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The Apobates Reconsidered (Demosthenes lxi 23–9)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

N.B. Crowther
N.B. Crowther
Affiliation:
The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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Extract

References to the apobates have been collected by Reisch, Gardiner, Patrucco, Kyle and others, but the exact nature of this specialized event remains obscure. Patrucco in particular laments the scarcity of literary sources which he suggests provide little information. Yet the fullest account of the apobates appears in a lengthy passage in the corpus of Demosthenes (lxi 23-29, the Erotikos or Erotic essay) which strangely is not mentioned by any of the above scholars. I propose to update our knowledge of this contest, particularly as it relates to the fourth century B.C., in the light of this ‘new’ evidence. Because of the romantic nature of the essay, the reader should perhaps observe caution and allow for exaggeration on the part of Demosthenes, but even so several important observations can be made.

Type
Notes
Information
The Journal of Hellenic Studies , Volume 111 , November 1991 , pp. 174 - 176
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies 1991

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References

1 See especially the excellent article of Reisch, E., RE i 2 (1894) 2814–17Google Scholar, also Gardiner, E. N., Greek athletic sports and festivals (London 1910Google Scholar; reprinted Dubuque, Iowa 1970) 237–39, Patrucco, R., Lo sport nella Grecia antiqua (Florence 1972) 382–84Google Scholar, Kyle, D., Athletics in ancient Athens (Leiden 1987) 188–89Google Scholar and passim.

2 Patrucco (n.1) 383.

3 Whether or not this work is by Demosthenes, it is generally accepted as belonging to the fourth century; see Kennedy, G., Cambridge history of classical literature. I. Greek literature (Cambridge 1985) 510Google Scholar. The name Demosthenes is used throughout for convenience. The terms ἀποβάτης or ἀπόβασις do not appear in the passage, but τὸ ἀποβαίνειν does.

4 We may note that this passage is also evidence that slaves took part in athletic competition, but not in the apobates. See Gardiner, , ‘Regulations for a local sports meeting’, CR xliii (1929) 210–12Google Scholar for the only other reference to slaves in competition in Greek festivals, at Misthia in Pisidia, second century A.D.: N. B. Crowther, ‘Slaves and Greek athleties’, QUCC (forthcoming).

5 Gardiner (n.1) 136, Kyle (n.1) 38.

6 For the Anthesteria, see Kyle (n.1) 45–46. For the Panathcnaia, see IG ii2 966, 969 (restored); cf. ii2 968 ἡνίοχος ἐγβιβάζων, listed as a separate event. See also n.8 and 15 below.

7 Cf. Eratosthenes, Kataster. 13 for the apobates and the origins of the festival. See Ziehen, L., RE xviii 3 (1949) 478Google Scholar, Thompson, H. A., ‘The Panathenaic festival’, AA (1961) 228Google Scholar, Simon, E., Festivals of Attica (Madison 1983) 61–62Google Scholar.

8 See Johnston, A. W., ‘IG II2 2311 and the number of Panathenaic amphorae’, ABSA lxxxii (1987) 127Google Scholar. However, at Aphrodisias the apobates received the smallest prize of all gymnastic and equestrian events—250 denarii (CIG 2758, cols. iv, v); by comparison the prize for men's pancration here was 3,000 denarii, for men's pentathlon (often the lowest of prizes) 500. The prizes are not known for the apobates at the other festivals listed below.

9 Gardiner (n.1) 237.

10 The regular charioteer in the games wore the long, white robe. The mule-cart driver and possibly the horse-riders were naked; see Harris, , Sport in Greece and Rome (London 1972) 111.61Google Scholar, 67 (Panathenaic amphorae c.500 B.C.). Contrast, however, the ‘boy jockey’ statue (Harris, Sport 111.59) which is clothed. None of the Olympic equestrian events is known to have been practised in the gymnasium.

11 See Reisch (n.1) 2814, Patrucco (n.1) fig. 158.

12 That this is the general practice is confirmed by art; see n.11 above. Only one person, presumably the apobates, received the prize. One individual prize winner at the Panathenaia is known, Phocus son of Phocion (Plut. Phok. 20.1; cf. Athen. 168f.).

13 See Harris, Sport (n.10) for the view that there was no barrier; for the opposite view, see Drees, L., Olympia. Gods, artists and athletes (London 1968Google Scholar; originally in German, Stuttgart 1967) 97. It is possible that the course for the apobates was different from that of a regular equestrian event. For the location of the apobates in the Agora, see Gardiner (n.1), Kyle (n.1) 189, Thompson (n.7).

14 The delight of the crowd in crashes, naufragia, in the Roman circus is well-known; see Auguet, R., Cruelty and civilization: The Roman games (Eng. tr. London 1972) 131–32Google Scholar. It is less well documented in the Greek world; cf. however, the comments of Poseidon Hippios in Aristophanes, Knights 551–58.

15 The apobates was not part of the programme of most Greek festivals. Harpocration, s.v. ἀποβάτης says that it was practised only by Athenians and Boeotians. In addition to the Panathenaia and Anthesteria it was part of the Athenian celebration of a Pythiad: Lysias, son of Artemon, was victorious ἄρματι ἐγβιβάζων (SIG 728H). It was found at the Amphiaraia in Oropus (IG vii 417.66); it is noteworthy that one inscription (IG vii 4254) lists the apobates here as separate from the gymnastic and equestrian events. For Larissa (c.A.D. 100), where it was performed both with four horses and two horses, see IG ix 2.527, 531, 614b. For Aphrodisias (second century A.D.), see CIG 2758 cols, iv, v. For Naples, see IG xiv 754, 755 add. (restored). For Rome, see Dion. Hal. vii 73 (above); cf. CIL vi 2.10047.19 ‘pedibus ad quadrigam’.

16 I am indebted to referees of the journal for helpful suggestions.