Bybon

Bybon or Bybon son of Phola (early 6th century BC) was a famous ancient Greek weight lifter. A block of red sandstone weighing 143.5 kg was found at Olympia. The stone has a section carved out of it in order to make a handle. The stone also has the carved inscription "Bybon son of Phola, has lifted me over [his] head with one hand." [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 typical athlete of the period, as we know him from the records and from the black-figured vases, was the strong man, wrestler, boxer, or pankratiast. Many stories were told of their strength. One of them, named Bybon, left behind at Olympia an interesting record. It is a block of red sandstone weighing 316 lb., and on it is inscribed the statement that he threw it over his head with one hand.[2]

The inscription on Bybon's stone states he threw it over his head with one hand.

The stone is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.[3][4]

See also

References
  1. Galakoutis, Chris (2006-04-23). "Hellenic Athletes Welcomes Greek Weightlifter Giorgos Markoulas". HellenicAthletes.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  2. Gardinier, E. Norman (1925). Olympia Its History & Remains. Oxford: Oxford at the Clarendon Press. p. 97.
  3. "The collection of the olympic games (Stone offerings - L191 - The stone of Bybon)". Olympia Archaeological Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  4. "Milo of Kroton". Retrieved 2008-10-31. Photo of stone halfway down.
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