Eros and Greek Athletics

Ancient Greek athletics offer us a clear window on many important aspects of ancient culture. Ancient athletics were closely connected with religion, the formation of young men and women in their gender roles, and the construction of sexuality. Greek agnostic culture was not so much a field of dreams as a field of desire, where fervent competition for honor was balanced by cooperation for common social goals. In Eros and Greek Athletics Thomas F. Scanlon explores when and how athletics was linked with religion, upbringing, gender, sexuality, and social values in an evolution from Homer until the Roman period. This study shows that males and females made different uses of the same contests, that pederasty and athletic nudity were fostered by an athletic revolution beginning in the late seventh century B.C., and that public athletic festivals may be seen as quasi-dramatic performances of the human tension between desire and death. Eros and Greek Athletics presents findings of importance to all those interested in ancient and modern sports, religion, gender studies, sexuality, and cultural studies generally.