State-of-the-art in its day, a catapult-like contraption known as a hysplex was used to start footraces in Greece around the 5th century B.C. At a time when athletes competed in the nude, the hysplex made sure that no runner had an advantage.

A modern version of the ancient hysplex starting mechanism was reconstructed in the stadium at Nemea, Greece in 1993 and has been used during revivals of the Ancient Nemean Games held every four years.