Nemean Games

The Nemean Games (Greek: Νέμεα or Νέμεια) were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were held at Nemea every two years (or every third).

With the

Argos

.

History

The various legends concerning its origin are related in the argumenta of the

Hypsipile, who was carrying Opheltes (Greek: Ὀφέλτης), the child of the priest of Zeus and of a queen named Eurydice. While his nurse Hypsipyle showed the heroes the way to the nearest well, she left the child behind lying in a meadow, which during her absence was killed by a dragon. When the Seven on their return saw the accident, they slew the dragon and instituted funeral games to be held every third year. Other legends attribute the institution of the Nemean Games to Heracles, after he had slain the Nemean lion

. The alternative tradition was that he had either revived the ancient games, or at least introduced the alteration by which they were from this time celebrated in honor of Zeus.

Pindar stated that the games were afterwards celebrated in honor of Zeus.

Argives presided, is recorded by Pausanias.^[8]

Regarding the time of year the Nemean Games were celebrated, the scholiast on Pindar

Panemos, though in another passage he makes a statement which contradicts this assertion. Pausanias^[10] speaks of winter Nemean Games, and distinguishes them from others which were held in summer. It seems that for a time the celebration of the Nemean Games was neglected, and that they were revived in Olympiad 51.4 (573 BC), from which time Eusebius dates the first Nemead. Henceforth, they were for a long time celebrated regularly twice in every Olympiad, both at the start of every second Olympic year in the winter, and soon after the start of every fourth Olympic year in the summer. About the time of the Battle of Marathon it became customary in Argolis

to reckon according to Nemeads.

The Hellenistic Stadion (with a vaulted entrance tunnel dated to about 320 BC, according to

Philip of Macedonia was honored by the Argives with the presidency at the Nemean games,^[11] and Quintius Flamininus proclaimed at the Nemean Games the freedom of the Argives.^[12] The emperor Hadrian

restored the horse-racing of boys at the Nemean Games, which had fallen into disuse. But after his time they do not seem to have been much longer celebrated, as they are no longer mentioned by any of the writers of the subsequent period.

The program of the Nemean Games

The Gymnic Part

The participants to these parts competed in the

nude

.

The
Stadion – A foot race which was about 178 meters at Nemea
.

The
Stadion foot race, about 355 meters at Nemea
.

The Hippios – Twice the Diaulos foot race, about 710 meters at Nemea.^[13]
The
Dolichos – A long distance running race. The exact length of this race is uncertain; it could have been 7, 10, 20 or 24 times round the stadium.^[14]

The Hoplitodromos – A Diaulos foot race with the competitors wearing helmets, a bronze covered aspis and initially metal greaves.
The Pyx – A boxing-like contest. In order to protect themselves and to do more damage the opponents bound their hands and wrists with long leather strips. The first to be knocked out or to acknowledge defeat would lose.
The Pankration – A blend of boxing and wrestling with very few rules. Again, the first to be knocked out or to acknowledge defeat would lose.
The
Pale
– Wrestling from an upright position. The goal was to throw the opponent on the ground three times.
The
pale
, javelin-throwing, discus-throwing and long-jump.

The equestrian part

Taking place in a hippodrome, these were the only events where women could take part,^[15] not because they were allowed to ride, but because it was the owner of a horse or chariot rather than the rider or charioteer who was considered the victor. This even allowed cities to participate by funding equestrian teams.

So far no ancient hippodrome has been recovered, so the given lengths are assumptions.

The
Tethrippon
chariots, with four horses racing a distance of 8400 meters or 5.25 miles.
The
Synoris
chariots, with two horses racing a distance of 5600 meters or 3.5 miles.
The Kélēs, a horseback race over a distance of 4200 meters or 2.5 miles.

Modern Nemean Games re-enactment

The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games was founded in 1994, after more than 20 years of archaeological excavation at Nemea. The contemporary games are more of a re-enactment than an actual sporting event,^[16] held every four years since 1996, are a form of popular education in history, as well as a counter to the commercialism of the modern Olympics. Races are organized according to age and gender, open to international participation. No medals are awarded, only crowns of palm branches and wild celery.

In 2008, some 600 people clad in tunics raced barefoot in the ruins of the ancient stadium on 21 June. Two races were staged for the runners aged from 10 to 80, one of 100 metres (110 yards) and the other of 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi). The most striking feature of this attempt was the revival of the Hoplitodromos race.

The last Nemead was held on 11 and 12 June 2016.

Notes

^ Pausanias, ii. 15. §2, etc.
^ Apollodorus, iii. 6. §4
^ Pindar, Nem. iii. 114, etc.
^ Strabo, viii.
^ Apollodorus, iii. 6
^ Pausanias, ii. 15. §2
^ Pausanias, viii. 50. §3; Plutarch, Philop. 11.
^ Pausanias, viii. 40. §3
^ Scholiast on Pindar, Argum. ad Nem.
^ Pausanias, ii. 15. §2
^ Livy, xxvii. 30, etc.; Polybius, x. 26
^ Livy, xxxiv. 41; Polybius, x. 26.
^ Evidence suggests this race wasn't held always.
^ See J. Jüthner, Die athletische Leibesübungen der Griechen (1968) for a discussion of the classical sources.
^ After the Romans conquered Greece, women could no longer participate.
^ perlman, david. "Dusting Off Ancient Games / Temple of Zeus at Nemea holds secrets of contests, Berkeley archaeologist discovers". sfgate.

References

William Smith,
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities
, (1870)
Stephen G. Miller, Nemea: A Guide to the Site and the Museum, Berkeley, 1989 (2nd ed.: Athens, 2004).
Stephen G. Miller (with contributions by Robert C. Knapp and David Chamberlain), Excavations at Nemea II: The Early Hellenistic Stadium, Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2001.

External links

The Nemean Games, official site of The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games.
[1], Opheltis e-book.

[1] Pausanias, ii. 15. §2, etc.

[2] Apollodorus, iii. 6. §4

[3] Pindar, Nem. iii. 114, etc.

[4] Strabo, viii.

[5] Apollodorus, iii. 6

[6] Pausanias, ii. 15. §2

[7] Pausanias, viii. 50. §3; Plutarch, Philop. 11.

[8] Pausanias, viii. 40. §3

[9] Scholiast on Pindar, Argum. ad Nem.

[10] Pausanias, ii. 15. §2

[11] Livy, xxvii. 30, etc.; Polybius, x. 26

[12] Livy, xxxiv. 41; Polybius, x. 26.

[13] Evidence suggests this race wasn't held always.

[14] See J. Jüthner, Die athletische Leibesübungen der Griechen (1968) for a discussion of the classical sources.

[15] After the Romans conquered Greece, women could no longer participate.

[16] rlman, david. "Dusting Off Ancient Games / Temple of Zeus at Nemea holds secrets of contests, Berkeley archaeologist discovers". sfgate.

[8]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]