Athletics: Stadia, Gymnasia, Palaistrai, and Hippodromes

Athletic events had special significance in ancient Greek culture. Over time, purpose-built facilities for training and for staging athletic events became an expected component of any Greek city or large sanctuary. From Pausanias, we learn that a dromos and a stadion are not the same and, in fact, have a number of differences. The dromos was the racecourse proper; a stadium, on the other hand, was an architectural facility that combined the dromos with facilities for spectators. Gymnasia and palaistrai could be found in both cities and sanctuaries all over the Greek world. The gymnasium was a facility that often included a palaistra, literally the wrestling school; a xystos, or training track; a bath; and some area of open space. Equestrian events were probably the most popular of all of the athletic events from ancient Greece. There are many references by ancient authors to hippodromes in Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, Isthmia, Thebes, and Athens.