Sports and athleticism was a cornerstone of life in the ancient Mediterranean. Hunting, dancing, gymnastics, and charioteering were favorite sports of the elite in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Greeks and Romans were especially fond of organized athletic activities, which they considered to be one of the hallmarks of civilization.
The 26 images in this gallery showcase the depiction of exercise and sporting in the art of the ancient Mediterreanean.
Detail of the "Bikini Mosaic" in the Villa Romana del Casale in Pompeii (Italy), depicting Roman girls exercising. Disc throwing and weight training were popular exercises in Greece and the Roman Empire. 4th century CE.
Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished.
Original image by Yann Forget. Uploaded by Jan van der Crabben, published on 30 January 2020. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Public Domain. This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
