed those oftheotherfiveinamockcavalry drawn upinaline,competedagainst tribes. Theridersoffivethetribes, This eventwasacontestbetweentheten T A a n r t g h e i p t p

a J a s s v i a e l i n

f r o m

H o r s e b a c k 17167 (early4thcenturyB.C.) the anthippasia,AncientAgoraMuseum Marble reliefcommemoratingvictoryin

Panathenaic amphora, London, British Museum GR 1903.2-17.1 (ca 400 B.C.)

33 EÊÈÔÛ ™ÙÔ¯·ÛÙÈÎÔÛ AÎÔÓÙÈÛÌÔÛ 34 E˘·Ó‰ÚÈ· Prizes: The victorious tribe in each event received an ox and 100 drachmas. 100 and ox an received event each in tribe victorious The Prizes: the Lesser. was providedby sponsors:800drachmasfor theGreatPanathenaiaand 700for accompanied byaflute-player. Therewereeventsforboys,youthsandmen.Funding the Titans.Thoseperformingit heldaroundshieldandjavelin,likeAthena,were danced bythegoddessAthena tocelebratethevictoryofOlympiangodsover performed attheGreatand LesserPanathenaia.Accordingtotradition,itwasfirst dancer madeanexcellentwarrior. Thepyrrhicdancewasanarmed,group Socrates believedthatdancingwasthebestformofphysicalexercise, andthatagood drachmas. 100 and ox an received tribe victorious The Prizes: merits. procession. Eachtribeenteredanumberofmenwhoweredistinguishedbytheabove is unknown.Itwasadevelopmentofoldtraditionsandcontainedsomekind This eventrequiredphysicalbeauty,strengthandskill.Preciselywhatitinvolved oxen andmoney,therewerenoPanathenaicamphorasassociatedwiththem. some formofprocession.Mostthemwerespeciallyfunded.Sincetheprizes They evolvedfromtraditionalprocessionsandwardances.Alltheeventsincluded These eventswerecontestedbytribeandopenonlytoAtheniancitizens. P E E u V y a r E r n N h d T i c r i

S a D

A a ( M n S S c a O e n Acropolis Museum1338(ca330-320B.C.) Base fromthevotiveofferingofAtarbos,Athens, C l y I A

E T x E c D e l

l W e n c I T e ) H

L O C A L

T R A D I T I O N S

Attic black-figure pelike, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 455 (ca 460 B.C.)

35 ¶˘ÚÚȯÂÈÔÛ XÔÚÔÛ Boat-Race ·

Ï Despite the great importance of the navy in ancient Athens, very little is known of this Ï

È event. It was some kind of rowing race that took place in Piraeus, around the harbour of Munichia. It included speed contests and a mock naval battle. Groups of youths Ì from each tribe participated. A 1st prize: Three oxen & 300 drachmas. Plus 200 drachmas ‘for banqueting’ at the festival Ó

ˆ 2nd prize: Two oxen and 200 drachmas  N

Detail from a stele with an Ephebic catalogue, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 1466 (163-64 A.D.)

Torch-Race The torch-race was held at both the Great and the Lesser Panathenaia. The person responsible for the event, and all torch-races, was the archon basileus. There was special funding for the torch-race. The event was a combination of religious ritual, spectacle and athletics. Its object was to carry the sacred fire from the altar of Prometheus in the Academy to the Acropolis. The lighted torch was handed on from one runner to the next. Forty youths from each tribe ran a distance of 2500 metres, or about 60 m. each. The winning tribe was the one whose runner arrived first. He then lit the fire for the sacrifice on the altar. There followed an all-night vigil on the eve of the great procession to the Acropolis.

Prizes: The victorious tribe received an ox and 100 drachmas, and each runner Attic red-figure pelike, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 16194 (ca 425 B.C.) 30 drachmas and a hydria.

36 The Panathenaic festival culminated on 28th Hekatombaion in a grand procession to Some of the participants in the contests are depicted in this outstanding ensemble the Acropolis which has been immortalised in the Parthenon frieze. of sculptures. Ó ˆ · È Ï ˘ Ì Ô A Ú

Û ‰ · Ô Ó 

AVLOI CONTEST HORSE RACE  ˆ I Á North Frieze VI-VII, West Frieze II,

A Athens, Acropolis Museum London, British Museum Û Û · · Ó Ú ˆ · Á ı È A

K Û

Ë Û Ù · · Ó KITHARA CONTEST APOBATES RACE ‚ ˆ Ô

Á North Frieze VIII, South Frieze XXXI, 

A Athens, Acropolis Museum London, British Museum A · È · Û È Ú · ‰  Ó  È · ı ˘ Ó E EUANDRIA ANTHIPPASSIA North Frieze X, South Frieze X-XI, A Athens, Acropolis Museum London, British Museum

38 39 I would like to express many thanks for their help in completing this booklet to Prof. Ch. Bouras, to the Director of the Acropolis Ephorate A. Choremi, to the Director of the Epigraphical Museum, Ch. Kritzas, to the Curator of Vase Collection of the National Archaeological Museum, E. Stassinopoulou as well as to the archaeologists E. Morati, E. Lygouri and E. Pappi. Special thanks are due to the collaborators of the Education Department, I. Kaimara, A. Leonti, S. Mavrommatis, I. Melengoglou, T. Souvlakis.

This booklet can be combined with a poster illustrating a full-scale Panathenaic amphora and a card-game to design a Panathenaic amphora.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOURCES All the photographs published in the booklet belong to the organisations listed below, to whom we express our deepest thanks. Special thanks are due to the I.C.O.M. Greece. Athens, Acropolis Museum (pp. 34, 38) ñ Athens, Ancient Agora Museum (pp. 29, 32) ñ Athens, National Archaeological Museum (front cover illustration & pp. 1, 6, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 35, 36, 37) ñ Athens, Epigraphical Museum (p. 2) ñ 3rd Ephorate of Prehistoric & Classical Antiquities (p. 17) ñ Nafplion, Archaeological Museum (p. 27) ñ Volos, Archaeological Museum (p. 3) ñ London, British Museum (pp. 9, 19, 24, 33) ñ Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum (p. 31) ñ Naples, Museo Archeologico Nazionale (p. 18) ñ New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (pp. 4, 11, 13, 15) ñ Paris, Museé du Louvre (p. 16)

Front cover illustration: Panathenaic amphora, Athens, National Archaeological Museum 20048 (363/62 B.C.)

Text Supervision: I. Kaimara Translation: D. Hardy Artistic Supervision: AltSys Colour separations: D. PLESSAS Printing: Tsakos-Benou-Kamaradou

ISBN: 960-214-233-2 © 2003 Acropolis Restoration Service - Department of Information and Education & C. Hadziaslani The Acropolis Restoration Project is co-funded by the European Union.

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