The stadium consisted of a flat area, surrounded by raised seats, and was made either in a spot which had by nature the required shape, or In the aide of a bill, or on a plain. In the last two cases the stadium was constructed by forming a mound of earth of the proper shape, and covering it with atone or marble for the seats. The second of these three forms was the most common. Of the third we have a fine example in the Pan:abets:de Stadium at Athens. The area of the stadium was oblong, terminating at one end in a semicircle. At the other end it was bounded by a wall, at the two extremities of which were the eutrances, one on each aide of the stadium. Here was the starting-place (deeetr, waugh,t;arAnt, or SaAfiir), marked by a square pillar in the middle of the breadth of the area. Another such pillar was placed at the other end of the course, at the distance of a stadium from the former, and at or near the centre of the semicircular end of the area. This pillar marked the termination of the simple foot-race [Otrat PIA:: GAM Esj, but in the Diaulus the runners turned round it and went back to the starting-place ; in the Dolichus they turned round both pillars several times, according to the number of stadia of which the course consisted. The end of the course was called Tipua, Sathp, Taos, esurrfer and riven'. -Halfway between these pillars stood a third. On the pillar at the starting-place was inscribed the word aplarsue (excel); on the middle one, aweu3s (hasten); on the one at the goal, niuspor (turn). The semicircular end of the area (elperSovh) was
thus not used in the foot-race. Here probably the other gymnastic contests took place ; for though the stadium was originally intended only for the foot-race, yet as the other contests came to be added to the games, they also took place in the stadium, except the horse-races, for which a separate course was set apart, shaped like the stadium, but larger : this was called hrs-Shpopar.
Among the seats which surrounded the area, a conspicuous place, opposite to the goal, was set apart for the three Hellanodicae, who decided the contests, and who entered the stadium by a secret passage. Opposite to them on the other side of the stadium, was an altar, on which the priestesses of Demeter Chamyne sat to view the games. The area was ornamented with several altars and statues.
The position of the stadium was sometimes, but not always, in con nection with the gymnasium.
Under the Romans many of the Grecian stadia were modified so as to resemble the amphitheatre.
There still exist considerable ruins of stadia : among the most re markable of which are those at Delphi, Athens, Messene, Ephesus, and Laodicea.
(Pausaulas, ii. 27, 6; vi. 20, 5, 6 ; ix. 23, I ; Milner's Archiiologie der Kunst, sec. 290; Krause, Die Gymnastik and -4gonistik. der Bellew», I., p. 131, &c.)