Purdue News

May 20, 2004

Early Olympics inspired poetic sponsorships, endorsements

Nike and Adidas were not around for the first Olympic games, so the endorsements were left to Greek poets, says a Purdue University expert in the classics.

"Prominent, wealthy families would commission poets to write poems about their teen-age sons' great victories," says Keith Dickson, professor of classics who has studied odes of the 5th century poet Pindar. "Greek culture was based on stories of heroic ancestors, so poets like Pindar were charged with creating and preserving the legacy of Greece's own modern day heroes."

The first ancient Olympic Games were held in Greece in 776 B.C. Since 1896 the modern Olympics have rotated around the globe. This year the Olympics return to Athens for the 28th summer games on Aug. 13-29.

Dickson says Pindar, the most well-known Olympic poet, was paid small fortunes to write about winning athletes. These poems were always accompanied by music and dance.

Dickson, also an expert in the history of medicine, can talk about origins of sports medicine during the ancient Olympic Games.

CONTACT: Dickson, (765) 496-3253, kdickson@purdue.edu