Download 1. Make an annotated list of all athletic events at the Panathenaia for

1. Make an annotated list of all athletic events at the Panathenaia for the website.
Eclectic program of over 20 events, with three age classes, and with teams as well as
individual competitors.

Footraces
o Running was surely one of the oldest forms of athletic contests.
o Footraces was an individual event
o The stadion was a sprint race of approxiamately 200 yards.
o Other foot races were added over time, the diaulos or “double flute” races
of two lengths, and the dolichos or long race of perhaps around 20-24
lengths

Pentathlon
o Consisted of the five following events,
 foot races (stadion),
 Jumping, this was a long jump performed with the aid of halteres
(jumping weights: elliptical stone or metal discs), held one in each
hand, which the jumper threw way from him just before he landed
on the ground. The jump was performed in a pit of soft ground, so
that the jumper’s feet would make an impression. The use of
halteres was not obligatory.
 Discus, the athletes all used the same discus, which was made of
stone or metal and had a specific diameter and weight. It
was thicker in the middle and thinner towards the edge.
 Javelin, the javelin was 1.5-2 m. long and the thickness of
one finger. The throw was assisted by a leather loop attached at the
centre of gravity of the javelin, through which the athlete placed
two of his fingers, while he held the javelin with the other three.
 Wrestling, the order in which the events were held is disputed,
except for the wrestling, which was
always the last.


These were all individual events
Wrestling
o The training and competition involved for wrestling was grevious or
burdensome. There were also no weight classes, and the heavier athletes
tended to dominate this event.
o The event included many holds and was divided into ‘upright’
wrestling, and wrestling ‘on the ground’
o The winner was the one who was the first to throw his opponent three
times.
o Individual event

Boxing
o Boxing involved the throwing of many punches, most of which were
directed at the opponent’s head and neck.
o There was no time-limit on a boxing match. The loser admitted defeat by
raising his index finger in the sign of submission.
o Individual event

Pankration
o This was a combination of wrestling, boxing, and kicking, the Pankration
was a specialized heavy event.
o There were a few rules: gouging and biting were prohibited, but choking,
and finger-breaking, and blow to the genitals were not.
o Individual events

Hoplite Race
o Hoplite were citizen soldiers from ancient Greek city-states
o The hoplites would race in their armor, including helmet, shield, and
sometimes greaves in a phalanx formation, a large tight rectangular
formation
o Team event

Equestrian Events
o The equestrian events were the oldest contests and were associated
with the foundation of the games at the Panathenaic festival
o 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.
o 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.

Apobates Race
o This was traditionally established by the local hero Erichthonios, to whom
the invention of the chariot is also attributed.
o Form: four-horse chariots with a charioteer and a hoplite competed against
each other.
o During the race, the hoplite jumped down from the chariot and then
remounted while it was still moving.
o The charioteer and hoplite were equals and received separate prizes.

Horse Race
o Only the wealthy would participate in the horse races
o Constantly associated with wealth and the calvarl, horses remained
prominent in both the Panathenaic procession and the games

Chariot Races
o This was known to be the most exciting event of all in the festival
o It was also an event exclusively for the wealthy
o The chariot had two wheels on which the car of the chariot was mounted
o On the top of the car had a rail that the charioteer could hold, the horses
were harnessed to the chariot with the aid of a solid wooden pole which
was connected to the middle of the wheel axle
o A chariot drawn by two horses was called “synoris”, and the distance
covered was eight laps of the hippodrome.
o A chariot pulled by four horses was called “tethrippon”, and the distance
covered was twelve laps of the hippodrome.

Special Equestrian Events
o After the chariot events there were 4 events for warriors (polemisteriois)
 A horse race
 Two-horse chariot race
 A two-horse chariot procession
 Javelin throw on horseback - While the horse was galloping, its
rider threw the javelin at a target, usually a shield fixed to the top
of a pole. The event required great skill and was directly
connected with military training.
o These military events were held at Olympia, and in the Panathenaia they
were probably restricted to only Athenians

Tribal Events
o The tribal events was a team competition, limited to Athenian citizens
o While bigger prizes were offered in open events to attract competitors
from outside of Athens, this did not mean that the tribal events were of
little importance for the Athenians
o Early processions developed into contests in military dancing, manly
beauty, and torch racing
Pyrrhic Dance
o Pyrrhic dances in armor were held throughout Greece
o According to tradition, the pyrrhic dance was first danced by the goddess
Athena to celebrate the victory of the Olympian gods over the Titans
o Those performing it held a round shield and javelin, like Athena, and
were
accompanied by a flute-player
o There were events for boys, youths and men
o Funding was provided by the wealthy/ elite sponsor

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
Euandria
o This event required “manly beauty”/ physical beauty, strength, skill, moral
values, accomplishments and value to the community
o The Euandria became a competition but its original objective was a
pageant or procession
Torch Race
o The torch race consisted of a relay race, the torch was handed on from one
runner to the next
o Forty youths from each tribe ran a distance of 2500 metres, or about 60 m.
each.
o The winning tribe was the one whose runner arrived first.
o The runner then lit the fire for the sacrifice on the altar.
o There followed an all-night vigil on the eve of the great procession to the
Acropolis.
o The significance of the torch race was the ritual transfer of fire from the
Academy to the Akropolis where it was used to light the fire for the
sacrifice for Athena
Boat Race
o Despite the great importance of the navy in ancient Athens, very little is
known of this event.
o It was believed to be some kind of rowing race
o It included speed contests and a mock naval battle.
o Groups of youths from each tribe participated.