A conisterium (or conisterion) (Greek: κονιστἠριον) was an apartment in Greek and Roman gymnasiums. It was where sand or dust was stored, for use by wrestlers after they had been anointed with oil.[1] They would either sprinkle it on themselves,[2] or a slave would do it.[1] The purpose of this was so that during a fight, the oil or sweat would not prevent a wrestler from having a good grip on his opponent.[3] After a fight, or exercise, the powder was rubbed off with strigils, before the wrestler had a bath.[4]

The conisterium was built after the coryceum and next to a cold bath[5] called frigida lavatio.[6] Conisteriums were also found in palaestras.[1] In the palaestra of Vitruvius, for instance, the gymnasium chambers were built on the right side while the elaeothesium, tepidarium, and an unidentified chamber on the left.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Harris, Cyril M. (1983). Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture. Courier Dover Publications. pp. 132. ISBN 0-486-24444-X.
  2. ^ Middleton, John Henry (January 1999). The Remains of Ancient Rome. Volume 2. Adamant Media Corporation. p. 115. ISBN 1-4021-7473-X.
  3. ^ Elmes, James (1824). A general and bibliographical dictionary of the fine arts.
  4. ^ The Journal of Health. S. C. Atkinson. 1830. p. 317.
  5. ^ Beale, Alan (2011). Greek Athletics and the Olympics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-521-13820-8.
  6. ^ Vitruvius (2009-09-24). On Architecture. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-193195-1.
  7. ^ Falkener, Edward (2015). Ephesus, and the Temple of Diana. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-108-08071-2.

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