The Ancient gamesThe Untold Story

Sources include:

The Naked Olympics by Tony Perrottet, Anacharsis’ A Discussion of Physical Traning

The Games

• “If the Olympic Games were being held right now, you would see why we Greeks attach such paramount importance to athletics. Oh, I can’t describe the scene in mere words. You really should experience firsthand the incredible pleasure of standing in that cheering crowd, admiring the athlete’s courage and good looks their amazing physical conditioning- their great skill and irresistible strength- all their bravery and all their pride..” -Lucian, Anacharsis, c AD 140

Timeline

• 776 BC 1st Games offered to appease the Gods; Coroibos wins the only event- the sprint.

• 750 BC Homer writes the The Iliad and The Odyssey

• 476 BC Temple of Zeus begun

• 447 BC Parthenon in Athens is begun

• 431 BC Peloponnesian War commences

• 364 BC Elians and Arcadians fight a pitched battle in the sanctuary in the middle of the Games

• 229 BC 1st Roman invasion

• 27 BC Octavian is princeps or “first citizen”

• 66 AD Nero “competes”

Timeline (Cont’d)

• 312 AD Emperor Constantine declares Christianity official religion

• 365 AD Last Olympic victor on record is the Armenian prince Varazdates, who won the boxing event at the 291st Olympiad

• 393 AD Last official games

• 394 AD Emperor Theodosius I bans all pagan festivals; The Olympics are officially disbanded

• 426 AD Temple of Zeus burned on orders of Theodosius II

• 522 AD First of many earthquakes hits Olympia burying the area under 15-20 feet of yellow silt

• Baron Pierre de Coubertin (France)

• 1896- Modern Games- Women excluded

• Women could only participate in tennis in 1900; Archery added in 1904, track & field (YEAH!) in 1928, Marathon in 1984

• “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well”. De Coubertin

Training

• “Sharpening an athlete who is naturally excellent, A trainer with the guiding hand of a god, Can rouse him to enormous fame.” –Anonymous, c 450 AD

• Trainers, coaches, and diet were all a part of the support system, just like today

• Philostratus’ Handbook for a Sports Coach used as a guideline

Athletes were not amateurs. In fact in the Olympic creed

athletes swore they had spent the last 10 weeks preparing for

the games.

Finances

• Digging and rolling the practice track: $814

• Repair Stadium Entrance: $566

• Construct turning posts: $528

• Atheletes first compete in local events, then larger events. For those who won in placed like Athens, you could pull in $600,000. For younger athletes, let’s say one who won the sprint, it could be worth $45,000.

• In all likelihood the Olympic champions were sports first millionaires

A Spectator’s Life

Sat on hillside

40,000 (estimated)

Flogged if you misbehaved

Not for single women

Dirty, cramped, unhygienic, sun baked, lack of clean water

Common accounts of death due to dehydration and fever, and diarrhea

Spectators “would die in droves of the epidemics”

The Events

• Days 1-3

• Day 1- Opening ceremony; Sacrifices to Gods, Literary events

• Day 2- Equestrian events, Pentathlon, Banquets and ceremonies at night

• Day 3- Sacrifice of 100 Oxen at the Altar of Zeus, boys events, Public banquet

• Days 4-5

• Day 4- Running races- 200 M, 400 M, and 3600 M; Contact sports, race in armor

• Day 5- Closing Ceremonies- Wreaths presented, Dinner for champions and officials, followed by general celebrations

Stories

• Glaucus (Boxing)

• Arrhicion (Pankration)

• The “Sprinkler” (Boxing)

• Anonymous wrestling coach

• Bybon (315 lb rock)

• Eumastes (900 lb block)

• Melacomas (Boxing)

• Page 145

• Philippides- Ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to rejoice that the Athenians had won, and collapsed and died.

• Drymos of Argos- 80 mile run to proclaim victory after the endurance run

• Nero and his bribe- 250,00 drachma per judge (Pg. 102)

Arrichion“For when he was contending for the wild olive with the last remaining competitor,

whoever he was, the latter got a grip first, and held Arrhachion, hugging him with his legs, and at the same time he

squeezed his neck with his hands. Arrhachion dislocated his opponent's toe, but expired owing to suffocation; but he who suffocated Arrhachion was forced to give in at the same time because of the

pain in his toe. The Eleans crowned and proclaimed victor the corpse of Arrhachion

. “

The games

• The games did stop war, executions, and political strife, unlike today

• Boycotts exist now- 1980 ex.

• Stadion was the original footrace. No times recorded. Was 210 M in distance. hysplex kept runners from a false start. (Pg. 142)

• Cheating a feature since start of Games

• Today, every four years- WWII years an exception

• US last hosted in 1996

• 2016 Rio

• Opening ceremony a connection however torch relay did not start until 1936

Action

• 2020 Summer games were recently awarded to which world city?

• A. IstanbulB. Tokyo

• C. ParisD. New York

• E. Nairobi

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0ueeS-zoxc&feature=fvsr