EXERCISE IN ANCIENT MACEDONIA PART 1

  To this day, the world bibliography of the history of Physical Education does not refer to the sports of ancient Macedonia. Reasons of expediency or even ignorance, left the subject unexplored. However, archaeological research in Vergina, Sindos, Pella, Dio, Derveni, Amphipolis (etc.). in recent years, brought to the fore the issue of sports of the Macedonians, who as Dorians showed great interest.

  It is a fact that the athletic life of ancient Macedonia presents something between that of Athens and Sparta. The Macedonian, that is, the "royal pais" or "partner" is something between the Athenian teenager and the Spartan youth.

So we see that Macedonia, which had the ability to change the entire form of the ancient world, prepared its young people accordingly, in the urban and military centers of its territory.

The first information about organized sports comes - strangely - from Olympia. There, Alexander the Great (498 - 454 BC) proves to the Elis, who were full of doubts about his Greekness, that he is a descendant of Hercules and that his ancestors live in Argos. The Hellanodikes are convinced and since then we have a significant number of Olympic Macedonians.

Archelaus organized the Zeus in the sanctuary of Zeus, which had a prominent place in the Macedonian life. Dio, a place of worship, became in Hellenistic and Roman times a health center, with baths and other facilities, identical to those of the corresponding major centers of worship.

  What we know about the Hellenistic era, we owe to a large extent to the Greek culture of Macedonia.

  Philip II and his son Alexander used sports and games much more than previous ones. The father, in particular, in order to achieve political gain in the Panhellenic world, built a sanctuary in Olympia, the Philippeion, and took part in the chariot races in three Olympiads (106th, 107th and 108th), where he won (356, 352, 348 BC). Alexander, beyond athletic education, always to satisfy gods and people, at every opportunity held games. Games were held in Macedonia after Alexander and until Roman times.

Education

Their education was, as emphasized, military and spiritual. It aimed at a comprehensive completion of the personality of the young man, who, in addition to being a good soldier, had to be politically able to face the very change in history that the Macedonian machine was preparing.

Under Archelaus, education begins with the same principles as other Greeks. Philosophy, music, rhetoric, military art are taught at a higher level for the time of the level (cavalry, siege engines, new weapons, chariots, uninterrupted capabilities with practice in hunger and hardship).

The young Macedonian participates in the "church in arms", a peculiar participation in the commons that, as we know, played the decisive role in the internal and external affairs of the state.

Royal Boys and Partners

A special place in Macedonian society was held by the "Royal Boys" and the "Partners". The former were children of the aristocratic class who were educated together with the successors. Alexander had other children with him, when they were educated by Aristotle and the multitude of teachers that always existed in Aigai and Pella. The "Partners" were the chosen young men from the whole state (mainly from Western Macedonia - Oresibii), who in the time of Philip II numbered three thousand. An institution between adolescence and the herds of Sparta, which intelligently prepared the future leaders of the state. Cleitus, Philotas and Parmenion and so many other generals, equal Alexander emerged from this much-discussed institution.

  A major role in the success of the institution of partners had, as mentioned, the large number of great philosophers, gymnasts, tragedians and others, who frequented Macedonia for a long time - with the undiminished -. Shining examples are Aristotle, who revealed the psychology of Alexander, Isocrates (the second after Aristotle) ​​who fought for Philip to crystallize a pan-Hellenic reconciliation, Euripides, who stayed in Macedonia long before them and wrote tragedies.

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Source: INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE GREEK WORLD by SOTIRIS YATSI

Article edited by: Georgios Bakalopoulos, Graduate of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Science - Coach, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki