Ascoliasmos
Askoliasmos ( ancient Greek Ἀσκωλιασμός Askoliasmós ) was a popular game of skill in antiquity that was played on the second day of rural Dionysia , an Athenian wine and press festival in honor of the god Dionysus . On this day, called Askolia ( Ἀσκῶλια ), an attempt was made to keep one's balance on a tube made from the fur of an animal (goat, pig or ox) that was greased and filled with air or wine . The possibly related term ἀσκωλιάζειν askoliázein means "hop on one leg" and describes a child's play . Therefore, the bravest participants tried the “tube dance” on one leg. According to some sources, the winner of the competition was the one who kept his balance longest. The prize was a tube filled with wine.
The "hose dance" is mentioned by Eratosthenes and Didymos as well as by Pollux and the comedy poet Eubulos . Even Virgil calls it, which suggests that the custom of Roman wine festivals had found entrance.
literature
- Marco Fittà : Games and toys in ancient times. Ancient entertainment and pleasure. Scientific Book Society, Stuttgart 1998, p. 97.
- Gerd Hagenow : From the ancient vineyard. Wine in poetry, customs and everyday life (= cultural history of the ancient world. Volume 12). Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1982, pp. 205-209.
- Rolf Hurschmann : Askoliasmos. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 2, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01472-X , Sp. 100.
- Alfred Schäfer : entertainment at the Greek symposium. Performances, games and competitions from Homeric to late classical times. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1997, pp. 59-61.