A super athlete who lived in the 6th century, with a record that has not been broken to this day.
A wrestler with a tragic end.
His physique was impressive as well as his feats!
He was a student of Pythagoras, and he even saved his life when he held back a roof that was about to fall on
him. He was probably married to the philosopher’s daughter, Mya.
Aristotle likened him to Hercules, making his name even greater.
Origin.
Milon’s origin was from Croton, an ancient Greek city of Magna Graecia, later renamed Laos, which is
today’s Calabria, Italy.
Historically, the name of the city comes from Croton, son of Aeacus,
who was accidentally killed by his friend Heracles.
Its inhabitants were famous for their physical strength and for their simple way of life. From 588 onwards,
Croton produced many generations of winners in the Olympic Games and other Panhellenic Games.
The most famous of whom was Milon, son of Diotimus!
Milon belonged to the aristocratic part of Croton.
Distinctions.
Milon was declared winner seven times in the Pythia at Delphi (once as a pais), ten in the Isthmian, as well
as nine in the Nemean.
He was a total of six times Olympian and five times periodontist.
That is, he had over thirty victories in the Stephanite (Panhellenic) games within at least 24 years.
Αchievements.
According to scholars, Milon could tie a rope around his forehead like a ribbon and then hold his breath and
inflate his veins, resulting in exerting so much force that he managed to break the rope.
Another way in which he demonstrated his strength was that he held a pomegranate in his closed palm
without squeezing or breaking it, but also without anyone managing to take it from his hand. This last
version may be a misinterpretation of a statue in which Milon is probably shown giving Hera a pomegranate.
Pausanias writes that Milon could stand on a disc that had been smeared with oil without anyone being able
to move it.
According to Pausanias, the athlete once smeared a disc with oil, stood on it and challenged other athletes,
as well as spectators of the games, to move it without anyone succeeding.
It has also been reported that Milon carried a statue of himself in his arms for a long distance.
The statue of Milon, son of Diotimus, is the work of Damas, who was also from Croton, like Milon. It is said
that Milon himself brought his statue to Alti.
Diodorus Siculus reports that Milon led a battle of his countrymen against the citizens of Sybaris.
The athlete defended the Crotonians with strength and momentum, holding a club and forcing his opponents
to flee.
Nutrition.
Scholars estimate that he consumed 9-10 kilos of meat, 9-10 kilos of bread and 10 liters of wine daily,
reaching 20,000 calories per day.
It is also reported that he had lifted a four-year-old bull on his shoulders, which he ate.
Even if Milo’s “diet” may not be entirely true, what is certain is that he needed large quantities of food to
sustain himself.
The pioneer Milon.
The discovery of the training method of progressive overload with a gradual increase in resistance, belongs
to him.
Milon had cultivated his strength on his own from a young age!
The super athlete in his training, among other exercises, used to lift a small calf on his shoulders and walk a
certain distance loaded. The animal grew and thus the weight carried by Milo increased, as a result of which
he cultivated the strength that gave him titles and fame that reaches the limits of legend.
The end of Milon.
His death according to Strabo and Pausanias, was sudden, unexpected and tragic.
During a walk in the forest he discovered a trunk that was filled with wedges, apparently by some
carpenters, who were trying to cut it in two.
Milon, wanting to test his strength once more, put his hands in the crack to complete the carpenters’ work.
At that moment, the wedges gave way and Milon was trapped in the opening, unable to move, and was
devoured by wild beasts.
Milon of Crotone has passed into history and the minds of all those who thirsted to meet a historical figure
and gain additional motivation and strength for life.
Artist Pierre-Paul Puget 1620–1694
The present statue is in the Louvre Museum.
The work is called Milon de Crotone.
