Ancient Greek Athletics - Hardcover

The earliest Olympic Games began more than twenty-five hundred years ago. What were they like, how were they organized, who participated? Were ancient sports a means of preparing youth for warfare? In this lavishly illustrated book, a world expert on ancient Greek athletics provides the first comprehensive introduction to the subject, vividly describing ancient sporting events and games and exploring their impact on art, literature and politics. Using a wide array of ancient sources, written and visual, and including recent archaeological discoveries, Stephen Miller reconstructs ancient Greek athletic festivals and the details of specific athletic events. He also explores broader themes, including the role of women in ancient athletics, the place of amateurism, and the relation between athletic events and social and political life; 288 pages; Description: ix, 288 p. : ill. (some col. ) , map ; 27 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-275) and indexes. Subjects: Athletics --Greece --History