Prior to the opening ceremonies of each festival, messengers were dispatched to the far corners of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor to announce the coming of the games. Only free citizens of Greek blood were allowed to participate but 'barbarians' and slaves were allowed to view the festivities from the grandstands. Interestingly, unmarried women were allowed to watch but married women could not. Penalties for disobedience of these rules were harsh; violators could sometimes face execution. At the Olympic Games, a separate festival called the Heraia (dedicated to Hera) took place at roughly the same time in which women competed. Besides this, however, women normally did not participate in the games (though there were a few exceptions in the equestrian events). In addition to their significance as athletic events, the Athletic Games were one of the most important forces uniting the Gre....

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