Synopses & Reviews
This lavishly illustrated book presents a comprehensive survey of sports in ancient Greece. It vividly describes ancient sporting events and games, considers the role of women and amateurs in ancient athletics, and explores the impact of these games on art, literature, and politics.
“The finest, most complete, and most useful account of ancient Greek athletics that I have seen.”—Donald Kagan, author of The Peloponnesian War
“Everyone interested in sports will want to own this book, which is a lucid introduction to ancient athletics.”—Mary Lefkowitz, author of Greek Gods, Human Lives
“[A] beautiful, informative book. Miller . . . brings the ancient Greek athletic festivals to life.”—Scientific American
“This book will serve as the locus classicus for the history of sport in ancient Greece.”—Jenifer Neils, Odyssey
Synopsis
The earliest Olympic games began more than twenty-five-hundred years ago. What were they like, how were they organized, who participated? Were ancient sports a means of preparing youth for warfare? In this lavishly illustrated book, a world expert on ancient Greek athletics provides the first comprehensive introduction to the subject, vividly describing ancient sporting events and games and exploring their impact on art, literature, and politics.
Using a wide array of ancient sources, written and visual, and including recent archaeological discoveries, Stephen Miller reconstructs ancient Greek athletic festivals and the details of specific athletic events. He also explores broader themes, including the role of women in ancient athletics, the place of amateurism, and the relationship between athletic events and social and political life.
Published in the year the modern Olympic Games return to Athens, this book will be a source of information and enjoyment for anyone interested in the history of athletics and the origins of the world's most famous sporting event.
Synopsis
A comprehensive survey of sports in ancient Greece, available just in time for the Summer Olympics in Athens
The earliest Olympic games began more than twenty-five-hundred years ago. What were they like, how were they organized, who participated? Were ancient sports a means of preparing youth for warfare? In this lavishly illustrated book, a world expert on ancient Greek athletics provides the first comprehensive introduction to the subject, vividly describing ancient sporting events and games and exploring their impact on art, literature, and politics.
Using a wide array of ancient sources, written and visual, and including recent archaeological discoveries, Stephen Miller reconstructs ancient Greek athletic festivals and the details of specific athletic events. He also explores broader themes, including the role of women in ancient athletics, the place of amateurism, and the relationship between athletic events and social and political life.
Published in the year the modern Olympic Games return to Athens, this book will be a source of information and enjoyment for anyone interested in the history of athletics and the origins of the world's most famous sporting event.
Synopsis
What was it like at the opening night of Mozart's "Don Giovanni or "Wagner's "Das Rheingold? "This glittering introduction to the world of opera takes us behind the scenes during premiere performances of five extraordinary operas.
"A rare and wonderful cultural history."-- Philip Kennicott, "Washington Post
""An absorbing tangle of minutiae about performing circumstances, personalities, conventions, expectations, critical responses, gossip. . . . This book is readable. Addictively."-- Michael White, "Opera Now
""This thoroughly enjoyable and informative book will delight all opera lovers; highly recommended."-- "Library Journal"
Synopsis
What was it like at the opening night of Mozart's "Don Giovanni or "Wagner's "Das Rheingold? "This glittering introduction to the world of opera takes us behind the scenes during premiere performances of five extraordinary operas.
"A rare and wonderful cultural history."--Philip Kennicott, "Washington Post
"
"An absorbing tangle of minutiae about performing circumstances, personalities, conventions, expectations, critical responses, gossip. . . . This book is readable. Addictively."--Michael White, "Opera Now
"
"This thoroughly enjoyable and informative book will delight all opera lovers; highly recommended."--"Library Journal"What was it like at the opening night of Mozart’ s "Don Giovanni or "Wagner’ s "Das Rheingold? "This glittering introduction to the world of opera takes us behind the scenes during premiere performances of five extraordinary operas.
"A rare and wonderful cultural history."— Philip Kennicott, "Washington Post
""An absorbing tangle of minutiae about performing circumstances, personalities, conventions, expectations, critical responses, gossip. . . . This book is readable. Addictively."— Michael White, "Opera Now
""This thoroughly enjoyable and informative book will delight all opera lovers; highly recommended."— "Library Journal"
About the Author
Stephen G. Miller, professor of classical archaeology at the University of California, Berkeley, directs the excavations at Nemea in Greece, one of the major sites of ancient games. He is the author of many books, including Arete: Greek Sports from Ancient Sources.