Herald and Trumpet contest
Encyclopedia
In the 96th Olympiad (396 BC
), beside the athletic and artistic competitions, the "Herald and Trumpet contest" was added, which was already a formal element of the Olympic ritual performed by the kerykes
(heralds) and salpinktai
(trumpeteers) . Winners were chosen by the clarity of the enunciation
and the audibilty of their voice or horn
blast. Some notable victors were:
396 BC
Year 396 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Saccus, Capitolinus, Esquilinus, Augurinus, Capitolinus and Priscus...
), beside the athletic and artistic competitions, the "Herald and Trumpet contest" was added, which was already a formal element of the Olympic ritual performed by the kerykes
Kerykes
The Kerykes were one of the sacred Eleusinian families of priests that ran the Eleusinian Mysteries during the Hellenic era. They popularized the cult and allowed many more to be initiated into the great secrets of Demeter and Persephone. Starting about 300 BC, the state took over control of the...
(heralds) and salpinktai
Salpinx
A salpinx was a trumpet-like instrument of the ancient Greeks. -Construction:The salpinx consisted of a straight, narrow bronze tube with a mouthpiece of bone and a bell of variable shape and size; extant descriptions describe conical, bulb-like, and spherical structures...
(trumpeteers) . Winners were chosen by the clarity of the enunciation
Enunciation
In phonetics, enunciation is the act of speaking. Good enunciation is the act of speaking clearly and concisely. The opposite of good enunciation is mumbling or slurring. See also pronunciation which is a component of enunciation. Pronunciation is to pronounce sounds of words correctly....
and the audibilty of their voice or horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
blast. Some notable victors were:
- Timaeus (trumpeter) and Crates (herald) of Elis, the first ones.
- Herodorus of MegaraHerodorus of MegaraHerodorus of Megara was an ancient Greek musician, ten times Olympic victor in the trumpet contest. He was noted particularly for his size, voracity and loudness of his trumpet .-References:*Athenaeus. )*Pollux Onom. IV II...
(ten times) 328-292 BC trumpeter. - Diogenes of Ephesus 69-85 AD (five times) trumpeter.
- Valerius Eclectus of Sinope 245,253-261 AD (four times) herald.