The Olympic Games (Ancient Greek: Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες ; Olympiakoi Agones ; τὰ Ὀλύμπια ; ta Olympia; the Olympics) were a series of athletic competitions among representatives of city-states of Ancient Greece. They were held in honor of Zeus, and the Greeks gave them a mythological origin. Historical records indicate that they began in 776 BC in Olympia. They continued to be celebrated when Greece came under Roman rule, until the emperor Theodosius I suppressed them in 394 AD. The games were usually held every four years, or olympiad, which became a unit of time in historical chronologies. Basing on this, it gives about 292 Olympic Games and compared to it modern knowledge about this events is little (for example known 1029 victories constitute less than 22% of projected 4760). [1] During the celebration of the games, an Olympic Truce was enacted so that athletes could travel from their countries to the games in safety. The prizes for the victors were wreaths of laurel leaves. The games became a political tool used by city-states to assert dominance over their rivals. Politicians would announce political alliances at the games, and in times of war, priests would offer sacrifices to the gods for victory. The games were also used to help spread Hellenistic culture throughout the Mediterranean. The Olympics also featured religious celebrations and artistic competitions. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was counted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Sculptors and poets would congregate each olympiad to display their works of art to would-be patrons. The ancient Olympics had fewer events than the modern games, and only freeborn Greek men were allowed to participate,[2] although a woman Bilistiche is also mentioned as a winning chariot owner. As long as they met the entrance criteria, athletes from any city-state and Macedon were allowed to participate, although the Hellanodikai, the officials in charge, allowed king Alexander I to participate in the games only after he had to prove his Greek ancestry.[3][4] The games were always held at Olympia rather than alternating to different locations as is the tradition with the modern Olympic Games.[5] Victors at the Olympics were honored, and their feats chronicled for future generations
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 01:19:01 +0000
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