The Olympic Scandal Of '67

The Olympic Scandal of '67

In the year AD 67 the Olympics were held and six events were won by a quite prestigious competitor. The events were:

Heralds (a trumpet blowing competition - the winners were then enlisted to announce the athletes)

Tethripon (four horse chariot)

Foals Tethripon (four horse chariot pulled by foals)

Ten horse chariot (not a regular event, he had no competitors, fell off the chariot and had to be helped back up ... and still could not complete the course, but was given the crown anyway)

Lyre (a self accompanied singing competition invented by this "athlete")

Tragedy (little is known about this event, it too may have been invented for this venue)

After the games, he publically presented bribes to the judges and was accompanied back to Rome by a large retinue of singers and story tellers who loudly announced his victory. The competitor was none other than the vain and violent Emperor Nero (Suetonius: De Vita Caesarum -- Nero).

This "triumph" of athleticism (that was later disqualified in its entirety) took place in the summer of '67. Paul's letter was written in the autumn of the same year.