The+Ancient+Olympic+Games

=**The Ancient Olympic Games**= by Jake = =

The Olympics are probably the most well known and important sports competition in the world. The top athletes from many different places get to compete in a huge variety of sports. The ideas and traditions of the Olympics we all know and love barely compare to the Greek-style Olympics.

The Olympics originated in Olympia, Greece in 776 B.C. The reason it was held in Olympia was because to the Greeks, sports were a way of honoring the gods. Olympia was a very old place and it held the Temple of Zeus so it only made sense to play a reoccurring sports festival in a religious area. Aside from the spiritual aspect, Olympia was very convenient for ships to reach so that people from all over could come to view the Olympics. ([|Matt Barrett])

There are several myths on how the legendary games started. Some myths were that Zeus held a footrace when he was an infant thus starting the Olympics. Another is that a Greek beat a King in a chariot race in order marry his daughter and then established the games. Whatever the reason, the Greeks held the Olympics every Olympiad in honor of the god, Zeus. An Olympiad is a period of four years. The Olympics started the Olympiad. One of the Seven Wonders of the World is located in the Temple of Zeus: A 42 foot tall statue of Zeus sitting on his throne made out of gold and ivory. Before the games, the Greeks would enter the Temple of Zeus and sacrifice 100 oxen. During the Olympics, all city-states had to halt all wars for three months. No armed men could enter Olympia and people were free to travel in and out of the city. In addition, the death penalty was forbidden during this time. The Olympic Judges could fine cities and ban their athletes for breaking the truce. It was just a time for religion, peace, and joy.([|Tufts University])

So many things went on at the Stadium. The Olympics brought In a massive number of spectators. Merchants, craftsmen, and food vendors came to make money off of visitors and hungry viewers. Religious ceremonies, parades, poetry readings, and the speeches of famous or political figures were included in the whole Olympic celebration.

The first and only event that was held was the stadion. It was a footrace that was about 200 meters or the length of the stadium. Overtime, more events were added in. These included: boxing, a mix of wrestling and boxing which was called Pankration, the Pentathalon which was a combination of 5 events, discus, javelin, long jump, running and wrestling, and the Equestrian events which included chariot racing and horseback riding. ([|Tufts University])

Training took skill and technique. Athletic training was very basic in a Greek boy’s education. If they wanted to excel and even make it to the Olympics, he would need focus, dedication, self confidence, conditioning, and great skill. The Greeks believed that exercising was equally important to your health as exercising the mind is. The Greek men stayed in shape and exercised regularly because many were needed for the military. The athletes had personal trainers to help them. There are three types of trainers. Paidotribes were the physical trainers that helped build the athletes for competition in the Olympics. The Gymnastes were paid a lot and they just helped the athletes exercise. The third kind was the Aleiptes who massaged the athletes' bodies and anointed them with oil. None of them were cheap but if the athlete could not afford one, his city would pay for it. The athletes trained for several months prior to the games. Four weeks before the Olympics, the athletes would travel to Elis, a city nearby Olympia. They would train here for one month and then only the chosen athletes participated in the Olympic events. It was against the rules to not train for at least one month in Elis. The Athletes had to say that they had trained before they could compete. The runners trained in the Xystos, the wrestlers and boxers in the Tetragonon, and the boys in the Maltho. Each was located in Elis. When the athlete arrived in his gym, he would strip down completely. Because he had no clothes, he would have to take special care of his skin. He would apply olive oil to his skin and then rub fine sand on him to regulate body temperature, protect from the sun, and prevent stickiness. When he was done training, he would take a curved tool called a strigil and scrape off all the grime from his body. Then he would clean himself off further more with a sponge and water. ([|The Olympic Museum])

Any Greek-speaking male that was born free could compete. Eventually, men from Greek colonies could compete so this extended the range of eligible cities to the far ends of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. There were separate boy’s and man's divisions. The Judges would divide the divisions up based on strength, height, weight, age, and other physical characteristics. Women were not allowed to compete in the Olympics or even watch them. The reason for this is because the Olympics were held in honor of Zeus. However, a woman, for example, could be the owner of a chariot team that is in the chariot race and win that way. There eventually was a women only festival called Heraira which was held in honor of Hera, Zeus's wife. (Parachin)

The Greeks thought sports were looked highly upon by the Gods and that they favored the athletes who won competitions. Because of these beliefs, the athletes felt pressured to be great and victorious, even if it meant cheating. Some ways of cheating in the Ancient Olympics were bribing the judges and competitors, or being a coward and running away from the Olympics. If a man committed any of these sins, they would be fined and the money would go toward building statues of Zeus at the games. The statues were inscribed with little messages warning others not to cheat and that the games were won with skill, not money. The first recorded instance of cheating was in 388 B.C. when the boxer Eupolis bribed the other boxers to lose. Athletes were also very superstitious about the games. They sometimes would go to a fortuneteller for lucky charms, potions (experts think steroids), and to put curses on their opponents. The Olympics became very corrupt by about A.D. 60. By now the Olympics were mostly influenced by Romans. Nero, suggested poetry reading to be an event in the games! He also bribed the judges so that they declared him champion of the Chariot Race, even though he fell out of his chariot and never even finished the race! ([|Tufts University])

The Olympian victor would receive a crown made from olive leaves and was entitled to having a statue of them erected at the stadium in Olympia. He did not receive any money but the honor made up for it. Their status and fame rose and were adored by people in their city as a sports celebrity would in modern times. He could also receive benefits in his community like discounts. One city even built a private gym for their Wrestling Champion to train in. Anyone who was an Ancient Olympic Victorian would live a long happy life.([|Arrowhead])

As you can tell, the Ancient Olympics are way more different than the modern ones. Maybe next time you turn on your TV to watch the Summer Olympics in a few years, you will remember the Greeks. They deserve the credit of course, they were the first to hold it.

Barrett, Matt. "Olympia, Greece: Home of the Original Olympic Games." //GREECE TRAVEL: Matt Barrett's Guides to Greece and the Greek Islands//. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. . Parachin, Victor M. "ALL WARS MUST STOP FOR THREE MONTHS." //American Fitness// 26.4 (2008): 40. //MAS Ultra - School Edition//. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009. "HickokSports.com - History - The Ancient Olympics." //HickokSports.com Main Menu//. 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. . "The Ancient Greeks - the Athenians of Ancient Greece." //Arrowhead Web Design & Consulting - Web Site Design & Updating, Domain Names, etc.// 12 May 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. . The Ancient Olympics: A Special Exhibit of the Perseus Digital Library Project. Ed. Gregory R. Crane. //13 August, 2004.// c. //30 November, 2009 . The Olympic Museum. "The Olympic Games in Antiquity." //The Olympic Games in Antiquity// (2007): 1-13. //EBSCO//. Web. 14 Dec. 2009. [|.] The Modern Olympic Games Zeus
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