Milo of Croton at the Louvre, Paris

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Milo of Croton was a renowned 6th-century BC wrestler from the Magna Graecian city of Croton who dominated the wrestling scene with an impressive career marked by numerous victories in the most prestigious athletic festivals of ancient Greece. Milo's athletic prowess earned him widespread recognition, and he is credited by the ancient historian Diodorus Siculus as a key leader who rallied his fellow citizens to a decisive military victory over their neighboring rival Sybaris in 510 BC. The philosopher Pythagoras was reportedly an associate of Milo's, and there are stories that suggest the wrestler played a heroic role in saving the philosopher's life when a roof collapse threatened him. Additionally, it is said that Milo may have married the philosopher's daughter, Myia. Like other celebrated athletes of ancient Greece, Milo became the subject of fantastical tales highlighting his incredible strength and power, which may have been exaggerated by the misinterpretation of his statues. According to legend, Milo performed incredible feats such as carrying a massive bull on his shoulders and bursting a band around his brow simply by inflating the veins in his temples.