Titormus

Titormus, a legendary shepherd of Aetolia, famous in Antiquity for his victory over Milo of Croton, who was in turn the most successful wrestler of Ancient Olympics. The duel of Milo and Titormus, however, was not an ordinary wrestlers' competition: according to Claudius Aelianus, [Varia historia, 12.22.] rivals compared their strength in a wild Aetolian scenery, while lifting ot throwing rocks, or catching bulls. Defeated Milo praised his victor as "the second Heracles". Titormus, considered the strongest man ever living, was believed to inhabit the most remote parts of peripheral Aetolia. [Herodotus. "Histories", 6.127.] From 5th century BC onwards, his legend served to strengthen Aetolia's ethnic identity. [Jacek Rzepka. 'Titormus of Aetolia and his Lonelines', in: B. Kratzmüller, M. Marschik, R. Müllner, H. D. Szemethy, E. Trinkl (eds.), "Sport and the Construction of Identities / Sport und Identitätskonstruktion: Proceedings of the XIth International CESH-Congress", Vienna, September 17th-20th 2006 (Wien, Turia+Kant, 2007) pp. 222-229.]

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