Acanthus the Lacedaemonian ( grc, Ἄκανθος), was the victor in two footrace events, the diaulos () and dolichos (), in the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...

of 720 BC. He was also, according to some accounts, the first who ran naked in these games. Other accounts ascribe this to

Orsippus Orsippus ( grc-gre, Ὄρσιππος) was a Greek runner from Megara who was famed as the first to run the footrace naked at the Olympic Games and "first of all Greeks to be crowned victor naked."Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may r ...

the Megarian.

Thucydides Thucydides (; grc, , }; BC) was an Athenian historian and general. His '' History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of " scient ...

says that the

Lacedaemonian Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred ...

s were the first who contended naked in gymnastic games, although he does not mention Acanthus by name.

, i. 6.

References

Sources

* 8th-century BC Spartans Ancient Spartan athletes Ancient Olympic competitors {{AncientGreece-bio-stub