Contents:

Introduction

Crimes of Theft

Rule Violations

Sacrileges

Political Crimes

Unusual Crimes

Punishments

Extent of Corruption

Further Exploration

Sources

Crimes of Theft: The information contained in ancient sources discloses that one of the most prominent crimes occurring at panhellenic sites was that of theft. Pausanius describes the many statues and monuments erected at Olympia and Delphi in honor of athletes, and political, military, or personal achievements. As the national and international fame of panhellenic sites grew during the Archaic Period (750-500 BC), and as the wealth of goods at the locales accumulated, places like Olympia and Delphi increasingly attracted bandits seeking to capitalize on the fortunes. In one noted example, the builders of Hyreius' treasury at Delphi stole from the very monument they helped construct (Pausanius, 9.37.6). Another legendary record of theft is commemorated in a bronze wolf image: the statue symbolizes the story of a man who had robbed Apollo's Temple, only to be subsequently killed by a wolf (Pausanius, 10.14.7). Pausanius notes, too, that political figures like Nero and Sulla robbed treasuries in the 80's BC and 60's AD, respectively.




(Man carrying a sack)

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