second must have been added when Elis secured a share in the government.
Moreover, the selection of the two officials by lot, a thoroughly
democratic institution, is unthinkable in Elis, at that time an
oligarchy of oligarchies, though it may well have been introduced when
the democrats of Elis obtained the mastery. Lastly, the date of the
final destruction of Pisa, about which Pausanias is obviously confused,
is contradicted by the direct statement of Herodotus, who speaks of the
war in which it took place as “in my days” (ἐπ’ ἐμέο).[53] The earlier
date has been supported by reference to a sixth-century inscription at
Olympia recording a treaty for mutual defence between Elis and Heraea,
by the terms of which either party failing to help the other is liable
in case of need to a fine of a talent of silver to Olympian Zeus.[54]
Too much, perhaps, has been made of this inscription, which is probably
one of many such local treaties, the record of which has perished.
Moreover, it seems highly probable that Heraea, so far from being
opposed to Pisa, was a member of the early Pisatan league. The original
claims of Pisa are admitted by all modern historians; all further
difficulties vanish on the supposition of a subsequent dual control, in
which Elis gradually became the predominant partner until, in the fifth
century, she ousted Pisa completely.
The regulations for competitors may be traced back to the earliest
times. No one in later days was allowed to compete who was not of pure
Greek parentage on both sides, or who had neglected to pay any penalty
incurred to Olympian Zeus, or who had incurred ceremonial pollution by
manslaughter, committed, we may suppose, in the sacred territory. These
restrictions had their origin in a religious festival that formed a bond
of union between neighbouring communities, which was gradually extended
through the sacred truce-bearers till it embraced the whole Greek race.
That this local or tribal exclusiveness grew into a Panhellenic
exclusiveness, was due partly to the influence of the Dorians, partly to
the close connexion of the colonies with Olympia. In the fifth century
Alexander, the son of Amyntas, was not allowed to compete at Olympia
until he had first satisfied the Hellanodicae that he was of Greek
descent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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