[69] From the time of the first Olympiad, in which Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race, Greek chronology appears to have been accurately [g277] recorded. Before that time, however, the dates are provided according to the views of each writer.
It is necessary to discuss briefly [the origins of] the Olympics. There are some who place its beginning in remote antiquity, before the time of Heracles. [This group attributes the founding of the Olympics] to one of the Idaean Dactyls. Subsequently Aethlius [used the concept] as a means of challenging his sons. And it was from his name that the adversaries are called athletes. After [Aethlius] his sons Epeius and then Endymion, Alexinus and Oenomaus were each in charge of the sacrifices [connected with the] festival. Next Pelops [conducted an athletic competition] in honor of [g278] his father, Zeus (Aramazd). And then Heracles, son of Alcmene and Zeus (Aramazd) [held an athlethic competition].
Now it was 10 generations--though some say only 3--from the time of Heracles to the time of Iphitus. [Iphitus] was from Elis and was the steward for the entire Peloponnesus. He wanted to reduce the fighting among the cities. To this end he had sent men throughout the Peloponnesus to observe [conditions and] to learn how to lessen the military irritants. Then the gods gave the following commands to the Peloponnesians:
Enter the temples and make sacrifice,This additional prophesy was given to the Eleians [g279]:
And obey what the soothsayers command.
Eleians, hold firm to the laws of your forefathers
And preserve your land,
And put an end to warfare.
Stay in complete friendship with the [other] Greeks
Until the arrival of a joyous celebration.
As a consequence of this, Iphitus ordered that they stop fighting, and that each [party ]begin to experience peace under confederation. He implemented Heracles' command that they not attack one another. And he initiated the [Olympic] games with Lycurgus the Lacedaemonian, who like himself was a descendant of Heracles [g280]. At this time the stadion race was the sole competition; however, subsequently, one by one, other contests were added [to the games].
Aristodemus of Elis relates that in the 27th Olympiad after Iphitus the names of the winners in the athletic contests began to be recorded. Before then the athletes' names were not recorded. In the twenty[-eighth] Olympiad, Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race, and he was the first [winner] to be recorded. Thus were the Olympiads initiated, by which the Greeks reckon their chronology. Polybius supports Aristodemus' information; but Callimachus says that thirteen Olympiads passed after Iphitus without victors being recorded, and that Coroebus was the victor in the 14th Olympiad. Many [g281] writers state that 459 years elapsed between the institution of the games by Heracles the son of Alcmene and what is [commonly] regarded as the first Olympiad. The Eleians hold the games every fifth year, with a four year interval separating them.
1st [776 B.C.] Coroebus of Elis was the victor in the stadion race [g282]. The stadion race was the sole contest until the thirteen Olympiad.
2nd [772 B.C.] Antimachus of Elis, stadion race. Romulus and Remus [the legendary founders of Rome] were born.
3rd [768 B.C.] Androclus of Messenia, stadion race.
4th [764 B.C.] Polychares of Messenia, stadion race.
5th [760 B.C.] Aeschines of Elis, stadion race.
6th [756 B.C.] Oebotas of Dyme, stadion race.
7th [752 B.C.] Diocles of Messenia, stadion race. Romulus built Rome.
8th [748 B.C.] Anticles of Messenia, stadion race.
9th [744 B.C.] Xenocles of Messenia, stadion race.
10th [740 B.C.] Dotades of Messenia, stadion race.
11th [736 B.C.] Leochares of Messenia, stadion race.
12th [732 B.C.] Oxythemis of Coroneia, stadion race.
13th [728 B.C.] Diocles of Corinth, stadion race.
14th [724 B.C.] Desmon of Corinth, stadion race [g283]. A double race was added, which was won by Hypenus of Elis.
[71] 15th [720 B.C.] Orsippus of Megara, stadion race. A long race was added, and the runners were naked; the winner was Acanthus of Laconia.
16th [716 B.C.] Pythagoras of Laconia, stadion race.
17th [712 B.C.] Polus of Epidaurus, stadion race.
18th [708 B.C.] Tellis of Sicyon, stadion race. A wrestling contest was added, and the winner was Eurybatus of Laconia. A pentathlon contest was also added, and the winner was Lampis of Laconia.
19th [704 B.C.] Menus of Megara, stadion race.
20th [700 B.C.] Atheradas of Laconia, stadion race.
21st [696 B.C.] Pantacles of Athens, stadion race.
22nd [692 B.C.] Pantacles for a second time.
23rd [688 B.C.] Icarius of Hyperesia, stadion race [g284]. A boxing contest was added, and the winner was Onomastus of Smyrna. It was Onomastus who established the rules of boxing.
24th [684 B.C.] Cleoptolemus of Laconia, stadion race.
25th [680 B.C.] Thalpis of Laconia, stadion race. A race was added for chariots drawn by four horses, and the winner was Pagon of Thebes.
26th [676 B.C.] Callisthenes of Laconia, stadion race. Philombrotus of Laconia won the pentathlon at three Olympic games. The Carneia, a contest for citharodes, was held for the first time.
27th [672 B.C.] Eurybus of Athens, stadion race.
28th [668 B.C.] Charmis of Laconia, stadion race. Charmis trained on a diet of dried figs. These games were held [g285] by the inhabitants of Pisa, because Elis was preoccupied by a war in the west.
29th [664 B.C.] Chionis of Laconia, stadion race. Chionis could leap a distance of 22 feet.
30th [660 B.C.] Chionis for a second time. The inhabitants of Pisa rebelled from Elis, and [so the Pisans] supervised these and the following 22 games.
[72] 31st [656 B.C.] Chionis of Laconia for a third time, stadion race. [g286]
32nd [652 B.C.] Cratinus of Megara, stadion race. At these games, Comaeus was the third of his brothers to win the boxing contest.
33rd [648 B.C.] Gygis of Laconia, stadion race. At these games, a pancratium contest was added, and the winner was the enormous Lygdamis of Syracuse. He was able to measure out the stadion with his feet, in only six hundred paces. A horse race was added, and the winner was Craxilas of Thessaly.
34th [644 B.C.] Stomas of Athens, stadion race.
35th [640 B.C.] Sphaerus of Laconia, stadion race. The double race was won by Cylon of [g287] Athens, who later attempted to set himself up as tyrant.
36th [636 B.C.] Phrynon of Athens, stadion race. On the island of Coo, Phrynon was killed in single combat.
37th [632 B.C.] Eurycleidas of Laconia, stadion race. A stadion race for boys was added, and the winner was Polynices of Elis. A wrestling contest for boys was added, and the winner was Hipposthenes of Laconia, who won the men's wrestling contest five times in a row, starting from the next-but-one Olympic games.
38th [628 B.C.] Olyntheus of Laconia, stadion race. A pancratium contest for boys was added, but only on this one occasion. The winner was Deutelidas of Laconia.
39th [624 B.C.] Rhipsolaus of Laconia, stadion race [g288].
40th [620 B.C.] Olyntheus of Laconia for a second time, stadion race.
41st [616 B.C.] Cleondas of Thebes, stadion race. A boxing contest for boys was added, and the winner was Philotas of Sybaris.
42nd [612 B.C.] Lycotas of Laconia, stadion race.
43rd [608 B.C.] Cleon of Epidaurus, stadion race.
44th [604 B.C.] Gelon of Laconia, stadion race.
45th [600 B.C.] Anticrates of Epidaurus, stadion race.
46th [596 B.C.] Chrysamaxus of Laconia, stadion race. The boys' stadion race was won by Polymnestor of Miletus, who chased and caught a rabit while he was shepherding.
[73] 47th [592 B.C.] Eurycles of Laconia, stadion race.
48th [588 B.C.] Glycon of Croton, stadion race [g289]. Pythagoras of Samos was excluded from the boys' boxing contest and was mocked for being effeminate, but he went on to the men's contest and defeated all his opponents.
49th [584 B.C.] Lycinus of Croton, stadion race.
50th [580 B.C.] Epitelidas of Laconia, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] the seven wise men were named.
51st [576 B.C.] Eratosthenes of Croton, stadion race.
52nd [572 B.C.] Agis of Elis, stadion race.
53rd [568 B.C.] Hagnon of Peparethus, stadion race.
54th [564 B.C.] Hippostratus of Croton, stadion race. Arichion of Phigaleia died after winning the pancratium contest for the third time. Though dead he was crowned as victor, because his opponent had already conceded defeat, after his leg was broken by Arichion.
55th [560 B.C.] Hippostratus for a second time. [During this Olympiad] Cyrus was king of the Persians [g290].
56th [556 B.C.] Phaedrus of Pharsalus, stadion race.
57th [552 B.C.] Ladromus of Laconia, stadion race.
58th [548 B.C.] Diognetus of Croton, stadion race.
59th [544 B.C.] Archilochus of Corcyra, stadion race.
60th [540 B.C.] Apellaeus of Elis, stadion race.
62nd [532 B.C.] - Eryxias of Chalcis, stadion race. Milon of Croton won the wrestling contest. He won six times at the Olympic games, six times at the Pythian games, ten times at the Isthmian games, and nine times at the Nemean games.
63rd [528 B.C.] - Parmenides of Camarina, stadion race.
64th [524 B.C.] - Menander of Thessaly, stadion race.
[74] 65th [520 B.C.] - Anochas of Tarentum, stadion race. A race as hoplites (wearing armour) was added, and the winner was Damaretus of Heraea [g291].
66th [516 B.C.] - Ischyrus of Himera, stadion race.
67th [512 B.C.] - Phanas of Pellene, stadion race. Phanas was the first to win all three races, the stadion race, the double race and the race wearing armour.
68th [508 B.C.] - Isomachus of Croton, stadion race.
69th [504 B.C.] - Isomachus for a second time.
70th [500 B.C.] - Nicasias of Opus, stadion race.
79th [464 B.C.] - Xenophon of Corinth, stadion race.
80th [460 B.C.] - Torymmas of Thessaly, stadion race. The wrestling contest was won by Amesinas of Barce, who trained by wrestling with a bull while he was tending cattle. He even brought the bull to Pisa for his training.
86th [436 B.C.] - Theopompus of Thessaly, stadion race.
87th [432 B.C.] - Sophron of Ambracia, stadion race. After this [Olympiad], the Peloponnesian war began.
88th [428 B.C.] - Symmachus of Messenia, stadion race [g293].
89th [424 B.C.] - Symmachus for a second time.
90th [420 B.C.] - Hyperbius of Syracuse, stadion race.
93rd [408 B.C.] - Eubatus of Cyrene, stadion race. The pancratium contest was won by the enormous Polydamas of Scotussa, who killed lions and fought without weapons against armed men, when he was with Ochus among the Persians. He was able to bring chariots charging at full speed to a halt. A race was added for chariots drawn by a pair of horses (Synoris), and the winner was Euagoras of Elis.
94th [404 B.C.] - Crocinas of Larissa, stadion race.
95th [400 B.C.] - Minon of Athens, stadion race.
96th [396 B.C.] - Eupolemus of Elis, stadion race. A contest for trumpeters was added, and the winner was Timaeus of Elis [g294]. A contest for heralds was added, and the winner was Crates of Elis.
97th [392 B.C.] - Terinaeus [...], stadion race.
98th [388 B.C.] - Sosippus of Delphi, stadion race. The wrestling contest was won by Aristodemus of Elis, whom no one could grasp round the middle.
99th [384 B.C.] - Dicon of Syracuse, stadion race. A race was added for chariots drawn by four colts, and the winner was Eurybatus of Laconia.
100th [380 B.C.] - Dionysodorus of Tarentum, stadion race.
112th [332 B.C.] - Eurylas of Chalcis, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Alexander captured Babylon, and killed Darius.
[76] 113th [328 B.C.] - Cliton of Macedonia, stadion race [g296]. Ageus of Argos, won the long race. He returned to Argos and announced his own victory on the same day.
114th [324 B.C.] - Micinas of Rhodes, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Alexander died, and his empire was split into many parts; Ptolemy became king of Egypt and Alexandria.
115th [320 B.C.] - Damasias of Amphipolis, stadion race.
116th [316 B.C.] - Demosthenes of Laconia, stadion race.
117th [312 B.C.] - Parmenides of Mytilene, stadion race.
118th [308 B.C.] - Andromenes of Corinth, stadion race. Antenor of Athens or Miletus, undisputed winner of the pancratium, was crowned in all the major competitions, [g297] and was undefeated in each of three age groups.
119th [304 B.C.] - Andromenes of Corinth, stadion race.
120th [300 B.C.] - Pythagoras of Magnesia-on-Maeander, stadion race. Ceras of Argos, [victor in] wrestling, tore the hooves off an ox.
129th [264 B.C.] - Philinus of Cos, stadion race [g298]. A new race for two-colt chariots was added, and the first winner was Philistiachus [son] of Macedonia.
130th [260 B.C.] - Philinus for a second time.
132nd [252 B.C.] - Xenophanes of Amphissa in Aetolia, stadion race.
[77] 133rd [248 B.C.] - Simylus of Neapolis, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] the Parthians revolted against the Macedonians. Arsaces was their first king, whence the [dynastic] name Arsacid.
134th [244 B.C.] - Alcides of Laconia, stadion race.
135th [240 B.C.] - Eraton of Aetolia, stadion race. Cleoxenus of Alexandria, winner in boxing, won without injury at all the major games.
136th [236 B.C.] - Pythocles of Sicyon, stadion race.
137th [232 B.C.] - Menestheus of [? son of] Barcyla, stadion race [g299].
138th [228 B.C.] - Demetrius of Alexandria, stadion race.
139th [224 B.C.] - Iolaidas of Argos, stadion race.
140th [220 B.C.] - Zopyrus of Syracuse, stadion race.
142nd [212 B.C.] - Crates of Alexandria, stadion race. Caprus of Elis won both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions, like Heracles. Thus he was recorded as "second after Heracles".
143rd [208 B.C.] - Heracleitus of Samos, stadion race.
144th [204 B.C.] - Heracleides of Salamis in Cyprus, stadion race.
145th [200 B.C.] - Pyrrhias of Aetolia, stadion race. Moschus of Colophon, [victor in] boys' boxing, was the only boy to have won the boxing competition at all the major games. A boys' pancratium competition was added, and the first winner was Phaedimus of Alexandria [g300].
146th [196 B.C.] - Micion of Boeotia, stadion race.
147th [192 B.C.] - Agemachus of Cyzicus, stadion race. Cleitostratus of Rhodes, [victor in] wrestling, defeated his opponents by grasping their necks.
148th [188 B.C.] - Arcesilaus of Megalopolis, stadion race.
149th [184 B.C.] - Hippostratus of Seleucia in Pieria, stadion race.
150th [180 B.C.] - Onesicritus of Salamis, stadion race.
156th [156 B.C.] - Leonidas for a third time. Aristomenes of Rhodes [g301] was the third after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions.
157th [152 B.C.] - Leonidas, victor in the stadion race for a fourth time, was the first and only man to win 12 Olympic crowns over four Olympiads.
158th [148 B.C.] - Othon of Syracuse, stadion race.
159th [144 B.C.] - Alcimus of Cyzicus, stadion race.
160th [140 B.C.] - Agnodorus of Cyzicus, stadion race.
172nd [92 B.C.] - Eudamus of Cos, stadion race. Protophanes of Magnesia-on-Maeander was the fourth after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions.
173rd [88 B.C.] - Parmeniscus of Corcyra again, stadion race.
174th [84 B.C.] - Demostratus of Larissa, stadion race.
175th [80 B.C.] - Epaenetus of Argos, boys' stadion race. There was no stadion race for men this year, because Sulla had summoned all the athletes to Rome.
176th [76 B.C.] - Dion of Cyparissus, stadion race.
177th [72 B.C.] - Hecatomnos of Elis, stadion race [g303].
178th [68 B.C.] - Diocles [? son of] Hypopenus, stadion race. Stratonicus of Alexandria, son of Corragus, was the fifth after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions. At the Nemean games, he won four crowns on the same day in the boys' and youths' competitions, competing naked. He attended without a horse. He won through the favour of his friends or the kings, and therefore he was considered disqualified.
[79] 179th [64 B.C.] - Andreas of Lacedaemon, stadion race.
180th [60 B.C.] - Andromachus of Ambracia, stadion race.
182nd [52 B.C.] - Anthestion of Argos, stadion race. [g304] Marion of Alexandria, son of Marion, was the sixth after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions.
183rd [48 B.C.] - Theodorus of Messene, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Julius Caesar was emperor of the Romans.
184th [44 B.C.] - Theodorus for a second time. [During this Olympiad] Augustus became emperor of the Romans.
185th [40 B.C.] - Ariston of Thurii, stadion race.
186th [36 B.C.] - Scamander of Alexandria Troas, stadion race.
187th [32 B.C.] - Ariston of Thurii again, stadion race.
188th [28 B.C.] - Sopater of Argos, stadion race.
189th [24 B.C.] - Asclepiades of Sidon, stadion race.
190th [20 B.C.] - Auphidius of Patrae, stadion race [g305].
198th [13 A.D.] - Diophanes of Prusa [near] Mt. Olympus, stadion race. Aristeas of Stratoniceia or Maeander was the seventh after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions. [During this Olympiad] Tiberius became emperor of the Romans.
[80] 199th [17 A.D.] - Aeschines Glaucias of Miletus, stadion race. The four-horse race was reinstated, and the winner was Tiberius Caesar.
200th [21 A.D.] - Polemon of Petra, stadion race.
204th [37 A.D.] - Sarapion of Alexandria, stadion race. Neicostratus of Aegae was the eighth and last after Heracles to win both the wrestling and the pancratium competitions. Only eight men between Heracles and our times have achieved this, because after these games the inhabitants of Elis would not award the crown even to those who were capable of it. [During this Olympiad] Gaius became emperor of the Romans.
205th [41 A.D.] - Eubulidas of Laodiceia, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Claudius became emperor of the Romans.
206th [45 A.D.] - Valerius of Mytilene, stadion race [g307].
207th [49 A.D.] - Athenodorus of Aegium, stadion race.
208th [53 A.D.] - Athenodorus for a second time. [During this Olympiad] Nero became emperor of the Romans.
209th [57 A.D.] - Callicles of Sidon, stadion race.
210th [61 A.D.] - Athenodorus of Aegium, stadion race.
211th [65 A.D.] - These games were not held [at the usual time] because Nero postponed them until his visit to Greece. They were held two years later, and Tryphon of Philadelphia won the stadion race. Nero was awarded the crown in the contests for heralds, performers of tragedy and citharodes; and also in the races for chariots drawn by colts, mature horses and ten colts.
212th [69 A.D.] - Polites of Ceramus, stadion race [g308]. [During this Olympiad] Vespasianus became emperor of the Romans.
213th [73 A.D.] - Rhodon of Cyme, or Theodotus, stadion race.
214th [77 A.D.] - Straton of Alexandria, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Titus became emperor of the Romans.
[81] 215th [81 A.D.] - Hermogenes of Xanthus, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Domitian became emperor of the Romans.
216th [85 A.D.] - Apollophanes Papis of Tarsus, stadion race.
217th [89 A.D.] - Hermogenes of Xanthus for a second time, stadion race.
218th [93 A.D.] - Apollonius of Alexandria, or Heliodorus, stadion race.
219th [97 A.D.] - Stephanus of Cappadocia, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Nerva became emperor of the Romans, followed by Trajan [g309].
220th [101 A.D.] - Achilleus of Alexandria, stadion race.
222nd [109 A.D.] - Callistus of Side, stadion race. Horse races were reintroduced.
223rd [113 A.D.] - Eustolus of Side, stadion race.
224th [117 A.D.] - Isarion of Alexandria, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Hadrian became emperor of the Romans.
225th [121 A.D.] - Aristeas of Miletus, stadion race.
226th [125 A.D.] - Dionysius Sameumys of Alexandria, stadion race.
227th [129 A.D.] - Dionysius for a second time
228th [133 A.D.] - Lucas of Alexandria, stadion race.
229th [137 A.D.] - Epidaurus Ammonius of Alexandria, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Antoninus Pius became emperor of the Romans.
230th [141 A.D.] - Didymus Clydeus of Alexandria, stadion race [g310].
232nd [149 A.D.] - Atticus of Sardis, stadion race. [Socrates] entered both the wrestling and the citharode competitions, but was rejected by the inhabitants of Elis, in favour of Dionysius of Seleuceia.
233rd [153 A.D.] - Demetrius of Chios, stadion race.
234th [157 A.D.] - Eras of Chios, stadion race.
[82] 235th [161 A.D.] - Mnasibulus of Elateia, stadion race. [During this Olympiad Marcus] Antoninus [Pius] and [Lucius] Verus became emperors of the Romans.
236th [165 A.D.] - Aeithales of Alexandria, stadion race.
237th [169 A.D.] - Eudaemon of Alexandria, stadion race.
238th [173 A.D.] - Agathopus of Aegina, stadion race.
239th [177 A.D.] - Agathopus for a second time [g311]. [During this Olympiad] Commodus became emperor of the Romans.
240th [181 A.D.] - Anubion Pheidus of Alexandria, stadion race.
243rd [193 A.D.] - Isidorus [Artemidorus] of Alexandria, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Pertinax, and then Severus, became emperors of the Romans.
244th [197 A.D.] - Isidorus for a second time
245th [201 A.D.] - Alexander of Alexandria, stadion race.
246th [205 A.D.] - Epinicus, called Cynas, of Cyzicus, stadion race.
247th [209 A.D.] - Satornilus of Gortyn in Crete, stadion race. [During this Olympiad] Antoninus, called Caracalla, became emperor of the Romans [g312].
248th [213 A.D.] - Heliodorus Trosidamas of Alexandria, stadion race.
249th [217 A.D.] - Heliodorus for a second time
The record the Olympiads which we have found goes [only] this far.
Now it will be appropriate to add lists of the kings of the Corinthians, kings of the Spartans [g313], rulers of the sea and the early kings of the Macedonians. I will list their names and dates, taking them from the Historical Library of Diodorus, who gives the most accurate account of them.
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