«COMPETITIVI CON I PIÙ NOTI AGONI GRECI» I SEBASTA AGLI OCCHI DI STRABONE

Abstract

In his account on Neapolis (V 4, 7), Strabo draws attention on the musical and athletic contest that, ‘at the present time’ (νυνί), lasted several days and is defined by three adjectives: penteteric (πεντετηρικός), sacred (ἱερός), and vying (ἐνάμιλλος) with the most famous of the contests celebrated in Greece. This paper aims at analysing the meaning of the aforesaid three adjectives, in order to ascertain both what kind of contest Strabo is actually referring to and how he understood it within Augustan Neapolis.

Key-words : Strabo, Neapolis, games, penteteric, sacred