Boys Will Be Boys: Agonistic Graffiti from Iasos

Abstract

In Iasos agonistic graffiti were inscribed on architectural elements (columns) of the city's gymnasia as well as on monuments commemorating the achievements of athletes and benefactors. Young athletes and trainees at the gymnasia inscribed victory acclamations for themselves or small groups, possibly their fellow training partners. At times, agonistic graffiti were inscribed on memorials of the Hellenistic era that were refurbished in the early Roman imperial period to commemorate contemporary luminaries. I argue that by inscribing their names and victory acclamations on the memorials of gymnasion benefactors and top-level athletes, young athletes from Iasos embedded themselves into a dominant social script that promoted athletic success and euergetism as preeminent components of elite Hellenic status. Furthermore, graffiti authors contributed into the process of negotiating and re-shaping the commemorative and civic landscape of Iasos.