Arete

by Miller, Stephen G.

• ISBN13: 9780520241541
• ISBN10: 0520241541
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-04-29
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

From the informal games of Homer's time to the highly organized contests of the Roman world, Miller has compileda trove of ancient sources: Plutarch on boxing, Aristotle on the pentathlon, Philostratos on the buying and selling of victories, Vitruvius on literary competitions, and Xenophon on female body building. Arete offers readers an absorbing lesson in the culture of Greek athletics from the greatest of teachers, the ancients themselves, and demonstrates that the concepts of virtue, skill, pride, valor, and nobility embedded in the word arete are only part of the story from antiquity.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	vii
Introduction	ix
I. THE EARLIEST DAYS OF GREEK ATHLETICS: 1-2	1	(15)
II. NUDITY AND EQUIPMENT: 3-19	16	(7)
III. THE EVENTS AT A COMPETITION	23	(40)
a. Running: 20-31	23	(4)
b. Wrestling: 32-36	27	(5)
c. Boxing: 37-43	32	(5)
d. Pankration: 44-46	37	(2)
e. Pentathlon: 47-65	39	(11)
f. Equestrian: 66-72	50	(7)
g. Herald and Trumpeter: 73-74	57	(1)
h. Music: 75-76	58	(1)
i. Poetry and Prose Composition: 77-78	59	(2)
j. Acting: 79	61	(1)
k. Painting: 80	61	(2)
IV. ORGANIZATION OF A PANHELLENIC FESTIVAL	63	(18)
a. Preparations at the Site: 81-82	63	(2)
b. Preparations of the Athletes: 83-86	65	(2)
C. The Truce: 87-89	67	(2)
d. Preliminaries: Registration and Certification: 90-94	69	(1)
e. Schedule, Heats, and Pairings: 95-99	70	(3)
f. Prohibitions and Penalties: 100-104	73	(2)
g. Officials: 105-109	75	(1)
h. Rewards for Victory: 110-118	76	(5)
V. LOCAL FESTIVALS	81	(8)
a. The Panathenaic Games of Athens: 119-123	81	(5)
b. The Eleutheria of Larissa in Thessaly: 124-126	86	(2)
c. The Bomonikai of Sparta: 127	88	(1)
VI. THE ROLE OF THE GAMES IN SOCIETY: 128-148	89	(16)
VII. WOMEN IN ATHLETICS: 149-162	105	(6)
VIII. ATHLETES AND HEROES: 163-175	111	(9)
IX. BALL PLAYING: 176-178	120	(6)
X. GYMNASION, ATHLETICS, AND EDUCATION: 179-189	126	(27)
XI. THE SPREAD OF GREEK ATHLETICS IN THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD: 190-199	153	(7)
XII. GREEK ATHLETICS IN THE ROMAN PERIOD: 200-204	160	(5)
XIII. AMATEURISM AND PROFESSIONALISM: 205-223	165	(16)
XIV. NATIONALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM: 224-231	181	(11)
a. Relations between the Panhellenic Sanctuaries: 232-236	184	(2)
b. Relations between City-States and the Panhellenic Sanctuaries: 237-242	186	(4)
c. Relations between City-States at the Panhellenic Sanctuaries: 243-247	190	(2)
XV. BEAUTY AND REALITY: 248-256	192	(9)
Appendix: The Olympian and Pythian Programs	201	(2)
Select Bibliography	203	(6)
Index and Glossary	209	(26)
Sources for the Chapter-Opening Sketches	235