Mount Lykaion Hippodrome

A sketch of Mt Lyakaion Hippodrome from 1833
Type	Circus
History
Founded	Old Kingdom era

Hippodrome of Mount Lykaion is an Ancient Greek circus located on Mount Lykaion, Greece.

Built in the Augustan Period after the 7th Century BC, the Hippodrome of Mount Lykaion held Pan-Arcadian and Pan-Hellenic athletic contests and horse races every four years to honour Zeus. The circus was built on charcoal, while tiles and cobblestone served as a foundation.^[1]

According to Ancient Greek geographer Pausanias, he claimed that the Mount Lykaion games were older than the Panathenaic Games.^[2] According to two late 4th century inscriptions, the hippodrome held three boys events, nine men’s athletic events, and four equestrian events. There were also two-horse chariot races, four-foal chariot races, four-horse chariot races, and horseback races held. Races held at the hippodrome peaked around the 4th century BC. There was archeological evidence to prove the existence of a nearby proto stadium. The length of the course is approximately 170–180m long and 20m wide. Around 308–304 BC, Ptolemy I’s son, Lagos participated and won a two-horse chariot race. Activity on the hippodrome ceased sometime in the 3rd century BC, before Pausania visited.^[3] During Pausanias’ visit, there was no activity on the hippodrome in the 2nd century, showing that athletic races may have moved elsewhere. ^[3]

The Hippodrome of Mt. Lykaion was found, when Pausanias (8.35.5) mentions that there is a hippodrome while talking about the sanctuary of Pan:^[4]

There is on Mt. Lykaion a sanctuary of Pan, and around it a grove of trees, and a hippodrome and in front of it is a stadium. In the old days they used to hold here the Lykaion Games. Here there are also bases of statues, with now no statues on them. On one of the bases an elegiac inscription declares that the statue was a portrait of Astyanax, and that Astyanax was of the race of Arceas.

The hippodrome of Mount Lykaion was found to be remarkable, as it was the only Greek hippodrome that could be measured and visualized.^[5] The first excavations were made by the Archaeology Society of Athens run by K. Kontopoulos in 1897, and K. Kourouniotis in 1902. Four row of well-cut line blocks (measured 38m) made for seating was found in the site, where the hippodrome was presumed to be.^[6][7] He also found circular bases, presumed where the turning posts may have been. In 1909, excavations were made below the summit of the hippodrome.^[4] In 1992, an architectural and topographic survey by the Mount Lykaion was conducted, and determined the length of the hippodrome to be approximately 250 meters long and 50 meters wide. Six starting blocks for the stadium beside the hippodrome was also discovered.^[5]

Between 2006 to 2010, and in 2015, excavations such as trenches were dug in the approximate location of the hippodrome. Trench "S" found nothing remarkable, but further excavations showed that the floors of the hippodrome was hard clay. Trench "R", located on the southern end found a foundation composed of cobblestone and tiles.^[3][4]

Since 1973 on every summer, the modern Mount Lykaion games were held every four years as a nine-day regional and cultural festival.^[7] The held venues does cost any registration fees. Part of the hippodrome has been converted into a gravel car park, and also into a 200m long running track. At dawn, nine modern priestesses would carry a flame from the Temenos of Zeus to the hippodrome. Runners from first place to third place would win a bronze tripod and crowns of leaf.^[8]