Ancient Greek Athletics

by Stephen G. Miller

• ISBN13: 9780300115291
• ISBN10: 0300115296
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2006-08-01
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

What was it like at the opening night of Mozart'sDon Giovanni orWagner'sDas Rheingold?This glittering introduction to the world of opera takes us behind the scenes during premiere performances of five extraordinary operas. "A rare and wonderful cultural history."Philip Kennicott,Washington Post "An absorbing tangle of minutiae about performing circumstances, personalities, conventions, expectations, critical responses, gossip. . . . This book is readable. Addictively."Michael White,Opera Now "This thoroughly enjoyable and informative book will delight all opera lovers; highly recommended."Library Journal

Author Biography

Stephen G. Miller is professor emeritus of classical archaeology at the University of California, Berkeley. For 33 years he directed the excavations at Nemea in Greece, one of the major sites of ancient games. He is the author of many books, including Arete: Greek Sports from Ancient Sources.
 

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
A Note on Transliterations and Measurements	ix
Introduction	1	(10)
The World of Greek Athletics	11	(9)
The Origins of Greek Athletics	20	(11)
The Crown Competitions: The Events at Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia	31	(56)
The Sites of the Crown Competitions	87	(26)
The Olympic Games, 300 B.C.: A Reconstruction of a Festival	113	(16)
The Money Games at Epidauros, Athens, Larissa, and Sparta	129	(21)
Women and Athletics	150	(10)
Athletes and Heroes	160	(6)
Sport and Recreation	166	(10)
Training: The World of the Gymnasion and the Palaistra	176	(20)
Athletics as Entertainment in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods	196	(11)
Professionals and Amateurs	207	(9)
Politics and the Games	216	(10)
Athletics and Society	226	(9)
Arete	235	(6)
Glossary	241	(12)
Bibliography	253	(24)
General Index	277	(10)
Index of Written Sources	287