Introduction to the Ancient World: Greece

Fifth-century sculpture; the Olympic games

I. Oedipus at Colonus (cont'd from Lect. 22)

II. 5th cent. Sculpture

Phidias: Athena Parthenos, Athena Lemnia, Zeus at Olympia; chryselephantine
Polykleitos: Doryphoros (Spear-Carrier); Diadoumenos (Bandana Athlete)
Paionios: Nike

III. The Ancient Olympic Games

A. The Olympics and modern misconceptions:

Pierre de Coubertin and the revival of the Olympic Games (Athens 1896); Jim Thorpe(1912) and the pre-Dream Team myth of the aristocratic amateurs vs. Greek realities

B. Olympia - the Site 

Temple of Zeus, Phidias' statue (one of 7 wonders of the world); Temple of Hera; Stadium (1 stadion = 194 yards), Hippodrome, Gymnasium, Palaistra 

C. The Program (cf. Amos and Lang p. 85) 

Elis; Hellenodikai; hoplitodromos; first prizes only  
Olympic fun and games: wrestling, boxing, pankration 

Please bring texts of Oedipus at Colonus to class.

Lecture 23/24 Images

Forward to Lecture 24