Studying the competitive impulse is the key to understanding life in ancient Athens. The insistence on daily exercise at the gymnasium shaped the city s youth into a model of the free man who is able to think, fight against the barbarians, and who distinguishes himself in the stadium. The Great Panathenaia and a number of other festivals that included games provided plenty of opportunities for athletes to compete. In ancient Greece even theatrical perfomances were a well-organized competitive event. The culminating achievement of an Athenian athlete was to be crowned champion at the Olympic Games. [...]