Acanthus of Sparta

8th-century BC Greek athlete

Acanthus of Sparta

Personal information

Born

Sparta, Laconia

Sport

Event(s)

Diaulos and Dolichos

Medal record

Ancient Greek Olympics

Representing Laconia
Olympic Games
	720 BC Olympia	Diaulos
	720 BC Olympia	Dolichos

Acanthus the Lacedaemonian (Ancient Greek: Ἄκανθος^[1]), was the victor in two footrace events, the diaulos (δίαυλος) and dolichos (δόλιχος), in the Olympic Games of 720 BC.^[2] He was also, according to some accounts, the first who ran naked in these games.^[3]^[4]^[5] Other accounts ascribe this to Orsippus the Megarian. Thucydides says that the Lacedaemonians were the first who contended naked in gymnastic games, although he does not mention Acanthus by name.^[6]

References

^ Christesen, Paul (2007). Olympic Victor Lists and Ancient Greek History. Cambridge University Press. p. 528.
^ Smith, William (1867), "Acanthus", in Smith, William (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 1, Boston, p. 5, archived from the original on 2007-09-07, retrieved 2007-09-21{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Pausanias, v. 8. § 3.
^ Dionys. vii. 72.
^ Sextus Julius Africanus. apud Eusebius, p. 143.
^ Thucydides, i. 6.

Sources

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Acanthus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

Ancient Olympic Games

General

Sports

Foot races	Diaulos Dolichos Hoplitodromos Stadion
Horse races	Apene Chariot of polos Decapolon Kalpe Keles Perfect chariot Polos Synoris Synoris of polos Tethrippon Tethrippon of polos
Combat	Boxing Pankration Wrestling
Special	Herald and Trumpet contest Pentathlon

Winners

Acanthus of Sparta Agasias of Arcadia Agesarchus of Tritaea Alcibiades of Athens Alexander I of Macedon Anaxilas of Messenia Aratus of Sicyon Archelaus of Macedon Arrhichion of Phigalia Arsinoe II Astylos of Croton Berenice II of Egypt Bilistiche Chaeron of Pellene Chilon of Patras Chionis of Sparta Cimon Coalemos Coroebus of Elis Cylon of Athens Cynisca of Sparta Damarchus Demaratus of Sparta Desmon of Corinth Diagoras of Rhodes Diocles of Corinth Ergoteles of Himera Euryleonis Herodorus of Megara Hiero I of Syracuse Hypenus of Elis Hysmon of Elis Iccus of Taranto Leonidas of Rhodes Leophron Milo of Croton Nero Caesar Augustus Oebotas of Dyme Onomastus of Smyrna Orsippus of Megara Peisistratos of Athens Phanas of Pellene Philinus of Cos Philip II of Macedon Philippus of Croton Phrynon of Athens Polydamas of Skotoussa Pythagoras of Laconia Pythagoras of Samos Sostratus of Pellene Theagenes of Thasos Theron of Acragas Tiberius Caesar Augustus Timasitheus of Delphi Troilus of Elis Varazdat of Armenia Xenophon of Aegium Xenophon of Corinth
Lists of winners	Ancient Olympic victors Stadion race Archaic period Classical period Hellenistic period Roman period