Events

 

A schedule of events can be diagramed as follows:

 

DAY ONE: MUSICAL AND RHAPSODIC CONTESTS

Adult Kitharodes: singing and accompanying oneself on the kithara (seven-stringed instrument)

Adult Aulodes: singing to the flute

Adult and Boy Kitharist: kithara playing

Adult and Boy Auletes: solo flute playing

 

DAY TWO: ATHLETIC CONTESTS FOR BOYS AND YOUTHS

DAY THREE: ATHLETIC CONTESTS FOR MEN

The Panathenaic athletic contests had over 20 events, with three age classes, and team and individual competitions. The following briefly describes each event:

 

Footrace: The footraces were held on the straight track of the Athenian Agora. Each race had ten competitors and was distinguished by distance:

stadion: 200 yards

diaulos: 2 lengths

dolichos: 20 or 24 lengths

Pentathalon: The Pentathalon consisted of five events:

The Jump: took place in a large sand pit using jumping weights called halteres to improve distance in the jump.

Dromos: a long footrace

Discus Throw: a throw for distance. Amphoras show the competitor's stances throughout the motion.

Javelin Throw: a thong was placed on the javelin and wrapped around the fingers to facilitate a longer throw.

Wrestling: the object was to win three falls out of five. A fall is a pin of the shoulders, stretcihng an opponent prone, or tying an opponent in a confining hold.

 

Wrestling: This is similar to the Pentathalon event but is an individual 'heavy event', as are boxing and the pankration.

 

Bosing: This was a very brutal sport. Athletes wore leather thongs to inflict pain. The fight continued until one boxer was knocked out or admitted defeat by raising his index finger.

 

Pankration: A combination of wrestling, boxing, and kicking. There were few rules. Gouging and biting were still prohibited.

 

Hoplite Race: A race in amor, where contestants had to wear a helmet, shield, and greaves.

 

DAY FOUR: EQUESTRIAN CONTESTS

Horse racing was proof of wealth and status all throughout Greece. There were various forms of the sport:

Apobates: a chariot-dismounting race with military overtones. It is not clear whether the rider dismounted and ran on foot to the finish or if he merely mounted and dismounted while in motion.

Horse Race: youthful nude jockeys raced on their horses for a length of three laps.

Chariot Race: the tethrippon (four horse chariot race) was the most dangerous, expensive, and prestigious equestrian event. Charioteers were clothed, mature men. The synoris was a similar race in which the clothed driver had two horses and the wheels were actually cart wheels.

Special Equestrian Events: special events only for warriors: horse race, two horse chariot race, two horse chariot procession, and javelin throw on horseback.

 

DAY FIVE: TRIBAL CONTESTS

These contests were limited to citizens of Athens and derived from ancient traditions.

Pyrrhic Dance: dances in amor where moves often mimicked evasion of blows and missiles.

Euandria: a male beauty contest that incorporated beauty, size, strength, and manhood.

 

DAY SIX: RACE AND PANNYCHIS, PROCESSION AND SACRIFICE

Torch Race: a relay race in which the winning team had to cover the 2500-meter distance first and also keep its torch lit.

There was also a colorful procession that began at the Pompeion and went through the city to the goddess Athena's shrine on the Acropolis. It was there at the cult statue of Athena that a richly woven robe, called the peplos, was presented to her. There was also a sacrifice of 100 cows on her altar, which was set aflame in the evening by the winner of the torch race.

These sacrifices were then followed by an all-night celebration, called the pannychis.

 

DAY SEVEN: APOBATES, BOAT RACES

Apobates: an armed warrior who jumps from a moving chariot.

Boat Race: a rowing ocntest of crews. Liittle is known about the races

 

DAY EIGHT: AWARDING OF PRIZES, FEASTING, AND CELEBRATION

Prizes were awarded to the winners as well as the runners up. There was a great feast from the sacrifice at Athena's altar, followed by a grand celebration.