There’s a scrap of papyrus (a form of paper made from reeds that grew in the Nile) that has survived the centuries until it was found in the Egyptian desert over a century ago. Although there are gaps in the piece, enough has survived to make it clear what it is.

It’s a list of Olympic champions.

The Greek Olympic games were held every four years for a thousand years. The list includes champions for all the events including the 200 yard dash which was the oldest event in the games. This list included champions for boxing, wrestling, a no-holds-barred event called the Pankraton, chariot races, the long jump, the discus, the javelin, and the Pentathlon. Some names appear more than once, champions who reigned over decades. Some appear once.

Each victor received plenty of prizes: land, slav…