The sanctuary was named in antiquity after Mt. Olympos see 'Did you know' in the glossary , the highest mountain in mainland Greece. In Greek mythology, Mt. Olympos was the home of the greatest of the Greek gods and goddesses. The ancient Olympic Games began in the year BC , when Koroibos, a cook from the nearby city of Elis, won the stadion race, a foot race feet long. The stadion track at Olympia is shown here. According to some literary traditions, this was the only athletic event of the games for the first 13 Olympic festivals or until BC.
From BC, the Games were held in Olympia every four years for almost 12 centuries. This is because summer was the quietest time of the year for agricultural work, which was the lifeblood of the Greek economy. Not even the Olympics were more important than that. Consequently, a summer Games meant that significantly more people were able to compete at and enjoy the festival.
The ancient Olympics were so popular, that they were allowed to continue when Greece was conquered by the Romans. However, as time went on, the Games began to decrease in size and prestige, along with historical recordings of them. The site at Olympia deteriorated due to numerous enemy invasions, in addition to earthquakes and floods. Top ten facts about the ancient Olympic Games There was wrestling, boxing, and running, but did you know that there were separate games for women, and that rule violations resulted in physical punishments?
Greek gymnast Lefteris Petrounias runs through the ancient stadium at Olympia before the Rio modern Olympic Games. A recreation of the monumental statue of Zeus at Olympia. A discus thrower, a jumper and two javelin throwers take part in the Ancient Olympic Games. Although shot put was not an ancient Olympic event, the qualifying rounds of the Athens Olympic Games took place in the Ancient Stadium of Olympia.
This Greek pottery depicts a discus thrower being watched closely by an official with a whip. An early Olympiad depicted on an ancient Greek vase, where the competitors ride naked. A performer dressed as an ancient Greek statue awards a winner's wreath at the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games. Summer temperatures would have created a swelteringly hot environment at the Ancient Olympic stadium. Welcome to the Ancient Olympic Games. From boxing contests with no weight classifications or point scoring to chariot racing where danger lurked on every corner, it is easy to see why the Ancient Games enthralled the Greeks for so long.
Here, we give you the essential lowdown, highlight our favourite facts. But first, here are our 10 favourite facts to get you started: All athletes competed naked Wrestlers and pankration a sort of mixed martial art which combined boxing and wrestling competitors fought covered in oil Corporal punishment awaited those guilty of a false start on the track There were only two rules in the pankration — no biting and no gouging Boxers were urged to avoid attacking the on-display male genitals There were no points, no time limits and no weight classifications in the boxing Athletes in the combat sports had to indicate their surrender by raising their index fingers — at times they died before they could do this Boxers who could not be separated could opt for klimax, a system whereby one fighter was granted a free hit and then vice-versa — a toss of a coin decided who went first.
A magical collection of characters light up the accounts of almost 12 centuries of action at the Ancient Games. Huge, heroic men caught the attention with the stars of the combat sports particularly adored. Their physique, love of a challenge and extraordinary appetites chimed with a public brought up on the immortal heroes of Greek mythology. And in , the Winter Olympics were added to showcase chillier sports such as cross-country skiing, speed skating, and ice hockey.
Today thousands of athletes from hundreds of countries all over the world compete for the gold or silver or bronze in the summer and winter events. The modern Olympics aim to bring people from different parts of the world together and encourage friendly competition and peace among neighboring nations. Game on! Want even more sports?
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