The Panathenaic Stadium, made completely of marble, was the site of the athletic competitions of the Panathenaic festival.
The Panathenaea
The Panathenaea was a summer festival to celebrate the Athenians' choice of Athena as their god and of their identity as a people. The festival had a religious component, with a procession through the city ending on the Acropolis for the presentation of the peplos. The festival also included poetry competitions with recitations of Homer, musical competitions, and athletic competitions. As stated above, the Panathenaic stadium housed the various athletic components of the festival.
Spirit, Mind, and Body
The Panathenaic games gave the Athenians a chance to display their virtue. The Greeks valued the concept of Agon, meaning struggle, conflict, and contest. Usually, one could prove himself by going to war and this is how he would push his boundaries. However, war is costly both monetarily and in lives, and so the Athenians needed another outlet for agon. They believed that through events such as the competitions held during the games, they could truly prove themselves and show what they were made of. Through agon, athletes not only proved to others but also proved to themselves their worth. The games allowed the Greeks to push themselves to their boundaries and learn who they are. The winners of the contests also received wonderful prizes and recognition. The prizes varied based on the contest and the age group, but they consisted of currency, olive oil, and wreaths. Additionally, the winners earned a special place in the procession to the Acropolis.
"The most difficult thing to know in life is yourself" -Thales
This sculpture shows an athlete placing a wreath, which was made of metal and attached into the holes on his hair, upon his head. He was probably the winner of a local athletic competition, rather than the Panhellenic games, but he caught my eye because of his accomplished expression. I like how the athlete looks accomplished, but not boastful; he seems to be proud that he has pushed his limits and was successful in the competition. while I was looking through many of the museum websites, my four-year-old nephew perused "all the old stuff" with me; he was rather fond of this sculpture because of the athlete's big muscles, just like him (he then proceeded to flex, it was pretty comical!). While he didn't quite realize the intricacy of his point, he did bring up a good one: the details of the athlete's muscles in the marble are quite remarking. I know that sculpting was fairly common in the day, but I continue to be amazed by the intricacies of the beautiful artwork the Greeks surrounded themselves with.
Reflection
The aspect of the Panathenaea festival that I found most intriguing was the procession leading to the peplos ceremony. Since we first learned about the peplos during our discussions of the possible interpretations of the frieze in the Parthenon, the topic really stood out to me. I believe that the peplos ceremony was only meant to happen every four years, but the Athenians wove a new peplos every single year, rather than every four. This shows the Athenians' dedication to, devotion to, and love for Athena. It also highlights their love for celebrations, for coming together as a city to celebrate their identity.
I deeply appreciate how the Athenians used the Panathenaea as an opportunity to celebrate all of the aspects of their lives from religion to athletics to personal growth. I cannot think of a contemporary event in American society that parallels the comprehensive celebrations that the Athenians held.
Comments