Money and Honor in Ancient Athletics

Experts of ancient sport have long treated "money" and "honor" as opposites. Up to the 1970s, the idea of Greek gentlemen's sport prevailed. It is one of the most exciting challenges for sport historians to overcome this opposition and to develop a concept that integrates the economic and symbolic motivations of ancient athletes. From the very beginning, economic aspects played a role in Greek sport, and honor remained important until the end of ancient athletics. But despite these continuities there are obvious developments in favor of economic factors: Cash prizes grew in importance since the Hellenistic period, and symbolical honors awarded to victorious athletes by their hometowns were transformed into financial ones.

The studies collected in this volume aim at exploring the relationship of money and honor with regard to athletes, festivals and poleis .