Theagenes of thasos biography for kids

Ancient greek boxer

Theagenes of Thasos (Greek: Θεαγένης ὁ Θάσιος) (typically spelled Theogenes (Greek: Θεογένης) before the first century AD) was an Olympian of ancient Greece, famous for his victories.^[1]

Background

Son of Timosthenes, Theagenes was renowned for his extraordinary strength and swiftness.

Aged nine, he supposedly carried home the bronze statue of a god he took a liking to from the agora, then carried it back again.

As he grew up he became distinguished in every kind of athletic contest, and gained numerous victories at the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games.

Altogether he was said to have won 1400 crowns at various Greek festivals. ^[2] He gained a victory at Olympia in the 75th Olympiad, 480 BC. (Paus.

Theogenes meaning

vi. 6. § 5.) The popular story among the Thasians was that Heracles was his father. Thomas Green claims that in the course of winning 1,406 boxing matches, Theagenes killed "most of his opponents