"But who in contests or in war achieves the delicate glory is magnified to be given the surpeme prize, splendor of speech from citizen and stranger."
-Pindor 5`th century B.C.
Timeline:
776 - first games
724 - 2 lap race added
728 - endurance running race added
708 - pentathlon added (consists of running, jumping, discus, javelin, wrestling)
688 - boxing added
680 - chariot racing added
648 - horseback riding and pankration added
The Ancient Olympics. These great games were held in honor of Zues every four years from 776 B.C. to A.D. 393-1168 years.They were held at the time of the full moon, in late August. When there was a lull before the grape and olive harvest, when the grain harvest had been gathered.Earlier in the year, heralds were sent across the land to announce the games. Also, no war was permitted until the games were completly finished. The contestants spent over a month training at the nearby town of Elis. After their training course was complete, the competitors took an oath to compete honorably while gathered at the Temple of Zues with their trainers and fathers. On the first morning of the Games were horse races and a four-horse chariot event; and in the afternoon came the five pentathlon events-sprint, long jump, javalin, discus, and wrestling. Performance and elegance were thought very important in the matters of judging. The day after the first was thought of as very important as it was the day of the full moon and was sacred to Zues.
Every four years for over 1100 years, from 776 BC to 393 AD, thousands of people ceased all warfare and flocked to a small sanctuary in northwestern Greece for five days in the late summer for a single reason -- to witness the Olympic Games. During that time, competitors from all over the Greek world competed in a number of athletic events and worshipped the gods at the sanctuary of Olympia. The athletes competed not for money or material goods, but only for the honor of being an Olympic victor.
the Olympics were one of the Panhellenic games
only citizens(men)were allowed to compete
women weren`t even allowed to watch on pain of death
they came from all reaches of the Greek empire including as far as Spain and Turkey
they all competed in the nude
the first games were held in 776 B.C. in Olympia
they ran from 776 B.C. until 393 A.D.
during the competition, all wars had to stop and no one was allowed to carry weapons into Olympia
the first Olympics were held to honor Zeus
the games were held every four years
women had their own festival, honoring the god Hera, which was held every five years
in the first Olympics there was only one foot race, which was won by a cook named Coroebus
in A.D. 394 Emperor Theodosius of Rome officially abolished the games, wanting to end all pagan festivals, for he was Christian
http://www.fhw.gr/projects/olympics/prehistory
http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Olympics/olympicorigins.html
http://www.nsis.com/~bigelow/
