Runners and races in the Museum

A thematic tour in the context of the Authentic Marathon 2018

Athletics was very important in ancient Greece and accompanied the daily life of the citizens, as well as prestigious religious feasts. The thematic tour in the National Archaeological Museum by means of the leaflet you hold in your hands will help you acquaint with ancient runners, the races in which they took part, the prizes they won, as well as the position of athletics in societies. Do not forget that the selection is indicative. As you tour the museum, you will surely find many more exhibits related with sports. Let’s start!

Sculpture Collection – Gallery 13

Grave relief of the “Hoplite runner” (n. 1959): A nude hoplite in the stylized rendition of the running pose has been identified as a hoplite runner or a dancer of the pyrrichios war dance. The race in armour was a sprint, usually over two stadia (about 365 m.), in which the participants were running wearing helmets and holding shields. Ca 510 BC.

Base of a funerary kouros (naked youth) with scenes from the palaestra (n. 3476):

The exquisite reliefs depict in a very graphic way the moments of exercise, play and rest in the gymnasium, in which not only the body but also the ideal of the free human being were cultivated. On the left side, a ball game is depicted; according to another interpretation six athletes involved in various athletic games are represented, among them a runner - with open palms - of the stadion race (stadium: approx. 192 m) and a runner with closed palms, running the dolichos race (dolichos: approx. 4000 m. usually). Ca. 510 BC.

Sculpture Collection – Gallery 15

Attic votive relief of an athlete (n. 3344): A young athlete holds a now lost metal wreath that was attached into the holes visible on the hair. Certainly a victor, either he crowns himself or he is about to dedicate his victorious prize to the goddess Athena, in order to express gratitude for his victory. Ca. 460 BC.

Temporary exhibition “The countless aspects of Beauty” – Second gallery (44)

Statue of a young “Diadoumenos” (n. 1826): A young nude man binds a ribbon in his hair, a feature that suggests the identification of a victor. The quiver against the tree trunk next to him and his divine facial characteristics reflect the Apollonian view of the model athlete, according to which the victor was equal to the god. Ca 100 BC. Bronze Collection – Gallery 36

Βronze statuette of a girl runner (Κar. 24) – Big case of the Sanctuary of Dodona n.5 Α young girl is depicted, participating in the races for maidens held at Olympia. The games were held every four years in honour of the goddess . The victor received an and pieces from the animal sacrificed to the goddess. 550-540 BC.

Vases Collection – Gallery 56

Attic black-figure skyphos with representation of runners (Case 144 - number 14) The wide stride of the athletes, the fact that their bodies are leaning forward, and their widely extended arms suggests that they were probably competing in the stadion, the sprint race per excellence and the oldest sport of the . Around 540 BC.

Fragment of a Panathenaic amphora (Case 144 – n. 11) The runner is competing in the diaulos, according to the inscription, which was the second category of sprint after the stadion, of about 365 m. The winners of the Panathenaic Games, the most important religious celebration in to honour the protector goddess of the city, gained as a prize Panathenaic amphorae, full of olive oil from the sacred olives of the goddess Athena. The winner of the stadion race won 70 such amphorae, that is 2,5 tons of oil! In case 130, you can see a lot of Panathenaic amphorae, with winged Nikes offering symbols of victory to the winners.

Red-figure calyx krater with depiction of the apobates race (Case 145, n. 2) In this contest, the charioteer was controlling the horses, while the apobates, holding a shield, had to jump off the moving chariot, running at high speed and step back on. This dangerous and spectacular race was introduced in the Panathenaic Games by the mythical hero Erichtonios, who is probably depicted as the apobates on the krater, while the goddess Nike drives the chariot towards victory. 360-350 BC.

Temporary exhibition “Hadrian and Athens” – Gallery 31a

Attic red-figure kylix with everyday scenes from the palaestra (n. 17302) The palaestra was a training place for athletics and wrestling. It was an indispensable part of Gymnasia, as well as of sanctuaries for the training of athletes. The character of education in the Gymnasia during classical antiquity is genuinely athletic in order to prepare excellent citizens, with a perfect body and spirit, ready to defend their city against any danger. At the end of the year, athletic contests took place, where the winners received a palm branch and an olive wreath, as shown in the stelae with the lists of ephebes from the Gymnasium of Diogenes (n. 1465, n. 1468).

Sculpture Collection – Gallery 32

Funerary statue of an ephebe (n.1662) A young athlete places on his head the wreath of victory, while holding a palm branch on the other hand as another victorious symbol. About A.D. 150.