Games and Sanctuaries in Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens [Hardcover]

Panos Valavanis (Author), David Hardy (Translator), John Boardman (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0892367628 | ISBN-13: 978-0892367627 | Publication Date: July 25, 2004 | Edition: 1St Edition

As religious rituals, rites of passage, and celebrations of the body, athletics were deeply woven into the fabric of ancient Greek life. Modelled after physical exercises and competitions that existed in earlier Near Eastern cultures, hundreds of athletic contests were held throughout the ancient Greek world. In the eighth century, B.C. the games held at Olympia began to surpass all others in their fame and splendour and would give rise to a world history of sport that continues to this day. Published to coincide with the return of the Olympics to Greece in 2004, this thoroughly researched book studies sport in ancient Greece over a span of a millennium and a half - from the earliest mentions of athletics in Homer's Iliad and other literary sources, through the Classical age, and into the Hellenistic, Roman, and late antique periods. With more than five hundred illustrations, the book tours the monumental stadiums, bathhouses, temples, and other structures built to host the athletic events and to house the wealth of art created to pay tribute to the athletes, gods, and heroes of the games.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Panos Valavanis studied classics at the University of Athens and at the Archaeological Institute of the University of Wurzburg, Germany. He teaches history and archaeology at the University of Athens.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 500 pages
• Publisher: Getty Publications; 1St Edition edition (July 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892367628
• ISBN-13: 978-0892367627
• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 10.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,741,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly presented history of the origins of the Greek games, September 7, 2004

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Games and Sanctuaries in Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens (Hardcover)

Impressively enhanced with 609 color and 40 b/w illustrations, along with 10 maps and 3 foldouts, Games And Sanctuaries In Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens by Panos Valavanis (Associate Professor of Archaeology, University of Athens) is an informed and informative 448 page, "coffee table book" compendium showcasing the history of the Hellenic games, the athletes, the sanctuaries, the cities, and the legacy of the ancient Greeks who some 2,500 years ago created the enduring traditions of the Olympic games that continues down to this very day. Games And Sanctuaries In Ancient Greece is a superbly presented history of the origins of the Greek games and traces the development of athletic competitions in Greece from their first mention in the fables of the Illiad and other literary sources down through the late antique period of Hellenic history. A work of inspired scholarship, Games And Sanctuaries In Ancient Greece is very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the Olympic Games, and would make an enduring popular and suitable selection for an academic or community library "Memorial Fund" acquisition.