PALIESTRA (waAatorpa), which properly means a school for wrestling (rcaaleiv, wrestle," and wciAn, " wrestling " ), was used in several different significations. The word first occurs in Herodotus (vi. 126, 128), who informs us that Clisthenes built at Sicyon a dromos and pahestra, both of which he calls by the general name of gymuasia. At Athens, however, it appears probable that the palmstrm and gymnasia were distinct places, and that the former were appro priated to the gymnastic exercises of the boys and youths Orailes and peepcisia), while the latter were intended for those of the men ; it is certain, however, that the boys also exercised in the gymnasia. These palrestrze were called by the names either of their founders or of the teachers of the gymnastic exercises (tralSorpiPar). We accordingly read in Plato of the pahestra of Taureas, which appears to have been one of the moat celebrated. (Plato, Charmid.; c. i.; with Heindorf's ' Note?) In most of the other cities of Greece the palmstra formed a part of the gymnasium. According to Muller (' Archaologie der Kunst,' § 292) it included the aTatov (stadion); lOnt3e7ov (ephebion, or exercise ball); alnuptarbpwo (sphmristerion, or ball for ball-play); awobirrbpwv (apody terion, room for undressing) ; Acuonowv, or eaeorrOlov (elmothesion, aleipterion, room for anointing); soviar4pwo (konisterion, for rubbing with dust) ; KuAup.fl7jflpa (columbethra, a swimming-bath) ; Zoom!
(xystoi, covered walks); weptapopibis (peridromides, open walks) ; in fact, every part of the gymnasium except the outer porticoes. It appears, however, more probable that the term paltestra was confined to the rooms which were appropriated to the exercises of the athlete, who, it must be recollected, were persons who were especially trained for contending in the public games, and therefore needed a course of gymnastic exercises different from that which was usually pursued. That this view of the subject is correct, is shown by the statement of. Pans/mins, who informs us (vi 21, a. 2), that in the gymnasium at Olympia there were paltestrao for the athlete, and also by that of Plutarch, who says (` Symp., ii., I'robl. 4) "that the place in which all the athlete exercise is called a pahestra." Among the Itouaans the terms paIrc.stra and gymnasium are used as synonymous. Thus Vitruvius Fives a description (v. 11) of a Greek gymnasium under the name of palmstra. In the Greek cities in Sicily and Italy there also appears to have been no distinction in use between the two words (Cie. in' Verr.,' ii. 14 ; Polyb , xv., p. 716, c. : Casaubon) ; whence the Romans probably came to use them in common. [Girstsa. slum.] (Krause, Gymnastik uud Agonistik der Hellenen ; ' Becker, ' Charieles,' v. 1.)