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Crimes of Theft Rule Violations Sacrileges Political Crimes Unusual Crimes Punishments Extent of Corruption Sources |
Rule Violations: Ancient authors also suggest that Olympia and Delphi hosted another category of crimes: those that violated the rules of the games. Phormis of Halicarnassus, at the 97th Olympiad, is considered to be the first athlete to have violated the Olympic statutes, but he was hardly the last to have done so (Pausanius 5.21.2). Subsequent participants partook in bribery and bet-making to secure victories. Inscriptions on statues dedicated at Olympia attempted to deter athletes from bribery, proclaiming that "an Olympic victory is to be won, not by money, but by swiftness of foot and strength of body" (Pausanius 5.21.5). Ostensibly, not everyone heeded this message. Calippus of Athens, for example, bought off fellow competitors with bribes, as did many other contestants (Pausanius 5.21.5; 5.21.8). According to Pausanius, foreigners also violated the rules. An Egyptian Olympic athlete was convicted by the Eleans of a misdemeanor because he did not arrive by the prescribed time for a game, failed to accept his subsequent disqualification, and pummeled the man who would have been his competitor (Pausanius 5.21.14). Such violations occurred at the Pythian Games as well. Pausanius notes that at Delphi, a certain Cleomedes killed a certain Iccus during a boxing match, was convicted of foul play by the umpires, and was ultimately stripped of his prize. Out of anger, Cleomedes killed 60 school children and hid from Astypalaean authorities (Pausanius 9.6). ![]() |
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