Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
The Chernihiv Commercial technical school
Report of the topic: “The olympic games”
made by student
group OГТ-4: Chub Julia
checked by: Ivjhak N.Y.
Chernihiv 2004
The origin of the Olympic Games is linked with many myths referred to in
ancient sources, but in the historic years their founder is said to be
Oxylos whose descendant Ifitos later rejuvenated the games.
According to tradition, the Olympic Games began in 776 B.C. when Ifitos
made a treaty with Lycourgos the king and famous legislator of Sparta
and Cleisthenes the king of Pissa. The text of the treaty was written on
a disc and kept in the Heraion.
In this treaty that was the decisive event for the developement of the
sanctuary as a Panhellenic centre, the “sacred truce” was agreed. That
is to say the ceasing of fighting in all of the Greek world for as long
as the Olympic Games were on.
As a reward for the victors, the cotinus, which was a wreath made from a
branch of wild olive tree that was growing next to the opisthodomus of
the temple of Zeus in the sacred Altis, was established after an order
of the Delphic oracle.
The Olympics were held, after the completion of four years during the
month of July or August. The time inbetween two Olympic Games was called
an Olympiad. In the beginning the games lasted only one day and
comprised of only one event, the running of one Stadion, but gradually
more events were added resulting, towards the 5th century B.C., in the
games lasting for 5 days.
In total the Olympic Games consisted of 10 events: running, the
pentathlon, jumping, discus, “ekebolon” javelin, wrestling, boxing, the
pancration, chariot racing, and horse racing.
All Greeks who were free citizens and had not committed murder or
heresy, had the right to take part in the Olympic Games. Women were not
entitled to take part, except as owners in the horse races, while being
strictly prohibited from watching the games.
The athletes presented themselves one month before the games began at
Elis, the organising town, but the organisation and supervision for the
upholding of the rules was carried out by the Hellanodikes, who were
chosen by lot from the citizens of Elis.
Two days after the beginning of the games, the procession of the
athletes and the judges started from Elis to arrive in Olympia where it
was received by the crowds who had come to watch the games.
The ceremonies began with the official oath that was taken by the
athletes at the altar of Horkios Zeus, in the Bouleuterion, swearing
that they would compete with honour and respect the rules.
The victors enjoyed great honours and on returning to their cities their
compatriots pulled down part of the walls for them to enter. They were
also given special privileges and high office.
The great historical events that took place in the passing of centuries
within the Hellenic lands, took their toll even on the athletic ideals
of the Olympic Games, resulting in the gradual fall of the moral values,
that was especially felt from 146 A.D. when most of Greece fell under
the Romans and the Eleans lost their independence.
The institution of the Olympic Games lasted for twelve continuous
centuries and was abolished in 393 A.D. (the 293rd Olympiad) by order of
Theodosios I when the functioning of all idol worshiping sanctuaries was
forbidden, and in 426 A.D., during the reign of Theodosios II, the
destruction of the Altian monuments followed.
The national, racial and spiritual unity of the Greeks was forged thanks
to the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games combined the deep religious
spirit along with the heroic past of the Greeks thus unifying to the
highest degree body, mind and soul according to universal and
philosophical values, and so projecting the indivdual as well as the
cities, through the highest ideal of freedom.
Revival Of The Olympic Games
Efforts for the revival of the Olympic Games in modern times reached a
peak at the end of the 19th century with the instrumental contribution
of the French Baron Pierre De Coubertin and the Greek Dimitrios Vikelas.
The first contemporary Olympic Games took place with great glamour in
1896 in Athens, in the Panathenaic Stadium. The head quarters of the
International Olympic Academy are in Olympia now.
Also in Olympia is the altar of the Olympic flame, which is transferred
every four years to the city that hosts the Olympic Games. The lighting
of the flame takes place at the altar of the Temple of Hera and it is
done with the convergence of sunlight onto a metal reflector. This
process is part of a ritual combination that includes the prayer and the
hymn to Apollo. The high priestess enters the stadium holding the lit
torch which she then hands over to the first runner in order for it to
start its long journey to the ends of the earth
The Events
The foot-race
It is the oldest contest that took place in Olympia. Until the 13th
Olympiad (728 B.C.) when the games lasted for only one day, it was the
only event at the sanctuary. The athletes were running nude, in an area
whose length was determined at 600 feet (192.27m), that is one Stade .
It was this distance that gave its name to the area used for the
performance of the event. These areas, the stadiums, were situated on
hillsides or in small valleys, thus enabling the spectators to follow
the events. Later and as the crowd of spectators grew, artificial slopes
were built and the spectators sat on the ground.
The stadium at Olympia had a capacity of 45,000 spectators. Only men
were allowed to watch the games with the exception of the high priestess
of Demeter Chamyne. The start and duration of the stadium race were
specified by clear rules and there were set penalties for athletes who
broke them. The rules were clear for all the events and for the duration
of the games there were specific bodies, the Alytai, who kept the order
in all the areas of performance. The judges and those in charge of the
games were the Hellondikai, who at first were life members but then
appointed by lot from the Elean citizens.
There are no records of the achievements of the athletes during Archaic
times as there were no means of the keeping of time. What was important
was to be the first amongst the other athletes of the event, and receive
the honour and the glory that followed such a distinction.
Also taking place in Olympia were the Heraia, athletic games for women
in which young girls from Elis partook. These games were held every four
years independently of the Olympic games. The women ran wearing their
hair loose, dressed in short tunics.
Pentathlon
The pentathlon was a combination of heavy and light events. It included
jumping, running, javelin, discus and wrestling. The pentathlon was
considered to be a very important event because the athlete had to
combine many qualities and skills of the body. In the Olympic Games
running and wrestling were conducted separately, while the other three
events were independent. Jason was, according to mythology, the inventor
of the pentathlon.
Jumping
It is similar to the long jump. The athlete jumped into a pit holding
halters in his hands. It was accompanied by flute music.
Discus
An event known from Homeric poems and one that the Greeks loved most. It
was part of the pentathlon. A fleeting moment of discus throwing is
captured in the famous statue of the Discus-thrower by Myron, a copy of
which can be seen in Athens, opposite the Panathinaic Stadium.
Javelin
One of the favorite events of many mythical heroes. Seperated into
“ekebolon” javelin throwing which was judged by the distance the javelin
was thrown, and the “stochastikon” javelin throwing where the javelin
was thrown at a specific target.
Wrestling
It is refered to for the first time in Homer’s Labours for Patroclos. It
was one of the pentathlon events but also independent in the Panhellenic
games.
Boxing
One of the oldest events, as shown by the representation of two children
boxing on the mural from Acrotiri in Thera, and the early reference to
the event by Homer.
Pancration
A combination of wrestling and boxing, it is praised by Philostratos as
the best and the most worthy event for men in the Olympic games.
The horse races
The hippodrome, a space used for the horse races differed in size from
place to place. An aristocratic event, the horse races comprised of
various events and were conducted with horses, chariots and quadriga.
The most spectacular event was the quadriga race, an event in which the
most prominent historic personalities had competed. The hippodrome was
the main place for exhibiting wealth and political strength during
antiquity.
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