On Rigillis Street, in the heart of Athens, between the southern side of the Sarogleio Mansion and the northern side of the Athens Conservatory, the remains of the palaestra (wrestling school) of one of ancient Athens’ earliest gymnasiums—the Lyceum gymnasium—have been uncovered. According to ancient accounts, the Lyceum was an idyllic, tree-filled suburb located east of Athens, just outside the Diokharos Gate. It was bordered to the southwest by the Olympieion and other sacred sites nearby, to the south by the Ilisos River, and to the north by Lycabettus Hill and the Heridanos stream. The area likely took its name from the Sanctuary of Apollo Lyceius, which predated the gymnasium but has yet to be located. Apollo Lyceius was worshiped here since ancient times, possibly as a pastoral god protecting herds from wolves. The Lyceum palaestra, where athletes trained in wrestling, boxing, and pankration (a combination of wrestling and boxing), covers an area of 2.5 stremmata (about 50 by 48 meters). It was a large building aligned along a north-south axis, originally built in the latter half of the 4th century BCE. With repairs and additions, it remained in use for around seven centuries, until the early 4th century CE, when it was permanently abandoned. However, it seems to have ceased functioning as a palaestra sometime after the mid-3rd century CE.
ΠΗΓΗ:http://odysseus.culture.gr/ Συντάκτης Ε. Μπάνου, Ν. Σακκά
