The victor's crown : a history of ancient sport from Homer to Byzantium / David Potter.

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, [2012]

xxx, 416 pages, 8 pages of unnumbered plates : illustrations (chiefly colour) ; 25 cm

Ashes, linen and the origins of sport. Introduction -- Homer and the Bronze Age -- Homer and sport -- Olympia. From myth to history -- Olympia in 480 BC -- The Olympic games of 476 BC -- The festival approaches -- Winning: The equestrian events; The pentathlon and the foot races; Nudity; Pain and Suffering -- Remembering victory: The athlete as hero -- The emergence of the Panhellenic Cycle -- The world of the gymnasium. Sport and civic virtue -- Beroia -- Getting in shape and turning pro -- Roman games. Greece meets Rome -- Kings and games -- Rome and Italy -- Actors and gladiators -- Caesar, Antony, Augustus and the games -- Imperial games. Watching -- The fan's experience -- Expectations -- Crowd noise -- Dreaming of sport -- Images of sport -- Women's sports -- Gladiators: Life as a gladiator; Training and ranking; Dying; Choosing to be a gladiator -- Charioteers -- Athletes: Athletic guilds; Cheating -- Running the show: Administration; Athletics.

Includes bibliographical references and index.