Italica Romaea Sebasta Olympia (
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Italica Romaea Sebasta Olympia (or Isolympia): A competitive festival of games founded by the Roman Emperor Augustus in AD 2. Styled after the more famous Olympic Games of Greece, this Neapolitan festival appears to have remained a local affair until the time of Emperor Claudius (rAD 41-54). Claudius gave them full imperial recognition and support, thus making them far more attractive to the major athletes from throughout the Roman Empire. As a result it soon developed into one of the major festivals of its kind. Held every four years in August, there is evidence that the games survived well into the 4th Century. Competitions included athletic events (including footraces, one of which was for girls), as well as dramatic and musical events. Some events were restricted exclusively to citizens Often cash prizes were awards as well as symbolic trophies. This festival was the only one known in which competitors were paid living expenses: 1 drachma per day for the first half of the games and 2 or 3 drachmas for the 2nd half.
A damaged Roman Era inscription (IvO [Inschriften von Olympia]56.11-28) found at Olympia sheads a little light on the Neapolitan games, which it referred to the “Italic isOlympic games”, males aged seventeen to twenty years participated in boys’ category. Those older could compete at the mens’ level.