Punishments for Cheating at the Ancient Greek Olympics

Photo of Zeus bronze statue courtesy 123rf.com

Cheating did occur at times during the Ancient Greek Olympics, and the consequences were often severe.  The athlete was disqualified from participating and could also be whipped.  In addition, the athlete, the trainer, and the city-state where they were from could be charged very high fines.  The fines were used to erect statues of Zeus along the entrance to the Olympic stadium, and inscriptions on the statues warned of the penalties for the offense for which the statue was paid to be erected, so that participants were encouraged to follow the rules.  For more information click here.  What did you learn today?