Sport victory as a mechanism for the acquisition and retention of political power in Ancient Greece archaic period

The article discusses the relationship between the phenomenon of Greek athleticism and political life of ancient Greece, in particular the Archaic period (8th - 6th centuries BC). It is known, that all spheres of life of the Greeks were imbued with the spirit of competition - agonism, including political one. The study aimed to determine the role of competitions in attaining political power in ancient Greece looks logical and essential in case of statement above. Sources have reported many influential historical figures, in whose biographies we find mention of sports victories - Orsippus of Megara, the winner of the 15th Olympiad in the run, which was subsequently elected by the citizens as military commander in the war with Corinth (Paus. I.44.1). The same honor was awarded to winner of the pentathlon Phrynon (Plut. De Herod. XV). Fist fighter Nikodorus of Mantinea glorified in his policy also as a legislator (Ael. Var. Hist. II.23). Famous wrestler Milo of Croton led the army of native Croton in a war with the neighboring city of Sybarisin addition to the six Olympic victories (Diod. XII. 9. 2). Running champion Cylon was trying to become a tyrant in Athens (Herod. V. 71). Also high advances in sports were achieved by tyrants and legislators: Peisistratos (Herod. VI. 103), Cleisthenes of Sikyon (Paus. X.7.6), Periander (Diog. Laert. 1.7), Alcibiades (Plut. Alc. 11.2). From all listed cases, we consider one - the match of Phrynon and Pittacus, as a case having a key meaning in a framework of our given problem. Pittacus served for Aristotle the only example in description of such an interesting form of archaic monokratia - aisymneteia (Arist. Pol. III. 9. 5-6, p. 1285a. 30-b. 4). By the example of the impact of athletic tradition on his political career, we can draw some conclusions allowing to get a general idea about philosophical paradigms that underline the power claim of the representatives from among athletes (αεθλητάς) in the ancient polis. In the study it will be affected a number of issues relating to the Pittacus biography, in particular its origin. Having no idea as to which social group did the statesman belong, we can't surely say if his athletic achievements belonged to a noble family caused his career. Also in the paper it is given a general idea of the struggle for power by another famous politician, who had a well-deserved reputation for fine athlete - Cylon. In terms of the story of his defeat in the struggle for power, as compared to Pittacus aggrandizement, whose ideological foundation claims to gain power athletes, justification of which the work is devoted to, becomes more visible. By engaging the data sources and historiography, the article demonstrates that epic tradition served as basis of communication of athletics and political life spheres of Greek society, as well as religious and philosophical ideas of the Greeks.