Ancient History of the Olympics

Historical Highlights of the Ancient Olympics

The first Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. (traditional date) and the last in A.D. 393, when the Christian Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I abolished them. The Ancient Greek Olympics were held every 4 years at Olympia, a district of Elis, in Southern Greece [see Bb on the map], where all free Greek men were entitled to compete. During the Imperial period of Rome, the Olympic Games became more ecumenical. (Kyle, p. 333.)

Ancient Olympics: Main Sports

• Boxing
• Discus (part of Pentathlon)
• Equestrian Events
• Javelin (part of Pentathlon)
• Jumping
• Pankration
• Pentathlon
• Running
• Wrestling

According to "The Athletic Events of the Ancient Olympic Games,"(1) the stade, a 200-yard foot race, was the first and only Olympic event for 13 Games. The diaulos, a 400-yard foot race, was instituted for the next (the 14th) set of Olympic Games and the dolichos, a variable-length foot race, averaging 20 stades, was instituted in the 15th Olympiad.

Boxing

The Iliad's author, known as Homer, describes a boxing event held to honor Patroklos, the slain companion of Achilles. Boxing was added to the ancient Olympics in 688 B.C. Originally, boxers wrapped thongs around the hands and arms for boxing gloves, but later, they wore less time-consuming, pre-wrapped, ox-hide thongs known as himantes. Leather straps bound the himantes around the forearm.

Pentathlon

The pentathlon, which began in the 18th Olympiad, consisted of the 5 (pent-) sports of

1. discus,
2. javelin,
3. long jump,
4. running, and
5. wrestling.

Jason of Argonaut fame is credited with inventing the contest.

• Greek Pottery Showing Athletic Events

Mythological Origins of the Olympic Games

One Olympic origins story is connected with the tragedy-ridden House of Atreus. Pelops won the hand of his bride, Hippodamia, by competing in a chariot race against her father, King Oinomaos of Pisa, in Elis. Pelops conspired to win the race by replacing the king's chariot's lynchpins with ones made of wax. These melted on the course, throwing the king from his chariot and killing him. After Pelops married Hippodamia, he commemorated his victory with the Olympic Games.

Pindar on the Origins of the Olympics

Another version of the origin of the Olympic games, from Pindar, explained in "Commentary on Olympian 10"(2), attributes the games to the great Greek hero Hercules (Heracles), who held the games to honor his father, Zeus, after Hercules had exacted revenge on King Augeus of Elis. Foolishly, Augeus had defaulted on his promised reward to Hercules for cleansing the stables. (See Labors of Hercules.)

Religion as Part of the Ancient Olympics

Unlike the secular, modern Olympics, the ancient Olympics were religious festivals. There was a gold and ivory statue of Zeus, by Pheidias, inside the presiding god Zeus' temple at Olympia. 42-feet high, it was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.

While matrons were forbidden to attend the Games, the presence of the priestess of Demeter was required. Maidens may also have been permitted.

It was sacrilege to commit a crime, like accepting payment, corruption, and invasion during the Olympic games. Dartmouth's Olympics site, "Olympic Anecdotes" says "the truce [ekcheiria] was, in effect, an interim of civic and military neutrality in honor of Zeus, the supreme judge and arbiter and source of wisdom...."

Olympics Today and Yesterday

Originally, only free men who spoke Greek could compete in the ancient Olympics, the location didn't move around, women athletes were forbidden, there was no torch, the games, equipment, and clothing were different, Zeus was honored, but, as Perseus' Ancient Sports page says, both today and yesterday, winning athletes "put their home towns on the map."

Quiz

Here's a little quiz by Andrew Wilson to determine how much you know about the Ancient Olympics. See if you can beat this athletic failure's score -- 6 out of 15. Should be a snap!

The Ancient Olympics - Starting Point for Information on the Olympics

Ancient Sports (Perseus)
The Athletic Events of the Ancient Olympic Games
Commentary on Olympian 10
Heracles Inluence at Delphi and Olympia
Heracles' Olympic Influence
Women and the Olympic Games
Women & the Games
Crime and Punishment at Olympia and Delphi

Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World, by Donald G. Kyle

(1)[URL = <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cl135/Students/Kristina_Angus/content.html>]
(2)[URL = <http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cl135/Students/Carrie_Shea/olympcom.htm>]