Boys Will Be Boys: Agonistic Graffiti from Iasos
Abstract
In Iasos agonistic graffiti were inscribed on architectural elements (columns) of the city's gymnasia as well as on monuments commemorating the achievements of athletes and benefactors. Young athletes and trainees at the gymnasia inscribed victory acclamations for themselves or small groups, possibly their fellow training partners. At times, agonistic graffiti were inscribed on memorials of the Hellenistic era that were refurbished in the early Roman imperial period to commemorate contemporary luminaries. I argue that by inscribing their names and victory acclamations on the memorials of gymnasion benefactors and top-level athletes, young athletes from Iasos embedded themselves into a dominant social script that promoted athletic success and euergetism as preeminent components of elite Hellenic status. Furthermore, graffiti authors contributed into the process of negotiating and re-shaping the commemorative and civic landscape of Iasos.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
-
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Zinon Papakonstantinou
United States
Publication Date
May 15, 2015
Submission Date
November 15, 2014
Acceptance Date
-
Published in Issue
Year 2015 Volume: 12
Cited By
Beliefs and Religious Views of the Sak Tribes
SSRN Electronic Journal
https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3783076ATHLETICS, MEMORY, AND COMMUNITY IN HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN MESSENE
Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies
https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-5370.12070