List No. 070

OLYMPIC VICTOR LIST

author Unknown

3rd Century ad

In 1897, in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus, this fragment of papyrus bearing Greek script was found by archaeologists who later concluded that it dates back to the middle of the 3rd century ad. Due to its condition, a complete transcript is impossible; however, what we do know is this: written on it is a list of winners – known as a “victor list” – at various Ancient Olympic Games, beginning, top-left, with the 75th Games in 480 bc and ending, bottom-right, with the 83rd in 448 bc; winners include Damagetos of Rhodes (boxing), Astylos of Croton (stadion run) and Leontiscus of Messana (wrestling); and for each year, 13 events are listed in the following order.

στάδιον	stadion run (192.27 metre sprint)
δίαυλος	2 stadia run
δόλιχος	dolichos (2000 metre run)
πένταθλον	pentathlon
πάλη	wrestling
πύξ	boxing
παγκράτιον	pancration (combined wrestling and boxing)
παίδων στάδιον	boys’ stadio
παίδων πάλη	boys’ wrestling
παίδων πύξ	boys’ boxing
ὁπλίτης	hoplite (running in armour)
τέθριππον	four horse chariot race
κέλης	horse riding