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Isthmian Games or Isthmia (Ancient Greek: Ἴσθμια) were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the isthmus of Corinth, where they were held. As with the Nemean Games, the Isthmian Games were held both the year before and the year after the Olympic Games (the second and fourth years of an Olympiad), while the Pythian Games were held in the third year of the Olympiad cycle. == Origin == The Games were reputed to have originated as funeral games for Melicertes (also known as Palaemon), instituted by Sisyphus, legendary founder and king of Corinth, who discovered the dead body and buried it subsequently on the Isthmus.〔Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' (3.4.3 ); Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' (2.1.3 ), (1.44.8 ). It is likely that Pindar already described this version of the origin of the games (in a fragment of the Isthian odes). For more information, see E.R. Gebhard & M.W. Dickie, ''(Melikertes-Palaimon, Hero of the Isthmian Games )''.〕〔“… the Isthmia lament Melicertes …” (… Μελικέρτην ὀδύρεται τὰ Ἴσθμια …: Eusebius, ''Preparation for the Gospel'' (2.6 ) (= Clemens, ''Protrepticus'' 2.34.1).〕 In Roman times, Melicertes was worshipped in the region.〔Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' (2.1.3 ), (2.2.1 ).〕 Theseus, legendary king of Athens, expanded Melicertes' funeral games from a closed nightly rite into fully-fledged athletic-games event which was dedicated to Poseidon, open to all Greeks, and was at a suitable level of advancement and popularity to rival those in Olympia, which were founded by Heracles.〔Plutarch, ''Life of Theseus'' (25.4–5 ).〕 Theseus arranged with the Corinthians for any Athenian visitors to the Isthmian games to be granted the privilege of front seats (''prohedria'', Ancient Greek προεδρία).〔Plutarch, ''Life of Theseus'' (25.4–5 ).〕 Another version states that Kypselos, tyrant of Corinth in the 7th century BC, returned to the Games their old splendour.〔()〕〔Solinus, ''Wonders of the World'' (7.14 ).〕 If we are to accept the traditional date of the first Olympic Games (776 BC), we can say that the first Isthmian Games would have been held in 582 BC.〔According to Solinus, the Isthmian Games were constituted in the 49th Olympiad (Solinus, ''Wonders of the World'' (7.14 )). The 49th Olympiad began in 584 BC. The Olympic Games took place in (July/August ); the Isthmian Games in April/May of the second year of the Olympiad. The second year of the 49th Olympiad was from July/August 583 to July/August 582 BC. The date 582 BC is accepted by historically-derived documents, for instance, ''Der neue Pauly'' (under ''Isthmia'').〕 At least until the 5th century BC (Pindar's time) the winners of the Isthmian games received a wreath of celery;〔Ancient Greek σέλινον: Pindar, Isthmian Odes (2.16 ), (8.64 ).〕 later, the wreath was altered such that it consisted of pine leaves.〔“At the Isthmus the pine, and at Nemea celery became the prize to commemorate the sufferings of Palaemon and Archemorus.” (Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' (8.48.2 )).〕〔“As he was marching up an ascent, from the top of which they expected to have a view of the army and of the strength of the enemy, there met him by chance a train of mules loaded with parsley; which his soldiers conceived to be an ominous occurrence or ill-boding token, because this is the herb with which we not infrequently adorn the sepulchres of the dead; and there is a proverb derived from the custom, used of one who is dangerously sick, that he has need of nothing but parsley. So to ease their minds, and free them from any superstitious thoughts or forebodings of evil, Timoleon halted, and concluded an address suitable to the occasion, by saying, that a garland of triumph was here luckily brought them, and had fallen into their hands of its own accord, as an anticipation of victory: the same with which the Corinthians crown the victors in the Isthmian games, accounting chaplets of parsley the sacred wreath proper to their country; parsley being at that time still the emblem of victory at the Isthmian, as it is now at the Nemean sports; and it is not so very long ago that the pine first began to be used in its place.” “” (Plutarch, ''(Life of Timoleon )'').〕〔Todo: Oscar Broneer, ‘The Isthmian victory crown’, ''American Journal of Archaeology'' 66 (1962), pp.259–263.〕 Victors could also be honored with a statue〔Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' (2.1.7 ). None of the statues have survived.〕 or an ode. Besides these prizes of honor, the city of Athens awarded victorious Athenians with an extra 100 drachmas.〔From Solon (638–558 BC) onwards, for he laid it down that “the victor in the Isthmian games was to be paid a hundred drachmas, and the Olympic victor five hundred” (Plutarch, ''Live of Solon'' (23.3 )). According to Diogenes Laertius, Solon “''diminished'' the honours paid to Athletes who were victorious in the games, fixing the prize for a victor at Olympia at five hundred drachmae, and for one who conquered at the Isthmian games at one hundred” (Diogenes Laertius, ''Lives of Philosophers'' 1.55: ''(Solon )''; (Greek )). For comparison: the daily wage for a skilled worked was approximately 1 drachma. Victors in the Isthmian games were not included in those athletes that were entitled to free meals in the () ((IG I3 131 )).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Isthmian Games」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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