Unlike in the East, Greek sports never became an essential part of education in the West. During the imperial period, many Roman citizens did practice Greek sports, but only recreationally and in the sheltered environment of the bathhouses.

Even at the contests in Rome, the participants where mostly Greeks who had travelled to the West. The participation of Romans in athletic contests remained limited, though. The international athletic guild also moved to Rome to enjoy the imperial privileges fully.Īlready in 186 BC, Romans could take part in the Isthmian games. Roman horse races and competitions in Greek and Latin recitation. Thus, Rome received a prominent place on the Greek sport circuit, although the Greek games in the capital kept a local flavor, e.g. So this book by Fik Meijer - Professor of Ancient History at the University of Amsterdam - is a very welcome contribution to the study of chariot racing.

In AD 86, Domitian founded the Capitolian games, the first permanent Greek games in the Rome. And even when gladiator fights became a thing of the past, chariot races continued to be an essential part of Roman and Byzantine culture for centuries more. The activities of some emperors who greatly admired Greek culture ( Augustus - Nero - Domitian) intensified the pro-Greek evolution. Wealthy Romans set up statues of Greek athletes in their gardens and bathhouses, and occasionally they organized games following the Greek model. Local sport events, such as Roman chariot races, gladiator fights or boxing matches, were popular, but it was unthinkable for a decent citizen to perform publicly, because that was an activity for slaves.Īfter Rome had conquered Greece in 146 BC, the influence of Greek culture grew rapidly in the capital. Especially pederastic practices and nudity were considered shameful. During the Republican period, however, the Romans were reticent about Greek culture, because they associated the gymnasion with effeminacy and immorality. The Romans got to know Greek culture early in their history, as is shown by the vases and mural paintings with Greek athletes in Etruscan tombs.

Is chariot races roman culture