Rules and Penalties of the Panhellenic Games

The Panhellenic games were a much honored and sacred event. However, just as with sporting events today, bribery, scandal, and even deaths were not uncommon. It is most important to point out that the Panhellenic games were not just sporting events. In fact, the games themselves were almost insignificant compared to the political impact they had on the Greek cities. During the games all wars ceased under an armistice and warring city states came together to honor the sacred traditions of the games.

It was very clear who could enter into the festivities. Only free Greek males who were born to parents that were also free Greeks were allowed to participate. The athletes also had to be citizens of a Greek city. Etruscans were outright denied from entering as they were considered barbarians and pirates.

There were three sporting events during the games: wrestling, boxing, and the pankration, an unarmed hand to hand combat that resembles the mixed martial arts of today. All of these events required one on one matches, so before the events could begin, the athletes were paired off. They did this by drawing names out of an urn like a lottery. Since the outcome of the games could vary depending on the match up of the athletes, contestants would often attempt to cheat in the lottery. Because of this, the Hellanodikai, or game officials, would closely watch the urn in which the names were drawn while holding intimidating whips. In fact, the urns themselves often depicted athletes being whipped to further deter such thoughts.

Another common problem in the Panhellenic games was bribery as much could be won or lost. An athlete could make a small fortune by throwing a match; that is, if they don’t get caught by the Hellanodikai. The typical punishment for such an infraction would have been heavy fines for all parties involved. The cities the contestants represented would often be fined as well. However, the punishment did not end there for the athletes. If they returned to their home cities, they could expect lashings or exile. Despite the consequences, bribery was not uncommon.

It is also interesting to note that a combatant would be legally excused for killing his opponent during the fight or if that opponent later died as a result of an injury received from the fight. Because of the significance of a win, athletes would push themselves much harder than in normal matches and would be driven to more ‘win or die’ situations. What is even more interesting is that ‘killer’ would not often be disqualified or fouled for the act of killing.

One of the most well-known deaths during the Panhellenic games occurred by the hand of a boxer named Cleomedes and is documented by Oenomaus of Gadara, “Cleomedes boxer of Astypalaea… For what then… didst thou deify this man? Was it because at the Olympic games he struck his antagonist a single blow and laid open his side, and thrust in his hand and seized his lung?” (Praep Ev. 5.34 B-C). It is believed that Cleomedes ‘karate-chopped’ his opponent’s rib-cage which caused a sharp, broken bone to slice open his chest reveling his lung. Cleomedes was disqualified and lost his ‘win’ not so much because of the barbaric act of ripping out his lung; but because he killed his opponent with an illegal blow to the body.

Greek nomoi, or unwritten rules and traditions, for boxing did not allow for blows other than to the head or neck. Pausanias notes this when he says, “In fact, the Pythian prophet that Cleomedes of Astypalaea, the boxer, receive divine honors, and the Pythia gave this oracle: 'Honor him with sacrifices, as being no longer mortal…this man struck his opponent a single blow, opened up his side, then thrust his hand inside and seized his internal organs. Thereupon the presiding judges were outraged of his savagery and laid a penalty on him. He withdrew cut to the heart'” (Paus. 8.40.3-5). The city of Astypalaea viewed this act as super-human and built many statues to honor their new great ‘hero’.

Despite the best efforts of the Hellanodikai, athletes infringed on the sacred rules of the games in attempt to gain riches and fame; however, the same can be said about current day sporting events.

Primary Sources:

Praep Ev. 5.34 B-C
Paus. 8.40.3-5