Sport & Society in Ancient Greece

 Sport and Society in Ancient Greece provides a concise and readable introduction to ancient Greek sport. It covers such topics as the links between sport, religion and warfare, the origins and history of the Olympic games, and the spirit of competition among the Greeks. Its main focus, however, is on Greek sport as an arena for the creation and expression of difference among individuals and groups. Sport not only identified winners and losers. It also drew boundaries between groups (Greeks and barbarians, boys and men, males and females) and offered a field for debate on the relative worth of athletic and equestrian competition. The book includes guides to the ancient evidence and to modern scholarship on the subject.

Review: 'This book reveals a thorough and refreshing respect for both the topic and the reader. Golden clearly understands and enjoys his subject, and he wants the reader to understand and enjoy it as well ... It must then be regarded as a highly successful addition to that series [Key Themes in Ancient History].' Tim Devlin, Prudentia

"...valuable perspectives into the world of ancient Greek athletics..." Jonathan Fenno, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"Golden provides a useful, stimulating overview for people with some knowledge of antiquity. The book makes enjoyable reading..." Nigel M. Kennell, Letters in Canada

"This series aims "to provide readable, informed and originial studies of various basic topics, designed in the first instance for students and teachers of Classics and Ancient History, but also for those engaged in related disciplines." Golden's effort succeeds in all of these stated goals and is a welcome complement to the recent work done in the area of ancient athletics." Canadian Journal of History

"It is a successful blending of selective topics...The work is meant for the general reader with Greek sources translated...It will also be of great value to the specialist in the field." The Historian

"...an excellent book....this book is a work of painstaking scholarship and a substantial contribution to the field. It belongs in every scholarly library." Religious Studies Review

"In this slender, though-provoking book on Greek sport, he shows himself to be well versed in recent scholarship, which is liberally acknowledged in the text..." Historian

"Mark Golden's book seeks to be an introduction to the study of Greek sport and a contribution to understanding the significance of sport in ancient Greek society. All students of sport can profit from Golden's insights." American Historical Review