Abstract des BISp

Das Ende der antiken olympischen Spiele in Olympia und anderer paganer Wettspiele wird auf 393 n. Chr. datiert. Die Untersuchung der Rechtslage und verschiedener Heiligtümer werfen ein neues Licht auf die Agonistik nach 393. Folgende Stätten werden analysiert: das Zeusheiligtum von Olympia, das Zeusheiligtum von Nemea, das isthmische Poseidonheiligtum und das Apollonheiligtum von Delphi. sas

Abstract des Autors

The paper focuses on the transformation of important national pagan sanctuaries in late Ancient Greece. The politics of the Christian emperors from the time of Constantine I were increasingly hostile to the sanctuaries, the prominent symbols of Paganism. The emperors ordered the confiscation of temple property, the removal of cult statues, and the closure and destruction of temples. However, it remains unclear how the Imperial policy was carried out in individual parts of the empire and how both the traditional social elite and the broad mass of the population in the provinces reacted. These questions are to be studied through the examples of the ‘Panhellenic’ sanctuaries; Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia and Nemea. At present, archaeological and historical research of the late phases of these sanctuaries is insufficient. Some of my research on late Antiquity Olympia has shown that the vehemently anti-pagan legislation of the emperor could only be implemented in a diluted form in Greece, which had only partially converted to Christianity at that time. The example of Olympia shows that the Christianized state did not destroy the cult site with Christian motivated fervor, but respected the pagan traditions of the population and social elite (Elis) and took a pragmatic approach. As a result, the anti-pagan laws of Theodosius I did not, as previously assumed, end the festival of Olympia in 391 or 393 AD. Only the cult was forbidden, the Olympic Games went on.