Today’s definition of Entertainers are individuals who are classified as “singers, comedians, dancers, reciters, or the like, especially a professional one.” “A person who entertains; host.” While the Greeks and Romans classified entertaining differently in the Hellenistic period, there are some similarities in today’s modern times. For example, the games included the mousikos agon where the athletes were professional musicians (Miller.S, 2004,pg.197). The meaning of professionalism in modern days is “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or professional person.” “The following of a profession (such as athletics) for gain or livelihood.” As discussed in previous chapters’ slaves were required to fight in the “games” which provided entertainment for individuals while watching. If slaves did not participate or even be selected to participate in the games, they were in fact killed (Reid, H. L.pg.41). So, with that being said, the actions for fighting to “gain” one’s life, mirror the definition of “professionalism.”
The Olympic Games were described as a celebration, or festival for Zeus (Miller.S, 2004). The games continued when Greece was conquered by Rome, until emperor Theodosius suppressed them. Amateurism is the act of performing/ practicing a sport defined activity unpaid. Amateurism was emerged as a concept in the 19th century. In the Euripides time around 420, there had been a clear distinction between soldiers and athletes. Philopoimen seemed well formed to participate in wrestling, but was concerned that being an athlete would interfere with his duties in the military. His friends and advisors made it extremely clear about the difference between being an athlete and in the military. Athletes were always preparing for games by sleeping, stuffing themselves with food, which would help them concur their opponents. While military soldiers trained completely different. Soldiers prepared for war by lacking food and sleep, which trained them to be stronger mentally. Philopimen did not accept the challenge of becoming an athlete, in fact her declined the offer and once he became general, he would decline all athletes from joining the military (Miller.S, 2004.pg.199). Emperor Domitian made Greek athletics part of the Roman scene with the Capitolinus Games in A.D.86. Which was a contest to honor Jupiter Capitolinus with music, equestrian, and gymnic competitions, in conclusion Greek athletics did not excite the Romans (Miller.S, 2004.pg.203). Roman athletes during the Roman Period were defined as professional. Athletes competing in the Italic, Roman, Augustan, IsOlymplic Games and Festival at Naples had to appear a month before the festivals. If an athlete one enough victories, they were paid enough for a lifetime and once there activites ended there were job opening for athletes. Markos Aurelios Asklepiades in A.D. 200 became director of the Imperial Baths and president of his union (Miller.S, 2004.pg.208). Roman athletes were provided with luxury lifestyles, which led to illegal activites for the sake of money. For example, buying and selling victories, which is rumored and proving to happen in modern days. (Miller.S, 2004.pg.211). Many admirers of the Greek athletes’ blame money for the corruption of athletes. Only through strict amateurism can sports be valued just as they are (Miller.S, 2004.pg.212). Amateur and Professional are defined as followed: “An amateur is one who is not compensated with money; the professional is.” However, the definition is not a true in depth understanding for the meaning. Both words come from Latin and there is no Greek meaning for Amateur. However, Amateur is French of the Latin word Amator which means “lover”- a person who does something out of love. Professional comes from the Latin word profession, meaning a public declaration or acknowledgement, which comes from the verb profiteor. There is confusion in the word “profit” which is defined “to gain advantage”, but it does not have any meaning for monetary implication (Miller.S, 2004.pg.212). While the Greeks felt money was the root of the problem, money always had a part in athletics. As stated in Chapter 9, Theagenes of Thasos, shows the range of money an athlete could receive in the 5th century.
The modern day definition for entertainers would exhibit athletes as entertainers. Athletes are in fact performing, while others watch and being entertained. Whether athletes are playing in Professional Leagues, Minor Leagues, School Leagues, they are still falling under the umbrella of being “entertainers”. Ancient Greek also describes athletes as entertainers, for example when competing in ancient games, they are entertaining citizens, emperors, and higher parties.
Athletes are in some ways professionals, which are supported by numerous facts. In today’s society, regardless of which type of league one is involved with, they have to perform at some sort of professionalism. For example, individuals in High School Leagues, have to maintain a certain GPA and express an appropriate attitude within the community. In order to participate in extra-curriculum activities, athletes have to follow rules and guidelines. In the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., athletes were rewarded and professionalism. Athens athletes were given free meals and pots of valuable olive oil to its heroes. Although athletes were only given olive leaves at the Olympia, for their winning successes, they could make money by entering local games (McComb, D. G.,1998, pg.36). During the Olympics, there were enormous appeals, due to the discomfort of the athletes. Individuals were concerned with how athletes were able to successfully compete under strenuous conditions. For example, Epictetus the Roman stoic philosopher expressed concerns for athletes “due to the heat, sleeping conditions, and lack of space”. However, with his concerns and asking the athletes how they felt, they were willing to undergo those conditions for the end value/result (McComb, D. G.,1998, pg.36). Professional athletes are paid enormous amounts of money/fame in some cases just for sitting on the bench. However, there are professional athletes who are paid astronomical amounts of money and are suffering due to extreme injures. All professional athletes have to follow some sort of guidelines and rules in order to be incompliance with Professional Leagues, or they in cases are fined or even worse killed off of teams.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has strict rules and regulations in place for players who participate in college/university events. Athletes are only allowed to receive enough funding in the form of scholarships. Students who play under the NCAA are not allowed to earn money as a student athlete. The NCAA wants students to focus on the educational value of attending a college/university. So, the importance of amateurism players is essential, so there is no corruption taking place. While there is a lot of money in college sports, student athletes do not benefit from such funding (Senne, J. 2016). Institutions in the United States presume that they will lose revenue after losing such athletic events, which traces back to antiquity and selling/buying games. The NCAA amateurism policy in Article 12 states that “any individuals is ineligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics if he or she has entered a written or orally agreement to participate in professional sports” (Senne, J. 2016). If athletes and/or their coaches are exposed for providing monetary assistance to the players, they could be subject to fines, and/or being removed from partaking in collegiate sports.
While Modern Society and Antiquity have a lot of similarities, there are major differences in today’s time. For example, one could argue that athletes are in fact entertainers by the definition of ancient and modern descriptions. At some point in an athletes’ life, they had to exhibit some traits for being a professional, with following rules in high school sports etc. Collegiate athletes are not paid funding for “personal” use, however their college tuition is paid by forms of scholarship. So, with that being said one could argue that college athletes are also “professional” because they are being paid for their services by attending college and receiving funding towards their college education.
