Olympic Victor Monuments and Greek Athletic Art

"Olympic Victor Monuments and Greek Athletic Art" by Walter Woodburn Hyde is a historical exploration of Greek sculptures dedicated to Olympic champions, written in the early 1900s. It looks at the statues and monuments created in Olympia and other parts of Greece to celebrate athletic victories. The book examines these monuments through artistic, cultural, and historical lenses. It begins by explaining the goal of recreating the different types and poses of these statues using the few remaining pieces and literary accounts. Hyde points out the difficulties in this task, given that many of these monuments were ruined or disappeared. The initial chapters lay the groundwork for understanding early Greek athletics, the importance of honoring victors with monuments, and the artistic styles and materials used, preparing readers for a study of the history and art behind these tributes.