No doubt, several works on weightlifting were written as one can notice from theBibliography of this book, bat their authors nearly always dedicated few lines to antiquity and even less the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the 1800's.

Today's publication, based on a long thorought research, wants to fill this gap while treasuring up the existing literature. The author is Architect Livio Toschi, the EWF historical and artistic expert, who, last year, conceived the art contest named The mith of strength for our Federation. A brilliant and successful initiative which won't certainly remain a unique case, convinced, as we are, that Art and Sport form a perfect dual concept, despite the fact it has been neglected for too long time. In fact, as Henri Pouret correctly wrote, "c'est l'Art qui assure la pérennité du Sport" ("it's Art which makes Sport eternal").

The Author's task was not easy and we want to thank him for the enthusiasm and devotion he put in his thorough and far-reaching research, ranging from mythology to history, from art to literature. His tireless toil gave precious fruits providing new information and clearing up old doubts. The seriousness of his investigation is made even clearer by the countless references to literary texts, the huge number of notes and the rich iconography.

The passionate and ceaseless study of Architect Toschi is a proof of what Lucien Febvre used to say: "Being a real historian means never relinquishing".

The copious literature on the 1800's y made the Author limit himself to the essential events. An in-depth study will be the object of a new publication which will be followed by a third one on the 1900's. A trilogy which, complete with all necessary equipment (biographic cards, data tables, chronological compendia, name index, etc.) will represent a real Encyclopaedia of strength.

The myth of strength is certainly one of the most important works on the history of weightlifting, and the EWF and IWF are proud to publish it. We hope it will be the reference point for new future studies and the vehicle to make people (and not only a few "experts") know and appreciate our sport which boasts a brilliant past - as this work demonstrates irrefutably - and, hopefully, a marvellous future.