Sports in Ancient Greece

Winner of the 2008 Book Award of the North American Society for Sport History

"A masterful compendium of our current state of knowledge in the ever-expanding field of ancient sport, covering a wide range of historical periods and civilizations. As such, Sport and Spectacle will become an indispensable work of reference for students in courses on ancient sport and researchers who are not very familiar with the field. At the same time, Kyle is cognizant of the latest scholarship and engages with it closely, often in an insightful and original manner. As a result, Sport and Spectacle is also an invaluable scholarly contribution ... In short, this is a book written with knowledge, enthusiasm and wit. It will be enjoyed and employed for decades to come."
International Journal of the History of Sport

"A pioneer in the resurgence of research on Greek sport %u2026 No-one is better qualified to write an English-language synthesis on sport and spectacle in the ancient world. This book does not disappoint %u2026 Whatever place and time Kyle examines, fresh and persuasive insights abound."
Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"Here one will find not only impressive breadth of coverage (from 2000 BC Mesopotamia to the banning of gladiatorial combats in AD 404), but also detailed analysis based upon a solid theoretical platform of ancient sport studies."
Greece and Rome

"There are many plums in this rich and well-illustrated pudding of a book. . . Do not hesitate to put in your thumb." Paul Cartledge, Times Higher Education Supplement

"Donald Kyle has given us both a broad overview and a richly detailed examination of ancient sport. It is a mature work, the result of a lifetime of research into the subject, and an extremely important addition to it. This book brings us the current status of our knowledge and will have lasting importance."
Stephen G. Miller, University of California, Berkeley

What was it like to live in ancient Greece? What gods and goddesses did Greeks believe in? How did the Olympics start? What was the winner's prize? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this Magic Tree House Research Guide. Includes fun facts from Jack and Annie, fantastic photos and illustrations, and a guide to doing further research!

From the Inside Flap
What was it like to live in ancient Greece? What gods and goddesses did Greeks believe in? How did the Olympics start? What was the winner?s prize? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this Magic Tree House Research Guide. Includes fun facts from Jack and Annie, fantastic photos and illustrations, and a guide to doing further research!

"Straightforward and insightful, a refreshingly commonsense approach to the truths hidden within both history and mythology. This is an in-depth piece of research revealing a timeless wisdom and the universality of personal experience. A must-read for all those interested in the roots of our martial and spiritual traditions."
(William Gleason, 6th dan, director of Shobu Aikido in Boston, and author of The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido )

" . . . [The authors'] purpose for this volume . . . is an exploration of ancient combat systems for the sake of helping solve modern global problems. . . . an extremely enlightening book" (
Daniele Bolelli, M.A., Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 17, No. 2 )

"Any in-depth collection strong in martial arts history needs The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece: a survey of early hand-to-hand combat and a comparison to how they are practiced today." (
The Bookwatch, The Midwest Book Review, Jan 08 )

"Only a couple of decades ago, if one spoke about martial arts, it went without saying that they were referring to Asian combat systems. . . . While it is true that most martial systems in existence today are of Eastern origins, increasingly more information is emerging about the martial traditions of the west. . . . an extremely enlightening book. (
Daniele Bolelli, M.A., Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2008 )

"[Dervenis and Lykiardopoulos] do a creditable job of linking the Olympic sport that many warriors know and love now with the hand-to-hand combat training and applications depicted by works of ancient Greek art." (
Tim Thompson, Journal of Martial Arts and Healing, Summer 2008 )

"Using archeological finds, architectural friezes and decorative motifs of ancient Greece, the authors have demonstrated the actual methods of grappling and close combat they demonstrate and how they are practiced today. Photos illustrate each step as well as the history and theory being presented." (
Institute of Hermetic Studies, May 2008 )

"The conclusions reached by the authors about the evolution and similarities of ancient combat are balanced and well sourced."
(Michael Rosenbaum, author of Kata and the Transmission of Knowledge in the Traditional Martial Arts, Oct 2009 )