The Palestra

The ancient word for what we now call a gymnasium or a stadium where public sporting events took place in ancient Greece.  Nice. 

The oldest of these panhellenic games organized as aquadrennial event was put together in 776 B.C.   It consisted of five contests, a “pentathlon,”all in which all athletes participated. “To promote all-around development in the athlete,” Duranttells us “each entry in any of these events was required to compete in allof them; to secure the victory it was necessary to win three contests out ofthe five.”  He gives us theparticulars as follows:

The first was the broad jump; theathlete held weights like dumbbells in his hands and leaped from a standingstart.  Ancient writers assure us thatsome jumpers spanned 50 feet; but it is not necessary to believe everything weread.  The second event was throwing thediscus, a circular plate or metal or stone weighing about twelve pounds; thebest throws are said to have covered a hundred feet.  The third contest was in hurling the javelinor spear, with the aid of a leather throng attached to the center of theshaft.  The fourth and principal event ofthe group was the stadium print . . .  the length of the stadium, usually some twohundred yards.  The fifth contest waswrestling.  It was a highly popular formof competition in Greece,for the very name palaistra was takenfrom it, and many a story was told of its champions.  (Will Durant, “The Life of Greece,”TheStory of Civilization, vol. 2, p. 214)

Ah yes, “the fifth contest was wrestling.”  Not basketball. WRESTLING.  Deal with it.  Love it.  Honor it. Enjoy it. 

Pax (12 May, 2020 anno Domini)