Theagenes

Theagenes hoped to be the first to win the boxing and pankration crowns at the same Olympic Games. However, he wore himself out defeating the defending champion, Euthymos of Lokris, in the finals, and then withdrew from the pankration. Because of this, the hellanodikae ruled that he had entered the boxing only to spite Euthymos, and they fined Theagenes one talent, which he had to pay Euthymos. Theagenes would win the pankration in 476 BCE, to become the first (and one of only two – also Kleitomakhos of Thebes) to win both titles at Olympia.

Theagenes was the son of Timosthenes, a priest in the temple of Herakles in Thasos. The Thasians believed that Theagenes was the son of Herakles, who assumed the form of Timosthenes to bring to life this great fighter. Theagenes is credited with over 1,400 victories in various sporting festivals in ancient Greece, but he so valued his Olympic titles that he named his son Dysolympios (twice-Olympian). He and Kleitomakhos of Thebes are the only two athletes to have won the boxing and pankration at Olympia.

The Thasians erected a statue to Theagenes in their town, after his death. A former athlete, who hated Theagenes, attacked the statue one night and it fell on him and killed him. The Thasians followed Draconian law and threw the statue into the sea. A great drought fell upon the island of Thasos, and crops suffered, with many animals dying as a result. The Oracle at Delphi told them this could be corrected by bringing back to their country all their exiles. They did this but the drought and famine continued.

The Oracle then told them, “You have forgotten your great Theagenes, whom you threw in the sand, where he now lies, though before he won a thousand prizes.” Several Thasian fishermen hauled the statue back in their nets, it was re-erected in its former position, and the drought ended. After this the Thasians sacrificed to Theagenes as a god of healing.