Dr Newby works on the visual arts of the ancient world. She is also interested in the links between art and text, and the
receptions of visual images in the Greek literature of the Roman empire. Her recent research focuses on the reception of Greek
athletics in the Roman empire and the representation of Greek mythologyin Roman art.During thecourse of the first three centuries AD, Greek athletics came to play a dominant role in the cultural life of the Roman empire. The enduring importance of Greek
athletic training and competition during the period of the Roman Empire has been a neglected subject in past scholarship on the ancient world. The chronological horizon stretches from the first century BCE to the third century CE. His presentation of the Roman places of performance is particularly valuable. By the time of the Roman Empire the Olympics were still flourishing, centred at the heart of a new industry in athletic and the atrical festivals which drew competitors from across the Mediterranean world. His account of the victory statues that remained at Olympia or scattered throughout Greek cities shows that they served as important symbols of the claims of individualcities to be part of the Greek world. This richly illustrated (hence, expensive), well-produced, and elegantly written book discusses how Greek festival culture was performed, adopted, and adapted throughout the Roman Empire. The chronological horizon stretches from the first century BCE to the third century CE. Newby (Univ. of Warwick) describes, of course, games, contenders, and physical locales, but within an often-revealingexamination of how agonistic competition was expressed in literature and plastic art, no less than in monumental architecture. His presentation of the Roman places of performance is particularly valuable. For many Greeks (then as now), performance validated Hellenic identity and maintained bonds with the past. For others (Romans, notably), Greek athletics was far from being an activity to disdain (as some Latin authors would suggest): rather, it was a traditional, high culture in which to participate (no matter how banal the present reality often was) or, at least, to observe and admire. Newby's study takes its place along side Stephen Miller's Ancient Greek Athletics (CH, Nov'04,42-1635) and Nigel Spivey's The Ancient Olympics (CH, Jan'05, 43-2871) in demonstrating how far the academic study of Greco-Roman athletics has advanced from E. N. Gardiner's gentlemanly treatises a century ago. The bibliography is a rich research resource. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academiclevels/libraries. Copyright 2006 American Library Association. As Athens prepares to host the 2004 modern Olympics, it seems an appropriate time to look back to the ancient Olympic Games and the role that they played within ancient constructions of Greek culture and identity. The Games were held every four years at the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, in Southern Greece, and survived forover 1100 years, from their supposed institution in 776 BC until the end of the fourth century AD. During this period Olympia came to play a key role as agathering place for the Greeks, and as a showcase for Greek achievements, both military and athletic. Idealised nude statues were set up to commemorate the athletic victors, while individual cities also celebrated military victories here, often those won over their own neighbours. The Kings of Macedonia,ancestors of Alexander the Great, used their involvement in the chariot races here to prove their claims to be seen as part of the Greek world, while in the Roman period even philhellenic emperors such as Nero could take part (albe it on troversially - the Olympics in which he took part were later expunged from the records!) The Hellenistic period (after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC) had seen great exn of the Greek world, with new Greek cities founded in places as far flung as Egypt, Afghanistan and Syria. By the time ofoman Empire the Olympics were still flourishing, centred at the heart of anew industry in athletic and theatrical festivals which drew competitors from across the Mediterranean world.