Ancient Greek Olympics
Ancient Greece
The Ancient Olympics “And Time, in passing onward, clearly told the plain story, how Herakles divided the spoils that were the gift of war, and offered sacrifice, and how he ordained the four years’ festival along with the first Olympic Games and with contests victors.” * Pindar Olympian Ode 10.55-59
Even though there were other games within Greece, the Olympian Games became the most famous. The man credited with the creation of the games was none other than the hero and son of Zeus, Herakles, or Hercules. (Pindar, & Lattimore, 1947)
The Olympic Games as we know them today have a long history which goes back to ancient times. Everything started in the Peloponnese, in Greece, some 3,000 years ago. Sports competitions were organized at Olympia and were named after their location, hence their name “Olympic” Games. Nobody knows exactly when they began, but the date of 776 BC is often referred to as the first written mention of the competitions. These Games were held at the same place, every four years. This four-year period acquired the name “Olympiad”, and was used as a date system: time was counted in Olympiads, rather than years. (Herrmann, Jr, & Kondoleon, 2004)
The Games organized at Olympia led to the development of the Pan-Hellenic Games.
These included:
– The Games at Olympia (Olympic Games)
– The Games at Delphi (Pythian Games)
– The Games at Isthmia (Isthmian Games)
– The Games at Nemea (Nemean Games)
These Games were special because they brought the Greek world together at a time when Greece was not a single state, but rather a series of city-states (politically and economically independent communities). From Greece and their colonies (in Italy, North Africa and Asia Minor), people travelled to take part in or attend these Games, inspired by the shared feeling of belonging to the same culture and religion. It should be noted that the four Pan-Hellenic Games were never held during the same year. It is
The Ancient Olympics “And Time, in passing onward, clearly told the plain story, how Herakles divided the spoils that were the gift of war, and offered sacrifice, and how he ordained the four years’ festival along with the first Olympic Games and with contests victors.” * Pindar Olympian Ode 10.55-59
Even though there were other games within Greece, the Olympian Games became the most famous. The man credited with the creation of the games was none other than the hero and son of Zeus, Herakles, or Hercules. (Pindar, & Lattimore, 1947)
The Olympic Games as we know them today have a long history which goes back to ancient times. Everything started in the Peloponnese, in Greece, some 3,000 years ago. Sports competitions were organized at Olympia and were named after their location, hence their name “Olympic” Games. Nobody knows exactly when they began, but the date of 776 BC is often referred to as the first written mention of the competitions. These Games were held at the same place, every four years. This four-year period acquired the name “Olympiad”, and was used as a date system: time was counted in Olympiads, rather than years. (Herrmann, Jr, & Kondoleon, 2004)
The Games organized at Olympia led to the development of the Pan-Hellenic Games.
These included:
– The Games at Olympia (Olympic Games)
– The Games at Delphi (Pythian Games)
– The Games at Isthmia (Isthmian Games)
– The Games at Nemea (Nemean Games)
These Games were special because they brought the Greek world together at a time when Greece was not a single state, but rather a series of city-states (politically and economically independent communities). From Greece and their colonies (in Italy, North Africa and Asia Minor), people travelled to take part in or attend these Games, inspired by the shared feeling of belonging to the same culture and religion. It should be noted that the four Pan-Hellenic Games were never held during the same year. It is
Bibliography: Primary Sources Pausanias, & Jones, W. (1918). Pausanias: Description of Greece. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Pindar, & Lattimore, R. (1947). The Odes of Pindar. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Secondary Sources Herrmann, Jr, J, & Kondoleon, C. (2004). Games for the Gods: the Greek Athlete and the Olympic Spirit. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts. Perrottet, T. (2004). The Naked Olympics. New York: Random House, Inc. Spivey, N. (2004). The Ancient Games. New York: Oxford University Press.