Athletics of the ancient world / [Edward Norman Gardiner].

  • Edward Norman Gardiner
Date:
1930
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Athletics of the ancient world / [Edward Norman Gardiner]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    116/350 page 78
    which he mentions are of interest, the Elaiothesion or oil store, and the Konisterion or dusting-room. Oil played a very important part in Greek training. Not only did the Greek oil himself before and after the bath, but athletes, especially wrestlers, carefully rubbed themselves with oil before exercise. The very names Paidotribes or Toy rubber’ and Aleiptes or ‘oiler’ indicate the importance of oil and massage. Athletes are sometimes described as ‘those who oil themselves’. In the fifth century every one brought his own oil flask and strigil. But at times of festival oil was provided free for all competitors, and in later times a free supply was provided for the use of the Epheboi in training, and indeed for all who used the gymnasia. Enormous quantities were required. A Spartan inscription re¬ ferring to some athletic contest directs that the gymnasiarch shall provide daily four kyathoi, about a third of a pint, for each man, three for each youth, two for each boy.1 The gymnasiarch, one of those honorary officials of whom we shall speak later, often showed his generosity by providing oil at his own expense, or even by leaving a sum of money to serve as an endowment for the purpose. The oil was kept in amphorae or in tanks. A picture of such a tank is shown on the funeral stele of one Diodorus of Prusa, a gymnasiarch who had probably celebrated his term of office by providing oil (Fig. 42). It is a large circular vessel sup¬ ported on three elaborately wrought legs, and on its side hang three ladles holding a kyathos each that were used for measuring out the oil. Under the empire the provision of oil was a heavy burden for the gymnasiarch or even for the state. The Konisterion was the room where athletes powdered them¬ selves before exercise. The powder (*oW) must not be confused with the lye (/cowa) which was used in washing to form a lather. Its effects on the body were regarded as hardly less beneficial than those of oil.2 It closed the pores of the skin, checked excessive perspiration, and kept the body cool. There were special kinds of powder credited with special virtues. One of a clayey nature was supposed to be particularly cleansing, another resembling brick-dust produced perspiration on bodies that were overdry, a third of a bituminous nature warmed the skin. Two sorts, a black and a yellow earth, were prized for making the body supple and sleek. The powder was kept in baskets, and ought, we are told, to be applied with a supple wrist and open fingers so as to fall like fine dust, but these are refinements for the few. The I.G. v. i. 20. 2 Philostrat. Gym. 56. 1
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image