Probably the least known ancient Greek use of olive oil was in sport- not only would competing athletes use olive oil on their skin but it was also the basis of a particular sport as well. This is not something like Turkish oil wrestling, which is of course very modern. Instead they took advantage of Greece's highly mountainous terrain in a sport called pygoglistró. They would lay a great track of specially prepared leather going down a slope. This would be slathered in great reams of olive oil, all of which was dedicated to Artemis (the festival of the Corcyraia was dedicated to Artemis). The competitors would then cover themselves in olive oil, make their prayers, and then bodily hurl themselves down the slicked track. The aim was to race- whichever competitor reached the bottom would win a trophy and would have their name inscribed in the temple of Artemis in Corcyra. As you can imagine, this was frequently dangerous- if the leather was not properly flattened then it would be easy to be thrown onto sharp rocks. But then again the pankration wrestling was often equally as deadly, and deaths were frequent there too.

In fact, in the western Greek colonies, this was what the production of olive oil was so important for. They of course also used it for cooking, libations, and lubricant like other Greeks, but never underestimate the pull of the pygoglistró.

WARNING THIS IS TOTALLY A JOKE NONE OF THIS IS REAL. READ MOD NOTE HERE