The Pythian Games ( grc-gre, Πύθια;) were one of the four

Panhellenic Games Panhellenic Games is the collective term for four separate sports festivals held in ancient Greece. The four Games were: Description The Olympiad was one of the ways the Greeks measured time. The Olympic Games were used as a starting point, year ...

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

. They were held in honour of

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

at his sanctuary at

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...

every four years, two years after the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

, and between each

Nemean Nemea (; grc, Νεμέα; grc-x-ionic, Νεμέη) is an ancient site in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. Formerly part of the territory of Cleonae in ancient Argolis, it is today situated in the regional unit of Corinth ...

and

Isthmian Games Isthmian Games or Isthmia (Ancient Greek: Ἴσθμια) were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the Isthmus of Corinth, where they were held. As with the Nemean Games, the Isthmian Games were held both the year b ...

. The Pythian Games were founded sometime in the 6th century BC. In legend they were started by Apollo after he killed

Python Python may refer to: Snakes * Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia ** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia * Python (mythology), a mythical serpent Computing * Python (pro ...

and set up the

oracle at Delphi Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness ...

. They continued until the 4th century AD. The Pythian Games were ranked second in importance behind the Olympics. Unlike the Olympics, the Pythian Games also featured competitions for art and dance, which pre-dated the athletic portion of the games, and women were allowed to take part in some events. Victors received a wreath of

bay laurel ''Laurus nobilis'' is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glabrous (smooth) leaves. It is in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is used as bay leaf for seasoning in cookin ...

, sacred to Apollo, from the city of Tempe, in

Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thes ...

. Smaller versions of the Pythian Games were celebrated in many other cities of the

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...

and Greece.

Mythology

The Pythian Games supposedly start with the death of the mythical serpent,

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

states that the games were inaugurated to celebrate

's killing of the serpent, "Lest in a dark oblivion time should hide the fame of this achievement, sacred sports he instituted" (''Metamorphoses,'' 1.445-6). According to Ovid, the python was produced spontaneously by Gaea (mother earth) at the beginning of primordial time and was a threat to human beings. When Earth, spread over with diluvian ooze,
felt heat ethereal from the glowing sun,
unnumbered species to the light she gave,
and gave to being many an ancient form,
or monster new created. Unwilling she
created this enormous Python.—Thou
unheard of serpent spread so far athwart
the side of a vast mountain, didst fill with fear
the race of newly created man. The God
that bears the bow (a weapon used till then
only to hunt the deer and agile goat)
destroyed the monster with myriad darts,
and almost emptied all his quiver, till
envenomed gore oozed forth from livid wounds. -- ''Metamorphoses, 1.434-444.'' By killing the monster, Apollo rendered the area safe for human beings and established his ownship of the site. After burying the body, Apollo founded the

oracle of Delphi Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness ...

. However, by slaying Python, Apollo had committed a crime and

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D� ...

declared that he had to make amends. Apollo then created the Pythian Games to pay for the death.

History

The historical timeframe of the Pythian Games started in 582 BC, when the administration of the Games was handed over to the

Delphic Amphictyony In Archaic Greece, an amphictyony ( grc-gre, ἀμφικτυονία, a "league of neighbors"), or amphictyonic league, was an ancient religious association of tribes formed before the rise of the Greek '' poleis''. The six Dorian cities of coast ...

, a council of twelve Greek tribes, at the end of the

First Sacred War The First Sacred War, or Cirraean War, was fought between the Amphictyonic League of Delphi and the city of Kirrha. At the beginning of the 6th century BC the Pylaeo-Delphic Amphictyony, controlled by the Thessalians, attempted to take hold of the ...

. As of that time, they did not take place every eight years as in the past, but every four years, two years before and after the Olympic Games, presumably at the end of August. Preparations for the games began six months prior. Nine citizens from Delphi, called

theoroi The theoroi ( grc, θεωροί or ) in ancient Greece were sacred ambassadors, messengers sent out by the state which was about to organize a Panhellenic game or festival. Theoroi were both received and hosted by the ''theorodokoi''. In the class ...

, were sent to all Greek cities to announce the beginning of the games in order to attract athletes, as well as to declare the period of the Sacred Truce (

Hieromenia Hieromenia (sacred month's time), was the time of the month at which the sacred festivals of the Greeks began, and in consequence of which the whole month received the name of ''men hieros '' (sacred month). It was a part of the international law o ...

), aiming at protecting not only the theoroi and the athletes who traveled to Delphi but also the temple of Apollo itself. If a city was involved in armed conflict or in robberies during that period, its citizens were forbidden to enter the Sanctuary, participate in the games, or consult the Oracle. At the same time, the truce allowed the Amphictyony to focus on preparing for the games, which included restorations for all structures of the Sanctuary, from the temples to the streets and fountains. Scores of people flocked to the games from all over Greece, bringing in substantial revenue to the city. Despite the rise of Christianity in the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

during the 4th century, Delphi remained an active pagan site and the Pythian Games continued to be celebrated at least until AD 424.

Overview

Unfortunately, the testimonials and documents covering the Pythian Games were mainly destroyed by human violence and natural catastrophes. All the remaining resources highlight the glory and glamour of the Games. The records of

Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...

present an overview of the festivities: the Games lasted for six to eight days and were started by a reenactment of the victory of Apollo over Python. In a festive and glamorous procession, a ritual sacrifice was performed in the Temple of Apollo. After four days of festivities, the Games began.

Events

The athletic and equestrian events were the same as those at Olympia, apart from the lack of the four-horse chariot, and the addition of running races for boys. Unlike at Olympia where there was a separate festival for women (the

Heraean Games The Heraea was an ancient Greek festival in which young girls competed in a footrace. The race was held every four years at Olympia, and probably took place around the same time as the ancient Olympic Games. Overview Not much is known about t ...

), women were allowed to compete at Delphi in both athletic and artistic events. The only recorded female victor is Tryphosa, winner of the girl's stadion running race. The athletic competition included four-track sports (

stade Stade (), officially the Hanseatic City of Stade (german: Hansestadt Stade, nds, Hansestadt Stood) is a city in Lower Saxony in northern Germany. First mentioned in records in 934, it is the seat of the district () which bears its name. It is l ...

, diaulos, dolichos and

hoplitodromos The hoplitodromos or hoplitodromia (Greek: , English translation: "race of the Hoplites") was an ancient foot race, part of the Olympic Games and the other Panhellenic Games. It was the last foot race to be added to the Olympics, first appearing a ...

(racing encumbered with pieces of Hoplite armor)),

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

pankration Pankration (; el, παγκράτιον) was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC, which was an empty-hand submission sport with few rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as ...

, and the pentathlon. These sports were introduced to the games gradually over time. The final day of the games was dedicated to equestrian races which gradually came to include harness racing,

synoris Chariot racing ( grc-gre, ἁρματοδρομία, harmatodromia, la, ludi circenses) was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine sports. In Greece, chariot racing played an essential role in aristocratic funeral games from ...

(a chariot drawn by two horses), a chariot drawn by four horses, and racing with a horse (without a chariot), held in a

hippodrome The hippodrome ( el, ἱππόδρομος) was an ancient Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The name is derived from the Greek words ''hippos'' (ἵππος; "horse") and ''dromos'' (δρόμος; "course"). The term is used i ...

in the plain of Krisa, not far from the sea, in the place where the original stadium was sited. (ref:

Pindar Pindar (; grc-gre, Πίνδαρος , ; la, Pindarus; ) was an Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian wrote, "Of the nine lyric poets, Pindar is ...

) The other athletic contests took place in the Stadium. In the Roman period theatrical competitions were introduced, carried out in the late-

Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

Music

Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to: *Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium'' *Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC * Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...

writing in the 2nd century AD, says the oldest contest at Delphi was the singing of the

Hymn to Apollo The Delphic Hymns are two musical compositions from Ancient Greece, which survive in substantial fragments. They were long regarded as being dated circa 138 BC and 128 BC, respectively, but recent scholarship has shown it likely they wer ...

, god of arts and music. The first Games run by the

, which he dates to the third year of the forty-eighth

Olympiad An olympiad ( el, Ὀλυμπιάς, ''Olympiás'') is a period of four years, particularly those associated with the ancient and modern Olympic Games. Although the ancient Olympics were established during Greece's Archaic Era, it was not until ...

(i.e. 586 BC) featured contests of singing accompanied by

cithara The kithara (or Latinized cithara) ( el, κιθάρα, translit=kithāra, lat, cithara) was an ancient Greek musical instrument in the yoke lutes family. In modern Greek the word ''kithara'' has come to mean "guitar", a word which etymologic ...

(a lyre), and separate contests for playing the aulos (a double-reeded wind instrument) solo, and accompanied. The latter of these was abolished by the second Games because the music was considered "ill-omened" with dismal tunes accompanied by lamentations. Pythocritus of Sicyon was aulos victor at six consecutive festivals, the only player so to distinguish himself. He accompanied the pentathlon at the Olympics where a statue was erected to him.

. ''Description of Greece'
6.14
Translated by W.H.S. Jones, and H.A. Ormerod. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. Pausanias ascribes the introduction of the cithara contest without vocals to the eighth Pythian Games.

. ''Description of Greece'
10.7
Translated by W.H.S. Jones, and H.A. Ormerod. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918.

Poetry, prose and drama

Poetry and prose contests were another feature of the Pythian Games. A panel of judges chose victors. Contests of Tragic acting probably involved both individual performances and dramatic productions.Segrave, Jeffrey O. ''The Pythian Games: The Real Modern Olympic Games''

Painting

Painting competitions were introduced in the mid-5th century BC.

Prizes

No monetary prizes were awarded to winners in the Games. Instead they received a wreath of

, sacred to Apollo, from the city of Tempe, in

. This is similar to the practice in the other Panhellenic games, which were all on this account called "stephanitic" ("crown") games. Smaller versions of the Pythian Games were celebrated in many other cities of the

and Greece.

Pindar and the Pythionikoi

Of the 45 poems composed by the Theban poet

in honor of winners at the Panhellenic games, 12 were called ''Pythionikoi'', since they were composed for winners at the Pythian Games. In those poems, Pindar praises not only the victors, but also their families, as well as the aristocratic and athletic ideals of the late archaic period.

The Pythionikoi as a source of information

Pindar worked on lyric poetry.Pindar. The Odes of Pindar including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937 The largest part of his surviving works is the Victory Odes (Epinikia), chorus songs to be sung in the homeland of the winner of the Games upon his return. The Greek aristocracy of the first half of the 5th century BC, mostly the tyrants of

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

and the conservative aristocracy of

Aegina Aegina (; el, Αίγινα, ''Aígina'' ; grc, Αἴγῑνα) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina (mythology), Aegina, the mother of the hero Aeacus, who was born ...

, constituted the clientele of the poet. Thus, his Odes of Victory reflect the aristocratic ideals which were losing ground so fast. The winner's laudation is reinforced by adding mythological details. However, a prerequisite for understanding and cherishing the poems is a well-educated audience. The poet uses his work not only to speak of the victory won by his client and his family, but also to accentuate the family's history and its connections all over Greece. The total number of Victory Odes is 45 celebrating the winners in the four most famous panhellenic athletic competitions: the

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

, the

, the Pythian and the

. The hymns celebrating victories in Pythian Games include 12 odes and offer information on the exact competition of each athlete. Thus, we can constitute a list of the winners as follows: In 498 B.C. Hippokles from Thessaly won at the children's diaulos (10th Pythionicus). In 490 B.C. Midas from

Akragas Agrigento (; scn, Girgenti or ; grc, Ἀκράγας, translit=Akrágas; la, Agrigentum or ; ar, كركنت, Kirkant, or ''Jirjant'') is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. It was one of ...

won at the musical contests as a flute player (12th Pythionicus). In 486 B.C. Megakles from Athens won at the chariot racing (7th Pythionicus). In 475 (?) and in 474(?) B.C. Hieron of Syracuse won the chariot racing (2nd Pythionicus). In 474 Thrasydaeus from Thebes won at the children's stadium (11th Pythionicus) and Telesikrates from Cyrene won at the armed race (9th Pythionicus). In 470 B.C. Hieron from Aetna won at the chariot racing (1st Pythinicus). Finally, in 462/1 B.C. Arkesilaus from Cyrene won at the chariot racing (4th and 5th Pythionikoi).

References

External links

Pythian Games

International Pythian Council

Modern Pythian Games

Ecumenical Delphic Union
* https://www.afternoonnews.in/pythian-council-gets-coimbatore-based-state-conveners/ * *https://edtimes.in/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games/ *https://www.uniindia.com/pressrelease/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games *https://www.apnlive.com/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games/ *https://www.zee5.com/articles/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games *https://assianews.com/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games/12183/ *https://theoneindia.in/index.php/2022/04/06/india-paves-the-way-to-modern-pythian-games/ *https://maghreb-observateur.com/?p=14365 *https://www.polismagazino.gr/bijender-goel-founder-modern-pythian-games/ *https://maghreb-observateur.com/?cat=99 *https://delphiforum.gr/bijender-goel *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY4kRyZapsg *http://pythiangames.org/ {{Coord, 38, 28, 57.60, N, 22, 29, 52.97, E, display=title 6th-century BC establishments in Greece 5th-century disestablishments in Greece Ancient Delphi Games Pythian Panhellenic Games Recurring sporting events established before 1750