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Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World
This is a readable, up-to-date, illustrated introduction to the history of sport and spectacle in the ancient world from the Ancient Near East through Greek and Hellenistic times and into the Roman Empire.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionSports
424 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 18, 2021
A fascinating and insightful read, Sport & Spectacle in the Ancient World explores how ancient religious rituals evolved into sporting events intent on pleasing the masses.
The book focuses on how Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome utilized sports and spectacle to create a common language amongst the citizenry through celebratory victory (Greece) or violent interactive spectacle (Rome).
We get an in-depth look at how the Olympics emerged from a festival honoring Zeus to the modern-day Olympics of today. How we interpret the past versus the historical reality left by Antiquity is a real eye-opener when you see how today’s Olympics aren’t as steeped in ancient tradition as many might believe (the origin of the Torch Relay is a tad alarming).
The book also discusses the evolution of Rome’s infamous spectacles involving chariot races, animal fights, gladiators, public executions, and other violent acts under the guise of entertainment.
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it’s a textbook, but it offers up a wealth of information about the ancient world from the perspective of sporting events and spectacles. I highly recommend this textbook to ancient history fans or those curious about the origins of the Olympics.
The book focuses on how Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome utilized sports and spectacle to create a common language amongst the citizenry through celebratory victory (Greece) or violent interactive spectacle (Rome).
We get an in-depth look at how the Olympics emerged from a festival honoring Zeus to the modern-day Olympics of today. How we interpret the past versus the historical reality left by Antiquity is a real eye-opener when you see how today’s Olympics aren’t as steeped in ancient tradition as many might believe (the origin of the Torch Relay is a tad alarming).
The book also discusses the evolution of Rome’s infamous spectacles involving chariot races, animal fights, gladiators, public executions, and other violent acts under the guise of entertainment.
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it’s a textbook, but it offers up a wealth of information about the ancient world from the perspective of sporting events and spectacles. I highly recommend this textbook to ancient history fans or those curious about the origins of the Olympics.
March 15, 2014
This is an excellent review of sport and spectacle in the ancient Mediterranean world. The author examines evidence for the origin, meaning, and purposes of sport and spectacle for the Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, and more. He debunks many long-standing myths about the ancient olympics, the "purity" of archaic Greek sport, and Roman gladiatorial combat. For anyone interested in the history of sport and spectacle in human cultures and how ancient practices compare to today's sports and spectacles, this book is a must.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews