Spartan Gymnastics Association
The Spartan Gymnastics Association is a sports club based in Sparta. It was founded on November 5th, 1895, just one year before the first modern Olympic Games, which were held in Athens from April 6th-15th, 1896.
The Spartan Gymnastics Association is one of the oldest sports clubs in Greece. In the past, it had football and table tennis departments, while today, it maintains active cycling, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and athletics departments.
As its emblem, the Association has the Dioscuri (Castor and Polydefkis), mythical heroes of Laconia and, according to tradition, sons of Zeus and Leda. Also, in an attempt to connect ancient history with that of Byzantium, the Association's colours are yellow and black.
Unfortunately, much data on the Association's activities during the first period have yet to be recovered. From information taken from the press of the time, we know that the earliest athletics competitions organised by the Association took place on May 21st, 1902.
From 1895 until 1939, the Spartan Gymnastic Association also maintained a music department, which was the only philharmonic of Sparta, while in 1975, it was awarded the Prize of the Academy of Athens.