Throughout Greece, men ruled society; women stayed out of the way. Anyone who has studied the ancient Olympics has probably come across the fact that only men competed, and they even banned women from watching the events. How did a women come to compete, let alone win? A unique combination of political, social, technical, and familial situations created an atmosphere effecting Cynisca's rise to fame.
Cynisca was born around 440BCE, shortly after the end of the First Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. Sparta again went to war in 431, and spent twenty-seven years fighting the Second Peloponnesian War. This intense battle and political fighting lead to the social differences that made Cynisca's win possible: wars mean soldiers, and more soldiers can only come from women.
In order to maximize their chances for healthy warriors, Sparta gave its women chances many opportunities denied them in the other Greek lands. Spartan society encouraged women to stay physically active, and even to become athletic to create strong mothers. Strong, healthy women produced more, stronger children and didn't die in childbirth as often. Cynisca would have grown up in a world where she could stay active and compete, albeit not anywhere near on the level men were allowed to.
While Olympic rules banned women from actually competing in any events, the rules did allow them to complete by proxy in one event: four-horse chariot racing. By choosing riders to compete for them, women could vicariously compete and still receive the fame and glory awarded to champions. Her standing as a Spartan princess gave Cynisca the wealth to take advantage of this small loop-hole in the rules, and she pushed that advantage to the fullest.
Cynisca competed and won the race not once, but twice, in both 396 and again in 392. She received the laurel crown given to all champions, and erected a monument in her own honor, claiming,
"My fathers and brothers were Spartan kings, I won with a team of fast-footed horses, and put up this monument: I am Cynisca: I say I am the only woman in all Greece to have won this wreath."Despite the restrictions women faced in ancient Greece, Spartan women enjoyed a small bit of relative freedom. The wars gave them a reason to stay strong and active, and Cynisca managed to become champion in an event she wouldn't have even been able to watch. In more colloquial language one might add, "You go, girl!"
Source: American Chronicle, "Cynisca of Sparta", Paul Cartledge
I remember reading about this in our history book, Ways of the World. Sparta reminded me of World War I and World War II because the men were constantly at war, and, like in modern wars, the woman's role in society increased. It surprised me that Sparta's women enjoyed more freedom than Athens's women because Athens was more democratic.
ReplyDeleteTHis is awesome! I love that women had at least some what of a role throughout history!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you brought the female athlete into the forefront of the conversation. All we hear about is the men of Ancient Olympia and not the women. Enjoyed the blog.
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