Pentathlon

There is an ancient story stating that the Pentathlon was born in Limnos, the first harbour of the Argonauts who were soldiers sailing with the Argo ship with a mission to bring the Chrisomallo Deras from Kolhida. According to the legend the island was inhabitant only by women who had killed their husbands and their sons. 

 

The women from Limnos after negotiation they accommodated the Argonauts on their island praising their dead soldiers and kings. During the burial ceremony they organized athletic games to honour their dead. The Argonauts contested in running using their soldier gear and receiving prices like valuable clothing. 

There is another version saying that the Aurgonauts contesters took part in a multiple game that was created from Pileas and included five basic activities: jumping, throwing copper, running, wrestling and throwing stick. The athletes were competing one on one. The winner was the person who won 3 out of five activities. Then the winner competed other winners until the final athlete beat everyone else. The winner was the Pentathlos that was considered by the ancient Greeks the athlete with the perfect shape/body.

Pentathlon was first introduced in the Olympic games in 708 b.c

Description of Pentathlon:

At the beginning the athletes were wearing a piece of clothing around their waste and later they were competing completely naked. The game with the name “armed soldier running” concerned men wearing helmet, periknimides and holding a shield.

The Running games acquired:

  A stadium of 200 meters
  A Straight line of 400 meters
  Dolihos (dromos antoxis 7-24 stadium distance)