This thesis examines the work of Pindar from a political, ideological, and economic perspective. It is based on the premise that the society in which Pindar lived and the society he presents in the odes are not examples of fully embedded economies, and that elements of a market economy have an impact on both the society and the odes' ideology. A thorough analysis of the economics of Isthmian 2 shows that gift economy coexists with market economy. My thesis focuses on the odes dedicated to the Sicilian tyrants, Hieron of Syracuse and Theron of Akragas. The odes dedicated to Hieron have a different ideology, propaganda and economy in comparison with those composed for Theron. Hieron is presented as an almighty king whose values do not derive from inherited excellence (phya), but from his wealth. By analysing the reciprocal relationships in the mythological exempla, I argue that the poet reveals Hieron to be prone to market behaviour and suggests the dangers involved in pursuing obscene profit and in applying market logic to politics. In the case of Theron, Pindar treats him according to traditional aristocratic values. Theron is the most prominent person of an aristocratic family and closely follows the laws of the gift economy. He is a man whose values are inherited and his exceptional phya justifies his tyranny. A brief comparison of the concept of phya in the Aeginetan odes illustrates the different way the concept is applied in the case of a tyrant. In conclusion, Pindar is a poet who knows the wishes of his patrons and how to promote their propaganda, but he also lives in a society which functions not only under the laws of a fully embedded economy, but also under those of a market economy, and the logic of the latter has influenced his poetry. An ideological examination of his work uncovers the traces of this influence.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier le rôle et la fonction de la gymnastique dans la tradition de la pensée classique. En établissant le contexte, dans lequel Platon et Aristote travaillent et développent leur avis sur la gymnastique, on comprend qu’il y a trois types de gymnastique dans la tradition grecque. Ces trois types sont la gymnastique militaire, qui s’associe aux épopées homériques, la gymnastique athlétique, qui s’associe aux odes pindariques et la gymnastique médicale, qui s’associe au corpus hippocratique. Platon et Aristote reprennent les catégories déjà existantes, en élaborant le concept de chaque catégorie reprise. Platon incorpore la gymnastique dans le programme éducatif, mais il rejette la gymnastique athlétique. Hippocrate influence la pensée du philosophe athénien, qui utilise bien des éléments de la gymnastique médicale. La gymnastique possède le pouvoir de fortifier le thymique. Platon condamne chaque excès à propos de la gymnastique, parce que ce manque de modération cultive le thymique, provoquant des déséquilibres psychologiques et civiques. La gymnastique joue un rôle essentiel dans le processus vers la Forme du Beau, dans la mesure où elle s’associe directement à la beauté corporelle qui déclenche ce processus d’ascension vers l’Idée du Κάλλος. Aristote incorpore aussi la gymnastique dans le programme de formation de « la cité la meilleure ». Aristote prend grand soin de la condition corporelle des enfants, montrant en quelque sorte les résultats négatifs de la gymnastique immodérée. Il critique ainsi la gymnastique athlétique, tandis qu’il souligne que la gymnastique militaire excessive conduit à la détérioration sociopolitique. / The purpose of this thesis is to study the role and the function of gymnastike in the tradition of Classical Greek thought. Studying the context in which Plato and Aristotle developed their ideas concerning gymnastike, we comprehend that there are three types of gymnastike in Greek tradition, the military gymnastike (related to the Homeric epics), the athletic gymnastike (related to the Pindaric odes) and the medical gymnastike (related to the Hippocratic corpus). Plato and Aristotle revisit and elaborate these categories. Plato incorporates gymnastike into his educational program, but he rejects the athletic gymnastike. Hippocrates influences Plato, who seems to utilize many elements of this type (medical gymnastike). It seems that gymnastike has the ability to fortify the thymic part of the soul, nevertheless, Plato condems every excessive use of gymnastike, since this lack of moderation cultivates the thymic part, provoking psychological and civic imbalances. Gymnastike is an important factor regarding the “ascension” towards the Form of Beauty (Κάλλος). Equally, Aristotle incorporates gymnastike in his educational program. He takes great care to protect children’s physical condition, indicating in a way the negative aspects of immoderate gymnastike. Thus, he criticizes the athletic gymnastike. Aristotle underlines that the excessive use of military gymnastike leads to a socio-political deterioration.