Olympic winners of the Archaic period

Just how far back in history organized contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago. However ancient in origin, by the end of the 6th century BC at least four Greek sporting festivals, sometimes called "classical games," had achieved major importance: the Olympic Games, held at Olympia; the Pythian Games at Delphi; the Nemean Games at Nemea; and the Isthmian Games, held near Corinth.Encyclopædia Britannica 2006, The ancient Olympic Games. The Olympic Games were perhaps the greatest of these sporting events, and all Olympian victors were highly appreciated among the Greeks.

History

The sophist Hippias of Elis was the first who drew up the list of Olympians in his work Olympians inscription, based perhaps on the records of Olympia, and the oral tradition memories of the older Olympiads were still live in Olympia. Conventional beginning was considered the Olympiad of 776 BC, when Coroebus of Elis win the foot race named stadion. The work of Hippias revised and continued in the 4th century BC by Aristotle, later by Eratosthenes, then by Phlegon of Tralles (Seleucia of Caria) and many others. Thus formed a kind of Olympians' chronicle, which was already in 3rd century BC the base of the ancient dating system.According to Encyclopædia Britannica (1911), Chronology (§ Olympiads). Than younger tables survives complete the list of stadion winners by Sextus Julius Africanus (for the first 249 Olympiads), which included in a book by Eusebius of Caesarea.According to Eusebius.According to HHN.

List of Olympic winners in the Archaic period

The table below is an attempt to give a list (as complete as possible) of Olympic winners in the Archaic period (776 BC to 480 BC) combining all surviving sources. The work is based on records in the surviving historical and literary sources, race inscriptions, the texts of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, the testimony of Pausanias and the list of Sextus Julius Africanus. The first column shows the serial number of any Olympiad, the second column the same date, the third column contains the game and the fourth column lists the name and origin of the winner, or marked with [...] if the element is not readable on the papyrus and giving whenever possible a version of what could contain when an investigation exists over this element.According to FHW.According to Müller.

OlympiadYearGameWinnerSources1st 776 BC Coroebus of Elis 2nd 772 BC Antimachus of Elis (or of Dyspontium) 3rd 768 BC Androcles of Messenia (or Androclos) 4th 764 BC Polychares of Messenia 5th 760 BC Aeschines of Elis 6th 756 BC Oebotas of Dyme (or Oebolas) 7th 752 BC Diocles of Messenia (or Daicles) 8thNone-Olympiad for Elis. Organized by Pisatans.748 BCAnticles of Messenia 9th 744 BC Xenocles of Messenia (or Xenodocos) 10th 740 BC Dotades of Messenia 11th 736 BC Leochares of Messenia 12th 732 BC Oxythemis of Coronea (or of Cleonea) 13th 728 BC Diocles of Corinth 14th 724 BC Desmon of Corinth (or Dasmon) Hypenus of Pisa 15th 720 BC Orsippus of Megara Acanthus of Laconia 16th 716 BC Pythagoras of Laconia 17th 712 BC Polus of Epidaurus 18th 708 BC Tellis of Sicyon Eurybatus of Laconia Lampis of Laconia 19th 704 BC Menus of Megara (or Menon) 20th 700 BC Atheradas of Laconia 21st 696 BC Pantacles of Athens 22nd 692 BC Pantacles of Athens Pantacles of Athens 23rd 688 BC Icarius of Hyperesia (or Icarus) Onomastus of SmyrnaIt was Onomastus who established the rules of Boxing, according to Eusebius, p. 196. 24th 684 BC Cleoptolemus of Laconia 25th 680 BC Thalpis of Laconia (or Thalpius) Pagon of Thebes (or Pagonus) 26th 676 BC Callisthenes of Laconia Philombrotus the LacedaemonianThe chronology is considered to be relevant. 27th 672 BC Eurybus of Athens (or Eurybotus or Eurybate) Philombrotus the Lacedaemonian Dahippus of Croton Dyspontium townThe victory belongs to this town. 28th 668 BC Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis)According to Eusebius, p. 198, Chionis was not the winner of this Olympiad, but Charmis of Laconia, who trained on a diet of dried figs. Philombrotus the Lacedaemonian 29th 664 BC Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis)Chionis could leap a distance of 22 feet (about 6,71 meters), according to Eusebius, p. 198. Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis)The chronological value is considered to be uncertain. 30th 660 BC Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis) Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis) 31st 656 BC Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis) Chionis of Laconia (or Carmis or Charmis) 32nd 652 BC Cratinus of Megara Comaeus of Megara 33rd 648 BC Gyges of Laconia (or Gylis) Lygdamis of Syracuse Myron (Tyrant of Sicyon)Myron, son of Andreas, tyrant of Sicyon, according to Müller, p. 452. Crauxidas the Crannonian (or Craxilas) 34th644 BCStomas of Athens 35th 640 BC Sphaerus the Laconian Cylon of Athens 36th 636 BC orAccording to Diogenes, ch. IV (Pittacus), p. 74Phrynon of Athens 37thWere performed for the first time the games for boys.632 BCEurycleidas of Laconia boys Polynices of Elis (or Polyneices or Polyneites) boys Hipposthenes of Laconia 38th 628 BC Olyntheus of Laconia boys Eutelidas the LacedaemonianAccording to Eusebius, p. 199, exceptionally, only in this Olympiad, the boys fought in pancratium, and the name of winner was Deftelidas of Laconia. boys Eutelidas the Lacedaemonian 39th 624 BC Rhipsolaus of Laconia (or Rhipsolcus) Hipposthenes of Laconia 40th 620 BC Olyntheus of Laconia Hipposthenes of Laconia 41st 616 BC Cleondas of Thebes (or Cleonidas) Hipposthenes of Laconia boys Philotas of Sybaris (or Philytas) 42nd 612 BC Lycotas of Laconia Hipposthenes of Laconia 43rd 608 BC Cleon of Epidaurus Hipposthenes of Laconia 44th 604 BC Gelon the Laconian 45th 600 BC Anticrates of Epidaurus 46th 596 BC Crysamaxos of Laconia boys Polymnestor of Miletus 47th 592 BC Eurycles of Laconia Megacleus of Athens 48th 588 BC Glaucias of Croton (or Glycon) Pythagoras of Samos 49th 584 BC Lycinus of Croton 50th 580 BC Epitelidas of Laconia 51st 576 BC Eratosthenes of Croton 52nd 572 BC Agis of Elis Arrhichion of Phigalia (or Arrhachion) Cleisthenes (Tyrant of Sicyon)This was in 584 BC, according to Müller, p. 454. 53rd 568 BC Agnon of Peparethus (or Hagnon) Arrhichion of Phigalia (or Arrhachion) 54th 564 BC Hippostratus of Croton Arrhichion of Phigalia (or Arrhachion) Callius of Athens (son of Phaenhippus) 55th 560 BC Hippostratus of Croton 56th 556 BC Phaedrus of Pharsalus [...]Mentioned as Damagetos, HHN, p. 503. the Lacedaemonian (son of Chilon of Sparta)Chilon died of happiness after the victory of his son (according to Diogenes, ch. III (Chilon), pp. 72-73). 57th 552 BC Ladromus of Laconia 58th 548 BC Diognetus of Croton 59th 544 BC Archilochus of Corcyra Praxidamas of Aegina 60th 540 BC Apellaeus of Elis boys[...]creon of KeaMentioned as Leocreon (according to FHW) or Neocreon (according to HHN, p. 503). boys Milo of Croton 61st 536 BC Agatharchus of Corcyra Rexibius of Opous 62nd 532 BC Eryxias of Chalcis (or Eryxidas) Milo of CrotonHe won six times at the Olympic games, six times at the Pythian games, ten times at the Isthmian games, and nine times at the Nemean games, according to Eusebius p. 202. orEurymenes of Samos According to Greek base of FHW. Cimon Coalemos (son of Stesagoras of Athens) 63rd 528 BC Parmenides of Camarina Milo of Croton Peisistratos of Athens (son of Hippocrates) 64th 524 BC Evander of Thessaly (or Menander) Milo of Croton Cimon Coalemos (son of Stesagoras of Athens) 65th 520 BC Anochus of Tarentum (or Anochas) Anochus of Tarentum (or Anochas) Damaretus of Heraea (or Demaretus) Milo of Croton boys Glaukos of Carystos [...] of Thebes 66th 516 BC Ischyrus of Himera Damaretus of Heraea (or Demaretus) Milo of Croton Timasitheus of Delphi Cleosthenes of Epidamnus (or the Illyrian) 67th 512 BC Phanas of Pellene Phanas of Pellene Phanas of Pellene Timasitheus of Delphi Timasitheus of Croton68th 508 BC Isomachus of Croton (or Ischomachus) Phrikias of Pellene Calliteles of Laconia [Sons of Pheidolas of Corinth] 69th 504 BC Isomachus of Croton (or Ischomachus) orThessalos of Corinth Phrikias of Pellene Titas of [...] 70th 500 BC Nicasias of Opus (or Nicaestas or Nicias) boys Philon of Corcyra According to FHW, this was on previous Olympiad.There is also a reference in the supplementary list below. boys Agametor of Mantineia Thersius of Thessaly 71st 496 BC Tisicrates of Croton Kleomedes of AstypalaiaAccording to FHW, this was on next Olympiad. Exaenetus of Agrigento Empedocles of Agrigento (son of Exaenetus) Pataecus of Dyme 72nd 492 BC Tisicrates of Croton Hippokleas of Pelinna Crocon ο Eretria 73rd 488 BC Astylos of Croton (or Astyalus) Astylos of Croton (or Astyalus) orHippocleas of Pelinna Euthycles of Lokroi boys Asopichos of Orchomenos boys Agiadas of Elis Hieron of Syracuse Gelon (Tyrant of Syracuse) 74th 484 BC Astylos of Croton (as of Syracuse) Astylos of Croton (as of Syracuse) Mnaseas of Cyrene [Dromeus of Stymphalia] Theopompus of Heraea Agias of Pharsalus Euthymos of Locri (or the Italian) Polypeithes of Laconia 75th 480 BC Astylos of Croton (as of Syracuse) Astylos of Croton (as of Syracuse) Astylos of Croton (as of Syracuse) [Dromeus of Stymphalia] Theopompus of Heraea Theagenes of Thasos [Dromeus of Mantineia] boys [Xe]nopithes of ChiosAccording to FHW was from Kea. boys [...]con of Argos boys [...]phanes of Heraea [Dae]tondas and Arsilochus of Thebes Argos town

Supplementary list The supplementary list contains Olympic winners of this period known from literary and epigraphic records, but who have been dated only approximately and cannot be included in specific Olympiads.

ChronologyGameWinnerSources700 BC to 650 BC Phanas of Messenia c. 636 BC Arytamas of Laconia 612 BC to 592 BC Alcmaeon of Athens (son of Megacles) 672 BC to 532 BC Euagoras the Lacedaemonian (three consecutive times) late 7th or early 6th century BC Periandros of Corinth (son of Cypselus of Corinth) early 6th century BC Hetoimocles of Laconia (son of Hipposthenes) (five times)According to FHW the first one as a boy. 572 BC to 528 BC Tisandros of Sicilian Naxos (four consecutive times)Beginning (the most likely) from the 60th Olympiad (according to HHN) or maybe the 52nd Olympiad (according to FHW). c. 560 BC Miltiades of Athens (son of Cypselus of Athens) 550 BC to 500 BC Pheidolas of Corinth c. 520 BC Philippus of Croton (son of Butacides) According to Herodotus Book 5: ch. 47, 1-2.late 6th century BC Pantares the Sicilian (son of Menecrates of Gela)In 508 BC according to FHW. 510 BC to 491 BC Demaratus (King of Sparta) c. 500 BC Akmatidas the Lacedaemonian c. 500 BC boys Meneptolemos of Apollonia 5th century BC Damarchos of Parrhasia early 5th century BC Echecrates of Pharsalus (or Echecratidas) early 5th century BC Theopombus of Heraea (son of Damaretos) (two times)In 484 BC and 480 BC according to FHW. Also there are references to wrestling by athlete Theopombus according to HHN, p. 503 (wrestling) and p. 507 (pentathlon). 500 BC to 488 BC Philon of Corcyra (two times)In 500 BC and 496 BC (according to FHW), or in 492 BC and 488 BC (according to HHN, p. 503). 500 BC to 484 BC Callius of Athens (son of Hipponicus) (three times) c. 488 BC Diognetus of Croton c. 484 BC Telemachus of Pharsalus before 484 BC Praxiteles of Syracuse before 480 BC boys Epikradios of Mantineia 492 BC to 480 BC Hieronymos of Andros 500 BC to 476 BC Anaxilas (Tyrant of Region) 500 BC to 450 BC boys Protolaus of Mantineia

Notes

References

Sources

See also

List of ancient olympic victors Ancient Olympics in various places Olive wreath Olympic judges