About Polychares of Messenia
Polychares of Messenia was an athletics competitor and runner.
Polychares of Messenia was an athlete from Messenia who won the stadion race in the fourth Ancient Olympic Games in 764 BC. The stadion race (about 180 meters) was the only competition in the first 13 Olympiads.
According to Pausanias, he was involved with the outbreak of the First Messenian War after a Spartan stole his property and killed his son. When the Spartan kings refused to punish the culprit, he decided to take revenge himself, thus triggering the war that had been long-awaited by both sides.
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Important facts
Related people
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Polychares of Messenia?
ancient Greek olympics victor in stadion
When was Polychares of Messenia born?
Polychares of Messenia was born in Messenia.
What was Polychares of Messenia's occupation?
Polychares of Messenia was an athletics competitor and runner.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Polychares of Messenia
· DBpedia: Polychares of Messenia
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Polychares of Messenia. https://biography.guide/polychares-of-messenia/
MLA: "Polychares of Messenia." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/polychares-of-messenia/.
Chicago: "Polychares of Messenia." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/polychares-of-messenia/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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