This year, the Sochi Olympic Winter Games will be an event full of exciting sports and breathtaking stunts. But have you ever thought about what the first Olympics were like in ancient Greek history? With the fans, not crowded around a television screen, but all seated and watching firsthand the events about to unfold. Just think about that, observing some of the strongest men in the world throw weights and men to the ground, chariots crashing together in an effort to place first. Now keep those images in your mind as I lead you through a day in the Olympics. You will learn that the Ancient Olympics were a religious event full of spectacular sports, breathtaking strength, and subsequently have become the worldwide event enjoyed by millions today.
Before we get into the Games, here’s a couple things you should know. The Olympics are played on the plains of Olympia in Greece, located on the Western part of the Peloponnese (olympic.org). The first Games ever to be played were in 776 B.C. (Hornblower) and were believed to have been founded by Pelpos (olympic.org) in Elis, Greece (The Britannica Encyclopedia Editors) Also the Olympics, every four years (britannica.com), were played between August and September (Schbel 53). So first, before the Games begin, there is a procession that goes on a thirty-six mile trek from Elis, Greece to Olympia Greece (Faulkner 195). The procession included the judges, the Olympic council, the Heralds, etc., and then the athletes, chariots, horses, etc. (Faulkner 195). The first day of the Olympics begins with an opening ceremony (Faulkner 197). The opening ceremony consisted of all of the athletes that were participating in the Games swearing on slices of wild boar meat that they will abide...
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...ochi Olympic Games. They were a time for celebration, competition, and honor. They will live in our hearts as one of the most spectacular events in ancient history.
Works Cited
Durant, John. “Highlights of the Olympics”. New York (city of publication not given): Hastings House Publishers, 1961.
The Britannica Encyclopedia Editors.ed. “Elis” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010. Britannica Online. Web. 7 January, 2014.
Faulkner, Neil. “A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics”. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2012.
Hornblower, Simon “Ancient Greek civilization (historical region, Eurasia)”
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2012. Britannica Online. Web. 7 January, 2014.
Schobel, Heinz. “The Ancient Olympic Games”. Princeton: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1965.
“Ancient Olympic Games.” Online. http://www.olympic.org/ancient-olympic-games 9 January, 2014.
Since 776 BCE, the Olympics have been a way for people of different cultures to come together and compete in friendly competition. In 1892 the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, although it had been over a thousand years since the last game it still had brought together an assortment of different religions and ethnic groups together. Many factors shaping the Olympic Games reflect the changes that have taken place in our world since the last game in 393 CE in Greece such changes include woman’s suffrage, global economy, world wars, and proving competency.
Athletic events at this time were also closely related to the religious beliefs and practices of the Greek citizens. Each competition was devoted to a specific pagan god. For example, the patron of the Olympics was Zeus. The Greeks believed that the physical strength and ability of athletes was a direct gift from the gods (http://www.meiaconcerto.com/olympic/olympia/ideal_o.php, September 27, 2004). Therefore, each athlete competed not only in honor of his city-state, but also in honor of the gods.
The Penn Museum. "The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games | Introduction." Penn Museum - Penn Museum. Penn Museum. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. .
In Ancient Greece they formed the Greek Olympics in the year 776 B.C in which participants participate to honor the gods and demonstrate their physical abilities. What was amazing was that those who participated were only participating in honor and not prizes. Something that they would win was the olive wreath which was basically winning the honor and recognition of the people and the gods. Comparing to the ancient time and now is that there are now commercialized, endorsements, and sponsorships for athletes to represent companies in the Olympics. However, the Olympics still hold true to the idea that it is still a place for participants compete with the best in the world for the honor (gold,silver, and bronze medal). Also, if we look at the sculpture of the Diskobolos made by Myron of Eleutherae it represented the general athlete in motion and would symbolize the ancient times athlete. But something that is different about now and the Greek ...
Early Greek Olympics were not immune to the political virus. They used the Olympics to show off their prominent cities and to gain support from their communities. Durin...
“It is universally accepted that 776 B.C. was the year the festival at Olympia, in honor of Zeus, became known as the Olympics, and the period of four years between celebrations became an Olympiad (Zimmerman 1984).” Yet the precise circumstances surrounding the creation of the ancient Olympics are still shrouded in mystery. Several myths encompassin...
modern Olympics were a vision of one man who had strived to see a unity that can only be
Modern Day Olympics are a huge tradition that sweeps the screens of televisions across the world. Competitors take the arena with uniforms that dawn their countries colors and designs that are meant to resemble their designated flag. For months the news is centered around the games; the preparation, the athletes, and of course the competition. Countries aren 't obsessed, they are inspired and full of pride seeing athletes from their country compete and show their incredible skill. This tradition dates back to ancient Greece where the games began. Tony Perrottet writes about the traditions of the ancient game in his book The Naked Olympics.
The Olympic games is a series of events that takes place every two and four years that originated in Greece to honor the Greek gods (Cartledge 1). The Olympics is an inspirational contest where many nations of the world come together and compete. This pertains to the athletic competitors who have trained for years to enter the Olympics. This includes swimmers, boxers, hockey players, runners, cyclists, ice-skating, figure skating, and many other sports (Cartledge 2). The Olympics have changed since ancient times because of technology, innovations, and a broader audience.
The Olympic Games were an event widely celebrated within the ancient world of Greece. They provided a sense of competition and pride for the winners, but they also had a profound impact on the civilization of Greece at the time. It is evident that the Olympics had an effect on Ancient Greece, but historians still argue regarding the extent to which they impacted the country. Religion was a large part of Ancient Greek life and this was showcased within the games. The games themselves were mostly a religious festival, focusing more on rituals then the sporting events themselves. The Greeks also placed a great deal of importance on politics. Many political discussions took place and many decisions were made at the event, influencing countless
The Ancient Greek Olympics were not only sporting events, it was a celebration to honor the great and powerful Zeus. The Ancient Olympics were held every four years at the famous Olympia, a district of Elis, here all free Greek men were allowed to compete. The first record of the Olympic Games was held in 776 B.C. The main sports were the Pentathlon, the Equestrian Events, Pankration, and Boxing.
The Olympic Games were started by the Greeks a long time ago. It was in the honor of Zeus, the kings of the gods and were part of a religious festivals. They started in 776 B.C. The games were held every four years in Olympia, which is located in southeast Greece. People came from all around Greece to take part or just watch the games. Events in the Ancient Olympic Games were boxing, chariot racing, riding, pentathlon, discus, javelin, jump, running, and wrestling. Events in modern Olympic Games are swimming, diving,
Most at times do not really realize how important history and its events greatly influence the way we live and what we do today! Every four years we celebrate the beginning of something that was brought up long ago, the Olympics! This great event in which, now the whole world participates in started way back in the year 776 BC. It started from people playing for the God Zeus to people playing for their country and a medal, the Olympic Games sure did evolve as the time and beliefs changed.
Introduction Today, the Olympic Games are the world's largest pageant of athletic skill and competitive spirit. They are also displays of nationalism, commerce and politics. Well-known throughout the world the games have been used to promote understanding and friendship among nations, but have also been a hotbed of political disputes and boycotts. The Olympic games started thousands of years ago and lasted over a millennium.. The symbolic power of the Games lived on after their demise, and came to life again as the modern Olympic Games being revived in the last century. Both the modern and Ancient Olympics have close similarities in there purpose and in there problems.
The Olympic Games were a vital part of Greek culture which was heavily influenced by athletics. Today, the Olympic Games are the world's largest presentation of athletic skill and competitive spirit. Thousands of athletes and spectators participate in this universal event. Revived in 1896, the Olympic Games had their beginnings in ancient Greece, and since then the event is very much comparable to modern Olympic events.