A conisterium (or conisterion) ( Greek: κονιστἠριον) was an apartment in Greek and Roman gymnasiums. It was where sand or dust was stored, for use by wrestlers after they had been anointed with oil. [1] They would either sprinkle it on themselves, [2] or a slave would do it. [1] The purpose of this was so that during a fight, the oil or sweat would not prevent a wrestler from having a good grip on his opponent. [3] After a fight, or exercise, the powder was rubbed off with strigils, before the wrestler had a bath. [4]
The conisterium was built after the coryceum and next to a cold bath [5] called frigida lavatio. [6] Conisteriums were also found in palaestras. [1] In the palaestra of Vitruvius, for instance, the gymnasium chambers were built on the right side while the elaeothesium, tepidarium, and an unidentified chamber on the left. [7]
A conisterium (or conisterion) ( Greek: κονιστἠριον) was an apartment in Greek and Roman gymnasiums. It was where sand or dust was stored, for use by wrestlers after they had been anointed with oil. [1] They would either sprinkle it on themselves, [2] or a slave would do it. [1] The purpose of this was so that during a fight, the oil or sweat would not prevent a wrestler from having a good grip on his opponent. [3] After a fight, or exercise, the powder was rubbed off with strigils, before the wrestler had a bath. [4]
The conisterium was built after the coryceum and next to a cold bath [5] called frigida lavatio. [6] Conisteriums were also found in palaestras. [1] In the palaestra of Vitruvius, for instance, the gymnasium chambers were built on the right side while the elaeothesium, tepidarium, and an unidentified chamber on the left. [7]