Use and Abuse of the Ancient Olympics by the Classical Greek City-States

Were the ancient Olympics used, or abused, by the classical Greek city-states for purposes not strictly athletic or religious? This study attempts to outline an answer to this question by focusing on the way the city-state of Elis managed its role as permanent host of the Olympic festival, as well as by addressing the way that the hundreds of other Greek city-states attempted to project favorable images of themselves through activities at the games and at the sanctuary. Elis was a fine host of the Olympics and cannot be seriously accused of sportswashing or blamed for favoring its own athletes. Since ancient Greek athletes were not official representatives of their city-states, states had to improve their international profile primarily by way of dedications at Olympia. Such dedications consisted mainly of spoils of war, in raw or converted form. The study also discusses the motives of the athletes themselves and concludes that the chief motive was a quest for glory. The study then goes on to consider how the glory of victory was handled and enhanced by the victors and, not infrequently, by their city-states that attempted to bask in the fame of its victors. However, the quest for glory did not prevent athletes from pursuing material gain, and this is considered alongside such phenomena as transfer of allegiance and match fixing.

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