The first Olympic champion
In antiquity the Olympic Games were a manifestation of an ideal, both moral and aesthetic.
This included loyal competition, courage, team spirit and commitment to achieving a result.
The first Olympic Games were held in 566BC with Pisistratus, the Panathenian games in honour of Athena, during the month of August, and subsequently every four years.
They were open to the whole Hellenic world and the winners were given a gift of an amphora (a Panathenian) containing very fine olive oil and bearing a depiction of the Goddess with scenes of the competition of the champion.
In the Necropolis of Taranto, many such winning athletes were buried along the main 'polis'.
One such grave unearthed in 1959 was dug of the tufa rock.
It consists of a painted sarcophagus containing a skeleton and laso boasting four Panathenian amphoras depicitng boxing, disc throwing and running races.
Many believe this was Iklos, a Pythagorean philosopher, gymnasiarch and founder of sports medicine.
Analysis of the skeleton's teeth and bones revealed the man had followed the strict diet of the Pythagorean school which may have been the cause of his death at around the age of 30.
It seems by a meat related food infection.
Nevertheless, Iklos remains our only human testimony to those who took part in those ancient Olympic Games 2500 years ago
For more information :
www.museotaranto.it
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