Roman Sports
By Jimmy Fraley
This past summer, many people watched as the world’s best athletes competed in numerous physical competitions in the Tokyo Olympics in order to win medals and glory for themselves and their home countries. The Romans also conducted athletic events, including several ball games. These games were among the most popular in Ancient Rome, despite their relative absence from modern pop culture. They were played at all levels of Roman society, with Julius Caesar reportedly playing to stay in shape.
1. Harpastum
In Latin, Harpastum is frequently called “the small
ballgame”. True to this name, Harpastum was played
with a small, hard ball. Its name is derived from the
Greek verb harpazo, meaning to snatch. Although
not much is known about this game, there are several
theories for how it was played. The game was most
likely extremely aggressive, as certain writings
indicate that the game is most similar to modern
rugby or soccer.
This fresco most likely depicts harpastum or follis (next page)