Stadion (running race)

This article is about the ancient running event and building. For other uses, see Stadion (disambiguation).

The stadion of ancient Nemea, Greece.

Stadion or stade (Ancient Greek: στάδιον) was an ancient running event, part of the Ancient Olympic Games and the other Panhellenic Games. It was one of the five major Pentathlon events. It was the premier event of the gymnikos agon (nude competition).^[1] From the years 776 to 724 BC, the stadion was the only event that took place at the Olympic Games and the victor gave his name to the entire four-year Olympiad.^[1] This allows scholars to know the names of nearly every ancient Olympic stadion winner.^[1]

The stadion was named after the building in which it took place, also called the stadion. This word became stadium in Latin, which became the English word stadium. There were other types of running events, but the stadion was the most prestigious; the winner was often considered to be the winner of an entire Games. Though a separate event, the stadion was also part of the ancient Pentathlon.

At the Olympic Games, the Stadion (the actual building) was big enough for twenty competitors, and the race was a 200-yard (about 180-meters) sprint.^[2] The original stadion track in Olympia measures approximately 190 meters. The race began with a trumpet blow, with officials (the agonothetai - ἀγωνοθέται) at the starting blocks to make sure there were no false starts. There were also officials at the end to decide on a winner and to make sure no one had cheated. If the officials decided there was a tie, the race would be re-run. Runners started the race from a standing position, probably with their arms stretched out in front of them, instead of starting in a crouch like modern runners.^[2] They ran naked on a packed earth track. By the fifth century, the track was marked by a stone-starting line known as the balbis. Advancements in this stone starting block led to it having a set of double grooves (10–12 cm apart) in which the runner placed his toes. The design of these grooves were intended to give the runner leverage for his start.^[3]

The winner of the stadion in the first Olympic Games was Coroebus of Elis.

The race gave its name to the unit of length, the Stadion.

References

1 2 3 Miller, Stephen G. (2004). Ancient Greek Athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 31.
1 2 Harris, H.A. (1964). Greek Athletes and Athletics. London: Hutchinson. pp. 65–66.
↑ Miller, p. 35

Ancient Olympic Games

Sports

Foot races	Diaulos Dolichos Hoplitodromos Stadion

Horse races	Apene Chariot of polos Decapolon Kalpe Keles Perfect chariot Polos Synoris Synoris of polos Tethrippon Tethrippon of polos

Combat	Boxing Pankration Wrestling

Special	Herald and Trumpet contest Pentathlon

Winners

Acanthus of Sparta Agasias of Arcadia Agesarchus of Tritaea Alcibiades of Athens Alexander I of Macedon Anaxilas of Messenia Aratus of Sicyon Archelaus I of Macedon Arrhichion of Phigalia Arsinoe II Astylos of Croton Berenice I of Egypt Bilistiche Chaeron of Pellene Chilon of Patras Chionis of Sparta Cimon Coalemos Coroebus of Elis Cylon of Athens Cynisca of Sparta Damarchus Damasias of Amphipolis Demaratus of Sparta Desmon of Corinth Diagoras of Rhodes Diocles of Corinth Diocles of Messenia Diognetus of Croton Ergoteles of Himera Eurycles of Laconia Euryleonis Herodorus of Megara Hiero I of Syracuse Hypenus of Elis Hysmon of Elis Iccus of Taranto Isomachus of Croton Leonidas of Rhodes Leophron Lycinus of Croton Lycotas of Laconia Milo of Croton Nero Caesar Augustus Oebotas of Dyme Onomastus of Smyrna Orsippus of Megara Peisistratos of Athens Phanas of Pellene Philinus of Cos Philip II of Macedon Philippus of Croton Phrynon of Athens Polydamas of Skotoussa Pythagoras of Laconia Pythagoras of Samos Sostratus of Pellene Theagenes of Thasos Theron of Acragas Tiberius Caesar Augustus Timasitheus of Delphi Troilus of Elis Varazdat of Armenia Xenocles of Messenia Xenophon of Aegium Xenophon of Corinth

Lists of winners	Ancient Olympic victors Stadion race Archaic period Classical period Hellenistic period Roman period

Ancient Olympic sports

Boxing Chariot racing Diaulos Dolichos Hoplitodromos Pankration Pentathlon Stadion Wrestling

Athletics events

Track

Sprints	50 m 55 m 60 m 100 m 150 m 200 m (straight) 300 m 400 m 500 m 600 m

Hurdles	50 m 55 m 60 m 80 m 100 m 110 m 200 m 300 m 400 m

Middle-distance	800 m 1000 m 1500 m One mile 2000 m 2000 m steeplechase 3000 m 3000 m steeplechase Two miles

Long-distance	5000 m 10,000 m One hour run

Relays	4 × 100 m 4 × 200 m 4 × 400 m 4 × 800 m 4 × 1500 m Distance medley relay Sprint medley relay Swedish relay

Field

Throws	Discus Hammer Javelin Shot put Weight throw Softball throw

Jumps	High jump (standing) Long jump (standing) Triple jump (standing) Pole vault

Combined

Road

Running	5 km 10 km 15 km 10 mi Half marathon 25 km 30 km Marathon Ekiden Ultramarathon

Walking	3000 m 5000 m 10000 m 10 km 20000 m 20 km 50 km 50 mi 100 km

Current Olympic events shown in italics

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Stadion (running race)

See also

References