Upon entering the city of Rhodes,
on the Greek Island of Rhodes, one comes across the statue of Diagoras, carried
by his two sons, erected in 2004 – the year the Olympic Games where held in
Athens. In the 5th century BC, several members of an aristocratic
family from Rhodes were champions in boxing and pankration. The whole family
was honoured at Olympia (Southern Greece) with a group of statues. Some of the
inscriptions are preserved. The patriarch of this family was Diagoras of
Rhodes. In 464 BC, he won the boxing at the Olympic Games. He also won at the
Pythian Games, four times at the Isthmian and the Nemean Games. Additionally,
he won many local games. Due to his Olympic victory, he was honoured with an ode
of Pindar, which was later written on the wall of a Rhodian temple in gold
letters.
The eldest son Damagetos was
Olympic champion in the Pankration (452 and 448 BC). Akousilaos, the second
son, won the boxing in 448 BC. The two sons celebrated their victory by
carrying their father around the stadion on their shoulders, while the
spectators were cheering loudly. Diagora’s youngest son, Dorieus, was even more
successful than his brothers.
The Island of Rhodes, in order to
celebrate this distinguished citizen of Rhodes has offered a statue to his
memory. Also the airport in Rhodes is named after this great athlete, known as
“the International Airport Diagoras – Rhodes Airport”.
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