Eros and Greek Athletics

by Thomas F. Scanlon

Overview

Ancient Greek athletics offer us a clear window on many important aspects of ancient culture, some of which have distinct parallels with modern sports and their place in our society. Ancient athletics were closely connected with religion, the formation of young men and women in their gender roles, and the construction of sexuality. Eros was, from one perspective, a major god of the gymnasium where homoerotic liaisons reinforced the traditional hierarchies of Greek culture. But Eros in the athletic sphere was also a symbol of life-affirming friendship and even of political freedom in the face of tyranny. Greek athletic culture was not so much a field of dreams as a field of desire, where fervent competition for honor was balanced by cooperation for common social goals.

Eros and Greek Athletics is the first in-depth study of Greek body culture as manifest in its athletics, sexuality, and gender formation. In this comprehensive overview, Thomas F. Scanlon explores when and how athletics was linked with religion, upbringing, gender, sexuality, and social values in an evolution from Homer until the Roman period. Scanlon shows that males and females made different uses of the same contests, that pederasty and athletic nudity were fostered by an athletic revolution beginning in the late seventh century B.C., and that public athletic festivals may be seen as quasi-dramatic performances of the human tension between desire and death. Accessibly written and full of insights that will challenge long-held assumptions about ancient sport, Eros and Greek Athletics will appeal to readers interested in ancient and modern sports, religion, sexuality, and gender studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195149852
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/07/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	468
Product dimensions:	9.06(w) x 6.01(h) x 1.16(d)

About the Author

University of California, Riverside

Editorial Reviews

"Rewarding. Readers will find much interesting information on Greek athletics and the varied sources for it. The section on games for women will be of particular use to many."—Classical Outlook

"A leading expert on ancient sport, Scanlon moves athletics from the periphery to the center of our understanding of Greek life. What used to be denied—the erotic power of athletics in Greek culture and society—is now explained. Brimming with insights, this sophisticated, balanced, and compelling examination of the integral role of athletics in Greek culture and society should be read by all classicists and sport historians. Insightful, sophisticated, and persuasive, Scanlon's work makes a major contribution to our understanding of the social and cultural significance of Greek athletics."—Donald G. Kyle, University of Texas at Arlington

From the Publisher