Flavius Philostratus, De Gymnastica 27: Lycurgus and the introduction of female athletics in Sparta

Flavius Philostratus, De Gymnastica 27: Lycurgus and the introduction of female athletics in Sparta

2nd/3rd century CE

Treatise on Greek athletic history and practic

Literary source

But there is also an even older concern than this, which also seemed good to Lycurgus the Spartan. So as to supply Sparta with athletes of war, he said: “Let the girls train, and let them practice running in public”. This he undoubtedly did for the quality of the offspring and their begetting better children by having strong bodies themselves. Once she gets married, (a Spartan woman) will not hesitate to carry water and grind grain because she has exercised since her youth. And if she is joined with a young and equally athletic man, she will beget better offspring because they will be tall and strong and healthy. And Sparta became so great in warfare because this was the way their marriages were made.

translation by Alexander Meeus for the Cynisca project

καίτοι καὶ πρεσβύτερον τούτου, ὃ καὶ Λυκούργῳ ἐδόκει τῷ Σπαρτιάτῃ: παριστάμενος γὰρ τῇ Λακεδαίμονι πολέμου ἀθλητὰς ‘γυμναζέσθων’ φησὶν ‘αἱ κόραι καὶ ἀσκείσθων δημοσίᾳ τρέχειν, ὑπὲρ εὐπαιδίας δήπου καὶ τοῦ τὰ ἔκγονα βελτίω τίκτειν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐῤῥῶσθαι τὸ σῶμα: ἀφικομένη γὰρ ἐς ἀνδρὸς ὑδροφορεῖν οὐκ ὀκνήσει, οὐδὲ ἀλεῖν διὰ τὸ ἠσκῆσθαι ἐκ νέας, εἰ δὲ καὶ νέῳ καὶ συγγυμναζομένῳ συζυγείη, βελτίω τὰ ἔκγονα ἀποδώσει καὶ γὰρ εὐμήκη καὶ ἰσχυρὰ καὶ ἄνοσα.’ καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ Λακεδαίμων τοσαύτη κατὰ πόλεμον, ἐπειδὴ τὰ γαμικὰ αὐτοῖς ὧδε ἔπραττεν.

Carl Ludwig Kayser (ed.), Flavii Philostrati Opera, vol. 2, Leipzig 1871.