Oxford Handbook Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World

Sport and spectacle in the ancient world has become a vital area of broad new exploration over the last few decades. This Handbook brings together the latest research on Greek and Roman manifestations of these pastimes to explore current approaches and open exciting new avenues of inquiry. It
discusses historical perspectives, contest forms, contest-related texts, civic and social aspects, and use and meaning of the individual body. Greek and Roman topics are interwoven to simulate contest-like tensions and complementarities, juxtaposing, for example, violence in Greek athletics and
Roman gladiatorial events, Greek and Roman chariot events, architectural frameworks for contests and games in the two cultures, and contrasting views of religion, bodily regimens, and judicial classification related to both cultures. It examines the social contexts of games, namely the evolution of
sport and spectacle across cultural and political boundaries, and how games are adapted to multiple contexts and multiple purposes, reinforcing social hierarchies, performing shared values, and playing out deep cultural tensions. The volume also considers other directing forces in the ancient
Mediterranean, such as Bronze Age Egypt and the Near East, Etruria, and early Christianity. It addresses important themes common to both antiquity and modern society, such as issues of class, gender, and health, as well as the popular culture of the modern Olympics and gladiators in cinema.

With innovative perspectives from authoratative scholars on a wide range of topics, this Handbook will appeal to both students and researchers interested in ancient history, literature, sports, and games.

About the Author:
Alison Futrell, Associate Professor of History, University of Arizona, Thomas F. Scanlon, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of California, Riverside

Alison Futrell is Associate Professor and Head of the History Department at the University of Arizona. Her research interests focus on the discourse, performance, and imagery of power in imperial Rome, with special interest in spectacle and gender.

Thomas F. Scanlon is Professor Emeritus of Classics at University of California, Riverside. His research interests focus mainly on Ancient Greek Sport and Greek and Roman historical writing, especially Thucydides and Sallust. His approach to Greek sport is primarily one of investigating social and
cultural contexts, including issues of gender, sexuality, religion, and literary sources.