Poliakoff's "Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture" makes mention of Milo of Crouton performing feats of strength. The story of carry a young calf on the back each day as it grows to gain strength by progressive training is attached to Milo.

In the Olympic history museum of Greece, item L191 is the Stone of Bybon. It is a 143.5 kg block of sandstone with an inscription that the athlete Bybon raised it over his head with one hand and threw it.

There is also claim of a stone at the Greek island of Thera, 481 kilograms in weight, dated to the sixth century BCE, bearing the inscription ‘‘Eumastas, the son of Critobulus, lifted me from the ground’’.

This website displays what it purports to be the image from a "victor's cup" for wrestling competitions circa 600 BCE. The image is of a young man lifting large stones.