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The prestige of ancient Olympic and other athletes, like that of sports stars today, permeated all levels of society in the Greek world. Yet, for all their celebration in mythology, art and literature, athletic champions could also be considered transgressive and dangerous figures of excess in ancient Greek culture. This free public talk focuses on myths and historical anecdotes about athlete-heroes such as Heracles, the famous wrestler Milo (yes, namesake of that ‘sports’ drink!), cheating charioteers, and others whose misdeeds are scarcely separable from their athletic achievements. Then, as now, athletic fame and infamy could go hand-in-hand, reflecting the aspirations, phobias and taboos of what may be considered the world’s first celebrity culture.

About the speaker:��

Patrick O'Sullivan is a graduate of Melbourne and Cambridge Universities and is Associate Professor of Classics at UC. He has won awards for his research, and has twice been voted Top Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts at UC. He has published widely on Greek epic and lyric poetry, theatre, aesthetics and literary criticism, athletics, and Greek art, inter al. He was involved as translator and actor in a full production of Euripides' Cyclops, produced in Christchurch, which was linked to his (co-authored) book on Greek satyric drama, and has a contract with Routledge/Taylor & Francis for a forthcoming book, provisionally entitled, The Rhetoric of Greek Art.

Doors open 6.30pm. Entry is free, but seats are limited so registration is essential.

This event is proudly presented as part of the Christchurch Heritage Festival 2024. See the programme .��