The programme is divided into open events (ἐκ πάντων) and local events
(ἐκ τῶν πολιτῶν). The open events are the six events of the Olympic
programme. These take place in the hippodrome. The local events take
place partly in the hippodrome, partly in the city in the neighbourhood
of the Eleusinium, where perhaps the races ended. Some of the events are
ceremonial in character, others military. Of the latter some are
confined to soldiers. There are three riding races for officers (ἐκ τῶν
φυλάρχων), a straight race (ἄκαμπτον) and a diaulos, and a diaulos ἐν
ὅπλοις, _i.e._ in which the riders wear full armour. Similarly there are
three races for cavalry (ἐκ τῶν ἱππέων). In all these races the riders
rode their war-horses (ἵππῳ πολεμιστῇ). There are twelve events open to
all citizens—five held at the Eleusinium, seven in the hippodrome. These
include no less than eleven chariot-races, three ceremonial,—the
apobates race, and two races in processional chariots,—four races in
racing chariots over the straight and the double course, and four races
in war-chariots (ἅρματι πολεμιστηρίῳ, συνωρίδι πολεμιστηρίᾳ) by which
perhaps we may understand that, as in Homeric days, there were two men
in each chariot, the driver and the soldier. There was only one
horse-race, a race ἵππῳ πολυδρόμῳ, by which word I am inclined to
understand a war-horse, though it may be merely a variant for fully
grown.
The “apobates”[407] was a ceremonial race peculiar to Athens and
Boeotia, and recalled, according to tradition, the invention of the
chariot by Erechtheus. At the founding of the Panathenaea he had himself
appeared as charioteer, having with him in his chariot a companion armed
with small round shield and triple-crested helmet, as represented in the
frieze of the Parthenon. The event undoubtedly preserves the tradition
of Homeric warfare when the chieftain was driven to the scene of action
and dismounted to fight, remounting again for pursuit or flight. There
is some doubt as to the manner of the race. According to one
statement[408] the apobates mounted the chariot in full course, by
placing a foot on the wheel, and again dismounted, the performance being
repeated apparently at fixed intervals.
[Illustration: Fig. 34. Votive Relief. Acropolis Museum. Hellenistic
period.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account