Bybon Explained

Bybon was an athlete who lived in Ancient Greece during the early 6th century BC.

A single short inscription from Olympia records all that is known of Bybon. The son of a man named Phola, Bybon was apparently a weightlifter of remarkable capability. The inscription bearing his name was found on a block of sandstone with two deep notches carved out of it, forming a handle so that the stone could be used as a free weight; weighing approximately 143.5kg (316.4lb), the stone's carved inscription reads:[1]

The historian E. Norman Gardinier translates the word 'lifted' as 'threw'. In regard to the athletic culture in which such a throw may have been made he states:

The stone is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.[2] [3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Hellenic Athletes Welcomes Greek Weightlifter Giorgos Markoulas . Galakoutis . Chris . 2006-04-23 . HellenicAthletes.com . 2008-10-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071029082645/http://www.hellenicathletes.com/print_news.php?news_id=37 . 2007-10-29 .
  2. Web site: The collection of the olympic games (Stone offerings - L191 - The stone of Bybon) . Olympia Archaeological Museum . 2008-10-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081110052524/http://odysseus.culture.gr/a/1/11/ea117.html#stone-offerings . 2008-11-10 .
  3. Web site: Milo of Kroton. 2008-10-31. Photo of stone halfway down.