You say "While Chariot racing no longer exists in any of its ancient shape or form today" - obviously, you haven't seen the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede (held for 10 days every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada). Here's an informative news story from a year ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SrtTihwbEA - sure looks like chariot racing - four horses, rider on chariot/chuckwagon, racing.
I was also about to post a similar comment about rodeo chuck wagon racing, but then saw this post . No doubt it is very similar and clearly a descendant of chariot racing ( but also dangerous for the horses, drivers and out riders). Ancient Egyptians and Hittites were also Chariotiers.
Love the legend about Oenomaus holding chariot games to award his daughters hand in marriage- evocative of the notion that is so compelling in sports - these are just games, but ones that demonstrate many of the same skills that make one powerful in (esp. patriarchal) life and especially in battle. Not just physical/strength abilities but synthesis of physical, mental and emotional, measuring/taking risk for potential reward. Chariot racing was apparently such a decent distillation of natural human competition among men that King Oenomaus used it to give his daughter away.
US Harness racing?, meanwhile somewhere in the UK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hHOpKO6iaI
Very interesting! Thanks
You say "While Chariot racing no longer exists in any of its ancient shape or form today" - obviously, you haven't seen the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede (held for 10 days every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada). Here's an informative news story from a year ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SrtTihwbEA - sure looks like chariot racing - four horses, rider on chariot/chuckwagon, racing.
I was also about to post a similar comment about rodeo chuck wagon racing, but then saw this post . No doubt it is very similar and clearly a descendant of chariot racing ( but also dangerous for the horses, drivers and out riders). Ancient Egyptians and Hittites were also Chariotiers.
Fascinating as usual, thank you!
Love the legend about Oenomaus holding chariot games to award his daughters hand in marriage- evocative of the notion that is so compelling in sports - these are just games, but ones that demonstrate many of the same skills that make one powerful in (esp. patriarchal) life and especially in battle. Not just physical/strength abilities but synthesis of physical, mental and emotional, measuring/taking risk for potential reward. Chariot racing was apparently such a decent distillation of natural human competition among men that King Oenomaus used it to give his daughter away.
Great article. Thank you!
NASCAR, Chariot Racing in the Modern World.