Horse Racing as an Ancient Greek and Roman Leisure Pastime

Ilanza Perold ； Marie Young

《International Leisure Review》 11卷1期 (2022/06) Pp. 8-21

https://doi.org/10.6298/ILR.202206_11(1).0001

摘要

This paper highlights the significance of leisure pursuits, specifically horse racing events, since ancient Greek and Roman times. As a sport and leisure pastime, horse racing was an unrestricted passion during the ancient Greek and Roman Empires. Horse racing events serve as an occasion for people to embrace their fundamental right to leisure. As a result, it also affected the views of horse racing as a leisure pastime activity. This paper conceptualises the relationship between horses and humans since ancient Greek and Roman times as a leisure pastime activity. It is not only a recognised sport globally but also known as one of the eldest sports in humankind. Since the domestication of horses, people wanted to distinguish who had the fastest and greatest horse, resulting in the origin of horse racing events. While the Greeks and Romans had different perspectives on the meaning of leisure, both these empires hosted events, such as horse racing, for entertainment and pleasure.

關鍵字

Horse racing ； Ancient Greek ； Ancient Roman ； Leisure ； human-animal interactions