Bible Dictionary
DISCUS
A discus was a heavy stone or metal disk thrown as an athletic contest in Greek gymnasia. It was introduced at Jerusalem during the Hellenistic period and associated with pagan Greek games.
Definition
A discus was a heavy, round stone slab or metal plate, resembling a large quoit. Throwing it for distance was an exercise in the Greek gymnasium and formed part of the pentathlon. The term also denotes the discus-throwing contest itself.
Biblical Usage
The discus is mentioned in the account of the Greek games introduced at Jerusalem. Priests are described as having forsaken their duties to play at the discus, an action associated there with ungodly conduct.
Historical Background
Jason the high priest introduced the Greek games into Jerusalem during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, 175–164 BC, establishing a palaestra in imitation of Greek practice. The word has given rise to the English forms disc, dish, and desk.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>dis'-kus (diskos, "the summons of the discus," 2 Macc 4:14 margin, "to the game of the discus," the King James Version "the game of discus"): The discus was a round stone slab or metal plate of considerable weight (a kind of quoit), the contest of throwing which to the greatest distance was one of the exercises in the Greek gymnasia, being included in the pentathlon. It was introduced into Jerusalem by Jason the high priest in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, 175-164 BC, in the Palaestra he had formed there in imitation of the Greek games. His conduct led to his being described in 2 Macc 4:13,14 as that "ungodly man" through whom even the priests forsook their duties to play at the discus. A statue of a discobolos (discus-thrower) is in the British Museum. From discus we have the words "disc," "dish," "desk." See GAMES.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>