RE: Funeral Games (customs)

[ruthaki]

I'm looking for more info about the events held at funeral games, length of time they were held etc.
I know I had some printouts but can't find them and the google search so far shows me mainly Renault's book by that name. Anyone know of any websites where I can get this info?
I've also been checking details of chariot racing. Have quite a bit but if any of you have any special anecdotes or info to add I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[marcus]

I have to admit, Ruth, that I don't know the answer to that one. However, I suspect that the length of time the games went on for depended on the status of the person for whom the games were held - remember how gladiatorial combat in Rome started as funeral games only, and obviously the more a man wished to honour his dead father, the more pairs of gladiators he would hire... and the number of gladiators determined how long the games lasted. So I suspect it was the same in Greece.Have a look at the descriptions of the funeral games in the Iliad (for Patroclus and Hector), and see what Arriang says about various festivals of games that Alexander particularly held - there might be some good pointers in there. Other than that, you might want to check out something like the Oxford Classical Dictionary, which is bound to have a really good article on the subject.All the bestMarcus

[ruthaki]

Thanks Marcus, I did just that. Actually it was exciting getting back into The Iliad and I should do it more often. I got a lot of details of the Games which I can use. This isn't a long segment I'm writing, just a bit of life in those times, but I wanted it to be right. I got lots of stuff about chariot racing and other sports off the internet. And as I've personally visited Olympia as well as various hippodrome and stadium sites, it was quite fascinating to relive those times.

[davej]

Hi Ruth,It may not be completely relivent but you probably should check out Robert Garland's book. The Greek way of death. Many of the customers are similiar if not the same. The book centres around Athens to a large degree but should be helpful.

[amyntoros]

Hello Ruth:I just found the following tidbit from Athenaeus, quite by coincidence. You can find it in Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, Book IV. 155 a. (Harvard University Press, first printed 1928, reprinted 1957 - translation by Charles Burton Gulick, Ph.D.)"And Diyllus of Athens, in the ninth book of his Histories, says that when Cassander returned from Boeotia and held the funeral of the king and Queen at Aegaeae, as well as of Cynna, the mother of Eurydice, he not only honoured them with all the other fitting rites, but set up also a contest of single fighters which was entered by four of his soldiers."A note to this says: "F.H.G. ii. 361; the occasion was the state funeral of Arridaeus and Eurydice, murdered by order of Olympias, 317 B.C. Cynna had been assassinated by Alcetas. All three were buried in the royal tombs at Aegae."Not much, I know, but maybe it will help.Best regards,
Linda Ann

[ruthaki]

Thanks, Linda. I also ran across my missing research notes and it says that Funeral Games were insitiuted by Herakles a the death of Pelops and also of course those held by Achilles in honour of his friend Ptroklos as well as many other examples. The spectators at these games generally dressed in white. (an interesting detail).Also that the length of the games was according to the importance of the person who had died.