Hellanodikai, Athletes and Spectators

Question 1

Role of Hellanodikai

9

Answer 1

• Wore purple robe - suggests high status
• based in Elis at special building called Hellanodikeon
• fairly chosen
• oversaw penalties for cheating
• sent out heralds to proclaim sacred truce
• inspected site of Olympia to ensure facilities were in working order and religious sites were worthy of gods
• inspected training before
• took oath to judge fairly and administered oath to athletes
• crowned athletes

Question 2

Visitors

5

Answer 2

• All Greek
• no entry fee
• married women banned (except priestess of Demeter)
• entertainers, poet, philosophers
• food-sellers, merchants

Question 3

Comfort of the spectators

7

Answer 3

• No accommodation (apart from Leonidain for the best ppl)
• people would build tents or huts
• little shelter from weather - late summer heat
• rivers like Alpheios providing (dirty) water for them that they shared with animals
• no seats in stadium
• flies and mosquitos
• crowded - 10,000+ spectators

Question 4

What piece of info shows the extent of the conditions at Olympia?

Answer 4

A slave was threatened with a visit to Olympia as punishment

Question 5

The competitors

5

Answer 5

• No women (had own games in honour of Hera)
• Greeks who had no criminal record; age 12-18
• not bothered about taking part unless won (vs modern)
• healthy, tanned physique compared to pasty white foreigners
• nude to prevent cheating

Question 6

Attitudes towards competitors

3

Answer 6

• Added to country’s prestige
• worshipped as local hero
• defeated athletes felt ashamed as Greece was highly competitive