THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF ANCIENT GREECE THE OLYMPIC GAMES OF ANCIENT GREECE Your task is to discover as much as you can about the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Try to find as many new and unique facts as possible.

The first written accounts The first written accounts of the Olympic Games of the Olympic Games date from 776 BC. The Games were held in honour of the king of the gods, Zeus, in Olympia, Greece. Zeus, in Olympia, Greece.

There are many different stories about the beginning of the Olympics. * Согласно одному мифу, сын Зевса Геракл привез в Олимпию священную оливковую ветвь и учредил игры атлетов в знак победы Зевса над его свирепым отцом Кроном (Cronus). *Известно также предание, что Геракл, организовал Олимпийские игры, увековечив память о Пелопе (Pelops), победившем в гонке на колесницах жестокого царя Эномая, чтобы жениться на его дочери. Имя Пелопа дали области Пелопоннес, где находилась « столица» античных игр.

Why were they held at Olympia? Olympia was one of the oldest religious centers in the ancient Greek world. It was the way to honour their gods at the site of a major temple. Also, Olympia is convenient geogra- phically to reach by ship, which was a major concern for the Greeks.

Olympia T emple of Zeus at Olympia

stadium

Ancient Olympic events: Boxing Equestrian events – Chariot racing - Riding Pankration Pentathlon – Discus - Javelin - Jump - Running - Wrestling Running Wrestling

boxing Ancient boxing had fewer rules than the modern sport. Boxers fought without rounds until one man was knocked out, or admitted he had been beaten. Unlike the modern sport, there was no rule against hitting an opponent when he was down. There were no weight classes within the mens' and boys' divisions; opponents for a match were chosen randomly.

Equestrian events: Chariot racing There were both 2-horse chariot and 4-horse chariot races, with separate races for chariots drawn by foals. Another race was between carts drawn by a team of 2 mules. The course was 12 laps around the stadium track (9 miles).

The course was 6 laps around the track (4.5 miles), and there were separate races for full-grown horses and foals. Jockeys rode without stirrups. Only wealthy people could afford to pay for the training, equipment, and feed of both the driver (or jockey) and the horses. As a result, the owner received the olive wreath of victory instead of the driver or jockey.

combination of boxing and wrestling.

pantathlon This was a 5-event combination of discus, javelin, jumping, running and wrestling. Running There were 4 types of races at Olympia. The stadion was the oldest event of the Games. Runners sprinted for 1 stade (192 m.), or the length of the stadium. The other races were a 2-stade race (384 m.), and a long-distance run which ranged from 7 to 24 stades (1,344 m. to 4,608 m.).

The ancient Greeks considered the rhythm and precision of an athlete throwing the discus as important as his strength. The discus was made of stone, iron, bronze, or lead, and was shaped like a flying saucer. Sizes varied, since the boys' division was not expected to throw the same weight as the mens'.

The javelin was a man-high length of wood, with either a sharpened end or an attached metal point. It had a thong for a hurler's fingers attached to its center of gravity, which increased the precision and distance of a javelin's flight.

Athletes used lead or stone jump weights (halteres) shaped like telephone receivers to increase the length of their jump.

an athlete needed to throw his opponent on the ground, landing on a hip, shoulder, or back for a fair fall. 3 throws were necessary to win a match. Biting was not allowed, and genital holds were also illegal. Attacks such as breaking your opponent's fingers were permitted.

Who can compete in the Olympics? The Olympics were open to any free-born Greek in the world. There were separate mens' and boys' divisions for the events. Women were not allowed to compete in the Games themselves. However, they could enter equestrian events as the owner of a chariot team or an individual horse, and win victories that way.