Birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. Olympic Games in ancient Greece
Olympic Games - the most significant in the world sport competitions. They are held every four years. Every athlete dreams of winning these competitions. The origins of the Olympic Games date back to ancient times. They were carried out as early as the seventh century BC. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? In which country were they held for the first time?
The myth of the birth of the Olympic Games
IN ancient times these were the greatest national festivals. Who is the founder of the ancient Olympic Games is unknown. Myths and legends played a significant role in the social and cultural life of the ancient Greeks. The Hellenes believed that the origin of the Olympic Games dates back to the time of Kronos, the son of the first god Uranus. In a competition between mythical heroes, Hercules won the race, for which he was awarded an olive wreath. Subsequently, the winner insisted that sports competitions be held every five years. Such is the legend. There are, of course, other legends about the origins of the Olympic Games.
Historical sources confirming the holding of these festivals in Ancient Greece include Homer's Iliad. This book mentions a chariot race organized by the inhabitants of Elis, the region in the Peloponnese where Olympia was located.
Holy Truce
A mere mortal who played a significant role in the development of the ancient Greek Olympic Games was King Iphitus. During his reign, the interval between competitions was already four years. Having resumed the Olympic Games, Iphit declared a sacred truce. That is, during these celebrations it was impossible to wage war. And not only in Elis, but also in other parts of Hellas.
Elis was considered a sacred place. It was impossible to wage war with her. True, later the Eleans themselves invaded neighboring regions more than once. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? Firstly, the holding of these competitions was associated with names of the gods who highly revered by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, the aforementioned truce was declared for a month, which had a special name - ἱερομηνία.
Scientists have still not come to a consensus about the types of sports in the Olympic Games held by the Hellenes. There is an opinion that initially athletes competed only in running. Later, wrestling and chariot racing were added to the sports in the Olympic Games.
Participants
Among the citizens in Ancient Greece there were those who were subjected to public dishonor and contempt of others, that is, atymia. They could not become participants in competitions. Only dear Hellenes. Of course, barbarians, who could only be spectators, did not take part in the ancient Olympic Games. An exception was made only in favor of the Romans. At the ancient Greek Olympic Games, a woman did not even have the right to attend unless she was a priestess of the goddess Demeter.
The number of both spectators and participants was huge. If at the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece (776 BC) competitions were held only in running, then later other sports appeared. And over time, poets and artists got the opportunity to compete in their skills. During the celebrations, even deputies competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to mythical deities.
From the history of the Olympic Games it is known that these events had quite an important social and cultural significance. Deals were made between merchants, artists and poets introduced the public to their creations.
Competitions were held on the first full moon after the summer solstice. Lasted five days. A certain part of the time was devoted to rituals with sacrifices and a public feast.
Types of competitions
The history of the Olympic Games, as already mentioned, is full of tales and legends. However, there is reliable information regarding the types of competitions. At the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, athletes competed in running. This sport was represented by the following varieties:
- Distance running.
- Double run.
- Long run.
- Running in full armor.
The first fist fight took place at the 23rd Olympics. Later, the ancient Greeks added martial arts such as pankration, wrestling. It was said above that women had no right to take part in competitions. However, in 688 BC, special competitions were created for the most purposeful inhabitants in Ancient Greece. The only one a sport in which they could compete, there were horse races.
In the fourth century BC, a competition between trumpeters and heralds was added to the program of the Olympic Games - the Hellenes believed that aesthetic pleasure and sport had a logical connection. Artists exhibited their works on the market square. Poets and writers, as mentioned above, read their works. Sometimes, after the completion of the Games, sculptors were commissioned to create statues of the winners, and lyricists composed songs of praise in honor of the strongest and most dexterous.
Ellanodon
What were the names of the judges who watched the competition and awarded awards to the winners? Ellanodons were appointed by lot. The judges not only presented the award, but also managed the organization of the entire event. At the first Olympic Games there were only two of them, then nine, and even later ten. Beginning in 368 BC, there were twelve Hellanodons. However, later the number of judges was reduced. Ellanodons wore special purple clothing.
How did the competition begin? The athletes proved to the spectators and judges that they had devoted the previous months exclusively to preliminary preparation. They took an oath in front of the statue of the main ancient Greek god - Zeus. Relatives of those wishing to compete - fathers and brothers - also took an oath. A month before the competition, the athletes demonstrated their skills in front of judges in the Olympic Gymnasium.
The order of the competition was determined by drawing lots. Then the herald publicly announced the name of the person entering the competition. Where were the Olympic Games held?
Sanctuary of Ancient Greece
Where the Olympic Games took place is clear from the name. Olympia is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. This was once located here temple-cultural complex and sacred grove of Zeus. On the territory of the ancient Greek sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, athletic facilities and the houses in which participants and guests lived. This place was the center of Greek art until the fourth century BC. Later they were burned by order of Theodosius II.
The Olympic Stadium was built gradually. He became the first in Ancient Greece. In the fifth century BC this stadium hosted about forty thousand spectators. For training, a gymnasium was used - a structure treadmill which was equal in length to the one located in the stadium itself. Another platform for preliminary preparation - palaestra. It was a square building with a courtyard. Mostly athletes who competed in wrestling and fist fight.
Leonidoion, which performed the functions, was built in the fifth century BC according to the design of a famous architect in Ancient Greece. The huge building consisted of a courtyard surrounded by columns and included many rooms. The Olympic Games played an important role in the religious life of the Hellenes. That's why here local residents erected several temples and sanctuaries. The structures fell into disrepair after an earthquake that occurred in the sixth century. The racetrack was finally destroyed during a flood.
The last Olympic Games in Ancient Greece took place in 394. Banned by Emperor Theodosius. In the Christian era, these events were regarded as pagan. The revival of the Olympic Games took place two millennia later. Although already in the 17th century, competitions reminiscent of the Olympic ones were held repeatedly in England, France and Greece.
Revival of ancient Greek traditions
The predecessors of the modern Olympic Games were the Olympias, held in the mid-19th century. But they, of course, were not so large-scale and had little in common with the competitions, which in our time are held once every four years. The French Pierre de Coubertin played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games. Why did Europeans suddenly remember the traditions of the ancient Greeks?
In the middle of the 17th century, archaeological research was carried out in Olympia, as a result of which scientists discovered the remains of temple buildings. The work continued for more than ten years. At this time, everything related to Antiquity was popular in Europe. Many public and cultural figures became infected with the desire to revive Olympic traditions. At the same time, the French showed the greatest interest in the culture of sports competitions in Ancient Greece, although the archaeological discoveries belonged to the Germans. This can be easily explained.
In 1871, the French army suffered a defeat, which significantly undermined the patriotic spirit in society. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the reason was the weak physical training soldier. He did not try to inspire his countrymen to fight Germany and other European powers. A French public figure spoke a lot about the need to improve physical culture, but also advocated for overcoming national egoism and establishing international understanding.
The first Olympic Games: modern times
In June 1894, a congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which Coubertin presented to the world community his thoughts on the need to revive ancient Greek traditions. His ideas were supported. On the last day of the congress, it was decided to hold the Olympic Games in two years. They were supposed to take place in Athens. Committee for conducting international competitions headed by Demetrius Vikelas. Pierre de Coubertin took over as secretary general.
The 1896 Olympic Games were the largest sporting event. Greek statesmen put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games exclusively in their homeland. However, the committee decided otherwise. The location of the Games changes every four years.
At the beginning of the 20th century olympic movement was not widely popular. This is partly due to the fact that at that time the World Exhibition was being held in Paris. Some historians believe that the Olympic ideas were saved thanks to the intermediate games of 1906, held again in Athens.
Differences between modern Games and ancient Greek ones
The competitions were resumed on the model of the ancient ones sports competitions. The modern Olympic Games unite athletes from all countries; discrimination against individuals on religious, racial or political grounds is not allowed. This, perhaps, is the main difference between the modern Games and the ancient Greek ones.
What did the modern Olympic Games borrow from the ancient Greek ones? First of all, the names themselves. The frequency of competitions was also borrowed. One of the purposes of the modern Olympic Games is to serve peace and establish mutual understanding between countries. This is consistent with the ideas of the ancient Greeks about a temporary truce during the days of the competition. The Olympic flame and torch are symbols of the Olympics, which arose, of course, in antiquity. Some terms and rules for conducting competitions were also borrowed from the ancient Greeks.
There are, of course, several significant differences between modern Games and antique. The ancient Greeks held sports competitions exclusively in Olympia. Today the Games are organized each time in a different city. In Ancient Greece there was no such thing as the Winter Olympic Games. And the competitions were different. In antiquity in the Olympic Not only athletes, but also poets participated in the games.
Symbolism
Everyone knows what the symbol of the Olympic Games looks like. Five connected rings of black, blue, red, yellow and Green colour. However, few people know that these elements do not belong to any specific continent. sounds in Latin, translated into Russian means “faster, higher, stronger.” The flag is a white panel with the image of rings. It has been lifted at every Games since 1920.
Both the opening and closing of the Games are accompanied by a grandiose, colorful ceremony. The best organizers are involved in developing the scenario mass events. Famous actors and singers strive to take part in this spectacle. The broadcast of this international event attracts tens of millions of viewers around the world to television screens.
If the ancient Greeks believed that in honor of the Olympic Games it was worth suspending any military action, then in the twentieth century the opposite happened. Sports canceled due to armed conflicts. The games were not held in 1916, 1940, 1944. The Olympics have been held in Russia twice. In 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi.
When and where did the Olympic Games appear? And who is the founder of the Olympic Games, you will learn from this article.
Brief history of the Olympic Games
The Olympic Games originated in Ancient Greece, because the inherent athleticism of the Greeks became the reason for the emergence of sports games. The founder of the Olympic Games is King Oenomaus, who organized sport games for those who wanted to take his daughter Hippodamia as a wife. According to legend, he was predicted that the cause of death would be his son-in-law. Therefore, young people who won certain competitions died. Only the cunning Pelops overtook Oenomaus in chariots. So much so that the king broke his neck and died. The prediction came true, and Pelops, having become king, established the organization of the Olympic Games in Olympia every 4 years.
At Olympia, the site of the first Olympic Games, it is believed that the first competition took place in 776 BC. The name of the one who was the first winner of the games in Ancient Greece – Koreb from Elis, who won the race.
Olympic Games in ancient Greece sports
For the first 13 games, the only sport in which the participants competed was running. Afterwards there was the pentathlon. It included running, javelin throwing, long jump, discus throwing, and wrestling. A little later they added a chariot race and a fist fight.
The modern program of the Olympic Games includes 7 winter and 28 summer species sports, that is, 15 and 41 disciplines, respectively. It all depends on the season.
Once the Romans annexed Greece to Rome, the number of nationalities that could take part in the games increased. Gladiator fights were added to the competition program. But in 394 AD, Emperor Theodosius I, a fan of Christianity, canceled the Olympic Games, considering them entertainment for pagans.
The Olympic Games have sunk into oblivion for 15 centuries. The first to take a step towards reviving forgotten competitions was the Benedictine monk Bernard de Montfaucon. He was interested in the history and culture of Ancient Greece and insisted that excavations should be carried out in the place where the famous Olympia had once been.
In 1766, Richard Chandler found the ruins of unknown ancient structures near Mount Kronos. It was part of the temple wall. In 1824, Lord Stanhof, an archaeologist, began excavations on the banks of the Alpheus. In 1828, the baton of excavations at Olympia was picked up by the French, and in 1875 by the Germans.
Pierre de Coubertin, a French statesman, insisted that the Olympic Games must be resumed. And in 1896, the first revived Olympic Games were held in Athens, which are still popular today.
We hope that from this article you learned where and when the Olympic Games originated.
If yes, you might be very interested to know impressive details of the origins of the Olympic races. The history of the Olympic Games is fascinating and full of surprises. So, let's dive into the uncharted waters of the world Olympiads?
How it all began
The famous Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus originated in Ancient Greece and were held since 776 BC. e. every 4 years in the city of Olympia. Sports competitions were such a great success and of great importance for society that for a while OlimpiyskOuchthe races stopped the wars and ekehiriya - a sacred truce - was established.
People flocked to Olympia from everywhere to watch the competition: some traveled on foot, some on horseback, and some even sailed by ship to distant lands just to get a glimpse of the majestic Greek athletes. Entire tent settlements grew up around the city. To watch the athletes, spectators completely filled the hillsides around the Alpheus River valley.
After the solemn victory and the award ceremony (presentation of a wreath of sacred olives and a palm branch), the Olympian lived happily ever after. Holidays were held in his honor, hymns were sung, statues were made, and in Athens the winner was exempted from taxes and burdensome public duties. And the winner was always given the best seat in the theater. In some places, even the children of an Olympian enjoyed special privileges.
Interesting, that women were not allowed to participate in Olympic competitions under penalty of death.
Brave Hellenes competed in running, fist fighting (which Pythagoras once won), jumping, javelin throwing, and so on. However, the most dangerous were the chariot races. You won’t believe it, but the winner of equestrian competitions was considered the owner of the horses, and not the poor cab driver who risked his life to win.
There are many legends associated with the Olympic Games. One of them says that the first competitions were allegedly organized by Zeus himself in honor of the victory over his father. Whether this is true or not, it was Homer who first mentioned the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece in literature in the poem “The Iliad.”
Archaeological excavations indicate that in Olympia, 5 rectangular or horseshoe-shaped stadiums with stands for fans were built specifically for the competition.
Unfortunately, nothing is currently known about the time of the champions. It was enough to be the first to reach the finish line to gain the right to light the sacred fire. But legends tell us about Olympians who ran faster than hares, and just look at the talent of the Spartan Ladas, who left no traces on the sand while running.
Modern Olympic Games
Modern international sports competitions, known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896. The initiator was the French baron Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that it was insufficient physical training that prevented French soldiers from winning the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Young people should measure their strength on sports grounds, not on battlefields, the activist argued.
The first Olympic Games were held in Athens. To organize the competition we created International Olympic Committee , whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas from Greece.
Since then, the holding of the World Olympiad has become a good tradition. With the backdrop of impressive excavations and archaeological finds, the idea of Olympism spread throughout Europe. Increasingly, European states organized their own sports competitions, which were watched by the whole world.
What about winter sports?
To fill the gap in winter sports competitions, which were technically impossible to hold in the summer, The Winter Olympic Games have been held since January 25, 1924. The first were organized in a French city Chamonix. Except figure skating and hockey, athletes competed in speed skating, ski jumping, etc.
293 athletes, including 13 women, from 16 countries of the world expressed a desire to compete for championship in the competition. The first Olympic champion of the Winter Games was C. Jutrow from the USA (speed skating), but in the end the leaders of the competition were the teams of Finland and Norway. The race lasted 11 days and ended on February 4.
Attributes of the Olympic Games
Now the symbol and emblem The Olympic Games have five intertwined rings that symbolize the unification of the five continents.
Olympic motto, proposed by the Catholic monk Henri Dido: “Faster, higher, stronger.”
At the opening ceremony of each Olympics they raise flag- white cloth with the emblem (Olympic rings). Lights up throughout the Olympics Olympic fire, which is brought to the venue each time from Olympia.
Since 1968, each Olympiad has its own.
The 2016 Olympic Games are planned to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ukrainian team will present their champions to the world. By the way, the first Olympic champion Figure skater became independent Ukraine Oksana Baiul.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are always a vibrant spectacle, which once again emphasizes the prestige and planetary importance of these global competitions.
The modern Olympic Games are sports competitions international scale. The tradition of holding them was born even before our era in Ancient Greece, where sport was of great importance to people.
History of origin
According to legend, the mother of all the ancient Greek gods Rhea served mythical creatures with ugly bodies - dactyls. Five dactyl brothers once traveled to Olympia, a Greek settlement considered a sacred place. Looking at beautiful figures divine statues, of which there were many in the temples of Olympia, dactyls wanted to make their bodies at least a little more attractive. To do this, they began to play sports and compete with each other in running, thereby starting the tradition of organizing sports competitions.
So even in ancient times with the athletes' competition was nicknamed the Olympics thanks to the place where they were first held and were organized every five years, according to the number of mythical brothers.
After some time, the tradition of holding the Olympic Games was interrupted, but in the 2nd century BC it resumed again. Since then, the interval between the Olympics has been 4 years.
Reason for truce
Ancient Greece, or as it was also called Hellas, was not a single country. It consisted of several small independent states, between which bloody wars constantly took place.
History says that Iphitus, king of the Greek state of Elis, on whose territory Olympia was located, the fortuneteller oracle gave advice to organize a spectacular sports festival to please the gods, which will save the country from enemy raids and destruction. Iphitus enlisted the support of a respected legislator from Sparta and established regular running competitions in the sacred Olympia.
On the eve of the Olympic Games, a truce was established throughout Greece. For a month All wars stopped. In addition, Elis over time turned into an untouchable country against which other states were forbidden to fight.
Organization of ancient Games
The celebrations took place in the same Olympia at one time, shortly before the grape harvest. They continued for five days. Sports competitions were followed by sacrifices to the gods, celebrations of winners and grand feasts.
Initially Only men could participate in the competition, born in Elis and never committing a crime, the rest were purely spectators. Women were not allowed to attend the holiday at all. Every olympic athlete was obliged to train intensively for at least 10 months a year and have an excellent physical fitness.
Athletes They competed in running, and later in wrestling and chariot racing.
The winners received special respect and were awarded wreaths of olive branches, palm branches, cash prizes or supplies of meat and other food.
The ancient Olympic Games always attracted huge numbers of spectators and participants. Merchants used this to make various transactions, artists introduced people to their creations.
Olympics in Ancient Rome
In 146 BC, Rome conquered Greece. The Romans did not ban the Olympic festivals, but they stopped wearing sporty character. Olympic Games turned into a bloody spectacle. The stadiums hosted brutal fighting. Gladiators fought each other to the death, fought with bulls and ferocious wild animals.
By the end of the 4th century AD, the Christian faith came to Rome, after which the government of the country decided to abandon the Olympic Games as a pagan holiday. And over time, wars and natural disasters completely wiped Olympia from the face of the earth.
Revival of Olympic traditions
In the 18th century, German scientists became interested in archaeological finds made in the area of ancient Olympia. Excavations of ancient sports facilities led to the emergence in Europe of the idea of resuming the Olympic Games as a powerful incentive for development sports culture among the population.
A public figure from France made a special contribution to the return of Olympic traditions Baron Pierre de Coubertin. In his opinion, European youth of that time had underdeveloped physical fitness, but the emergence of regular sports competitions could change this. Moreover, through peaceful athletic competitions, young people would have the opportunity to demonstrate your courage and strength without bloodshed or cruelty.
In 1894, an important international event dedicated to the development of sports was held in Paris. It is there that the French baron's message about the desire to resume Olympic traditions. The idea receives support from influential people. And in the same significant year, the International Olympic Committee appears - a new organization promoting development sports movement and management healthy image life. Pierre de Coubertin is given one of the leading positions on the committee.
The summer of 1896 was marked by the first modern Olympic competitions. They take place in Greek Athens and become a real event throughout the cultural world. Participation in the games is best athletes from 14 states.
The year 1924 was marked in history by the organization of the first Winter Olympic Games. Their appearance is associated with the development of numerous winter species sports. Currently, the difference between winter and summer games is two years.
Games of our time
Olympic Games now are purely sporting in nature and have nothing to do with religion. They are organized in different countries, that is, they do not have a permanent location. Parallel to competitions for healthy participants Competitions are held for disabled athletes.
In 1913, a special attribute of the Olympic holiday arose - five fastened Olympic rings, symbolizing the unity of the five parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and America. Since 1936, in the country where the games are held, it has been customary to light the Olympic torch and keep it burning until the end of all sporting events.
Today, as in ancient times, Olympic champions enjoy special honor, after all, they defend not only their own honor, but also the prestige of their country. In addition, as in ancient Greece, the Olympics is now a grandiose holiday with a number of magnificent ceremonies, which, fortunately, everyone can witness.
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“Even the gods are powerless against human glory” - these words of the great Johann Friedrich Schiller are perfectly suited to the history of the origin of the ancient Olympic Games, and here’s why...
The ancient Hellenes had many gods. Perhaps no other nation had so many.
When people encountered something incomprehensible and frightening in the outside world, they came up with a new deity for this case and it became no longer so scary. Gods existed for all occasions.
By inventing them, the Greeks made the gods similar to themselves: with the same advantages and disadvantages as ordinary people. The gods could be old and young, beautiful and ugly, good and evil, cheerful drunkards and gloomy grumps, vengeful, lame, one-eyed...
The only thing that distinguished them from people was immortality.
But soon people themselves wanted to become like the gods, and then it turned out that that they can achieve immortality only in the memory of their descendants, having accomplished some feat.
Let's say, during the war it was not at all difficult, but there anyone could become a hero and it was not difficult to get lost among many. But so that there is only one winner...
And then people came up with the Olympic Games.
The history of the Olympic Games
“Life is like games: some come to compete, others to trade, and the happiest come to watch.” This is how Pythagoras of Samos determined the significance of the Olympics in the life of the ancient Greeks.
The spirit of rivalry determined the way of life of the city-states of Hellas, and forced the inhabitants of the Greek city-states to constantly wage war among themselves.
And so, according to one of the legends, Iphit, king of Elis, the same one where Olympia was located, worried about the constant hostility and disgusting wars, decided to go to the Delphic Oracle in order, according to his predictions, to protect his people from attacks and robberies. The answer was given to him: “Your people will be saved by competitive games pleasing to the gods!”
Then the smart ruler goes to his neighbor - to the king of warlike Sparta Lycurgus and tells him about the Oracle’s predictions, and the Spartan sovereign not only agrees with this prophecy, but also takes Olympia under the protection of Laconia, declaring it neutral land.
So, according to their decision, agreed with the rulers of other small fragmented states, the Olympic Games were established, dedicated to the main Olympian god Zeus.
The Greeks, at the suggestion of the historian Timeos, established a special “Olympic calendar”, which was tied to the first full moon after the summer solstice. Since then, once every four years, or every 1417 days, precisely on these dates, competitions began to be held at Olympia.
The exact date and time of the opening of the holiday in Olympia was announced long before it began.
All Greek city-states were notified, where special heralds were sent - spondophores, who announced that from the moment the Olympics began ekheriya - truce for the duration of the competition.
Typically, the Ekheria lasted two months according to the Eleatic calendar, which were called Apollonium and Parthenium. At this time, not only Olympia, but all of Elis were proclaimed a “zone of peace”, where everyone could arrive without fear for their lives, since there were almost no cases of violation of the truce, and those who dared to break this rule were punished - a huge fine and ban to participate in the Olympics.
This is how the wise Iphit of Elis was able to stop internecine wars, forcing ardent opponents to put aside their weapons and go to a peace festival to take part in competitions or watch them and feel like not individual citizens of one state, but a single people.
There were other similar holidays in Ancient Greece: in Corinth - Isthmian, in Delphi - Pythian, and in Nemea, where Hercules fought with a stone lion - Nemean.
But the most significant for all of Hellas were, of course, the Olympic Games.
Venue of the first Games
Even the place chosen for them named Olympia, to remind of the closeness to the gods and their home - the divine Mount Olympus.
This wonderful place is located in the southwest of Greece, in the Elis region of the largest Greek peninsula - the Peloponnese.
This is the quiet green valley of the Alpheus River at the very foot of Mount Kronos, where the oak grove of Altis roars, which, after the construction of the Temple of Zeus, like the entire sanctuary of Olympia, was also dedicated to the main Olympian god.
How were the bans carried out and why?
At the very beginning of the history of the Games, the competition of athletes was not the end in itself of the Olympic festivities. They were integral part religious rites of worship of the Olympian gods and
only then did they gradually degenerate into self-sufficient sports competitions.
According to custom, the first day of the Games was dedicated to Zeus and the patron gods: sacrifices were made to them, prayers were directed to them, honesty and incorruptibility were sworn to them, sports victories were dedicated to them.
The Greeks believed that it was a great pleasure for the gods to contemplate the agility, strength and beautiful trained bodies they demonstrated.
The exact date of the first Olympics has certainly “sunk into oblivion,” but, according to some assumptions, they were held starting in 776 BC. e. The first victory at the Olympic Games dates back to this year. During excavations, a marble slab was found on which the name of the very first Olympic champion was carved - Elidian cook Koreb and the date of this victory is 776.
In total, 293 ancient Olympics were held. The Games of 393 were the final ones.
After which Emperor Theodosius the Venerable, who alone ruled the entire eastern part of the Roman Empire, which by that time included Olympia, chose Christianity as the state religion, and banned all pagan cults, including the Olympic Games.
Soon after the ban on the Olympics, all temples and sports buildings were burned by order of Theodosius II (in 426 AD), and a hundred years later they were finally destroyed by strong earthquakes and river floods.
Types of competitions
Initially, the first thirteen competitions featured running competitions.
The length of the distances was measured in steps or stages - doesn’t it really remind everyone of the familiar word stadium? It was from the stage (step) that the name of the structure where the competition was held came.
In Olympia, the stage was 192.7 cm - it was believed that Hercules himself had such a long stride.
Then in 724 BC. e. a one-leg out and one back race, or “double,” was added to the program.
In 720, the running distance increased to 24 stages, and in 708 BC. e. Pentathlon competitions were added: running, long jump, discus and javelin throwing, and it all ended with wrestling.
Later the most cruel look competition - wrestling without rules, or pankration, where they competed until the enemy asked for mercy by raising his finger. Sometimes such battles even ended in the death of one of the participants.
In 680, chariot racing was added.
To become a participant in the ancient Olympic Games it was necessary:
- be a citizen of Greece, and free, and must speak Greek fluently: neither slaves nor barbarians were allowed to participate in competitions;
- to be a man: participation of women in competitions was prohibited;
- monitored compliance with all norms and rules of the Olympics honorary citizens Greece, called Hellanodics.
Athletes wishing to take part in the Games began to prepare a year before the start of the Olympics.
And then, a month before the start of the competition, they had to demonstrate their skills to the judges to prove their readiness for the competition.
The Hellanodics also ensured that all competitions were conducted fairly, without fraud. If the slightest shadow of suspicion of fraud fell on the winner, he was deprived of the champion title, fined a huge amount and subjected to public flogging with rods.
The money collected from the athletes who committed the fines was used to cast statues (zans) in honor of Zeus, which decorated the alley in front of the stadium.
In his book “History”, Herodotus describes such a curious incident that happened to Alexander the Great himself:
One day Great Alexander arrived in Olympia to take part in a running competition. The Hellenes who participated in the competition demanded that the Hellanodic judges exclude him from the list of participants, claiming that he was a barbarian, not a Greek. Then Alexander had to provide evidence of his origin. He was allowed to compete, and, according to Herodotus, he reached the finish line at the same time as the winner.
What was awarded
What did the Olympic winners receive for their efforts?
Only olive wreath, from the sacred grove of Altis, decorated with purple ribbons, and a name carved on a marble plaque, or a statue made by the best Greek sculptors, for example, Phidias, and then on the condition that they became Olympians at least 4 times.
But returning to their native cities, they turned into heroes.
They were worshiped almost like gods, showered with expensive gifts, exempted from state duties, and fed for the rest of their lives.
Renaissance: the modern Olympic Games
And, although the natural elements and inexorable time tried very hard to make Olympia with its former glory disappear from the face of the earth, they still did not succeed completely. Ancient Olympia did not disappear without a trace.
The glory of the Olympic competitions was immortalized in the works of the great Hellenes: Plato and Aristotle, Socrates, Demosthenes, Pythagoras, who not only wrote about their favorite games, but also took part in them, for example, Pythagoras and Plato participated in the most difficult competitions - fist fighting and pankration.
And after 13 centuries, thanks to their efforts, excavations of the ancient monument began. The first excavations at Olympia began in 1829 and continue to this day.
And although today it is no longer possible to restore many masterpieces, such as the sculpture of Zeus the Thunderer, made by the great Phidias from gold and ivory, which was rightfully considered in Ancient Greece one of the seven wonders of the world, descendants managed to revive the spirit of this sacred place.
And the words of the Olympic motto: “Citius, Altius, Fortius” “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” inspire today's Olympic champions for glorious deeds.
Thousands of pilgrims try to visit the revived Olympia, especially in those days when, just like many centuries ago, The sacred Olympic flame is lit here once every four years., symbolizing the beginning of the modern Olympics, which preserved the traditions of the great ancient athletes.
