Ancient Greece Cultural Olympics

What’s it all about? once every four years men from all over Greece came to compete in a great athletic festival women were not allowed to compete. called the ‘Olympic Games’ because they were held at Olympia it was a religious festival to honor the Greek gods Zeus and Hera Temple of Hera in Olympia

Years Go By earliest record of the games in the time of Homer, 776 BC ended when people converted to Christianity and the Roman Emperor Theodosius banned the games in 393 CE. more than 1000 years - longest running festival!!! the games were so regular that people used them to date by: they would say, I was born in the second year of the twenty-fourth olympiad (starting from 776 BC). modern olympics began again in the 1896 CE in Athens, Greece

Between the City-States sent out messengers all over Greece (extended to the Greek colonies around the Black Sea and the Mediterranean) they declared a ‘sacred truce’ throughout the Greek world for a month. No matter who you had a war with, you had to stop the war and let their athletes and performers go through your city- state safely to get to the Olympic Games.

Sponsorship each city-state paid for a few athletes from their city to travel to Olympia the men had to swear that they had already trained for at least ten months this meant that only wealthy men could be in the Games, because they could afford to take so long off work, and also pay a trainer.

Let the Games Begin… after arriving at Olympia, athletes spent a month practicing and training together in a big ‘palaestra’ judges (also all men) watched the men train, and picked out only the best ones to actually run in the races. the Olympic Games began with religious sacrifices and choirs singing. < Palaestra at Olympia, Greece

What about women? only men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Olympic Games. Any women caught sneaking in were punished! women could own horses in the chariot race though. unmarried women had their own festival at Olympia every four years. This was the Heraia, held in honour of Hera, wife of Zeus.

Olympic Events RACING: 170m foot race (originally only event) 370m race 4400 m race ‘heats’ of runners to eliminate weakest men eventually ran naked Hoplite race (in armour – helmet & spear)

More Olympic Events 700BCE – added wrestling and pentathlon 5 events – but only know 4 of them javelin, discus, running, long jump 688BCE – added boxing and chariot racing Pankration was the most viscious!!! Vase Painting depicting Wrestling

What’s in it for me? winners were given an olive wreath, and a hero's welcome back home. winners might marry rich women, enjoy free meals, invitations to parties, and the best seats in the theatre.

Play the Games 1.Group together with other athletes from your city-state (myth groups) 2.Pentathlon – Choose a group member to participate in each event. Each event will bring point scores for your city-state and an overall prize for the winners.

Each team has been given an envelope. Open it now and read your city-state identification card. AthensCorinthSpartaOlympia ThebesArgos Your City-State Teams

Points and Prizes Points are awarded after each event as follows: 1 st place = 60 points 2 nd place = 50 points 3 rd place = 40 points 4 th place = 30 points 5 th place = 20 points 6 th place = 10 points plus – bonus points for food, dress, and Movember sponsorship top point-getters may receive up to 2 bonus marks on your unit test!

Event 1: Race – Puzzle Challenge Rules & Procedures 1.NO RUNNING – and keep your voices down in the halls 2.Each team will follow clues (1-4) to collect envelopes from places throughout the school. 3.Return to class and assemble your puzzle. Glue it together on a sheet of paper. 4.The team who accurately completes the puzzle first, and identifies the image wins.

Event 2: Jump – Hoplite-ly Trivia Challenge Rules & Procedures: 1.Start with one person from your team hopping on one foot. 2.You can tag-in any other group member to hop for you. 3.Write your answers on a sheet of lined paper (#1-10) 4.You will be asked questions about Greek history throughout. 5.The team with the most correct answers wins.

Event 3: Wrestling Rock/Paper/Scissors Rules & Procedures: 1.Choose one member of your city-state to compete. 2.A tournament style competition will decide a winner. 3.Roll back your sleeves. Competitors will be moderated and eliminated in heats.

Event 4: ‘Pitch’ Your Product Rules & Procedures: 1.Review the handout ‘Terms Derived from Greek Tales’ 2.Use you knowledge or the internet to get clarification on one term 3.Draw a picture or illustrate the term (Box 1) 4.Write a brief description of the myth (Box 2) 5.Think of an advertising ‘pitch’ that might include the term (Box 3) 6.Explain why the name/myth are ideal for your product (Box 4)

Event 5: Theatrical Performance Your final event will be tomorrow, with your SGA Activity Performance of a Greek Myth

The results… Puzzle Challenge: 1. Thebes (60) 2. Sparta (50) 3. Olympia (40) 4. Argos (30) 5. Corinth (20) 6. Athens (10)

Results cont’d… Trivia Challenge: 1.Sparta (9/10) – 60 2.Thebes (8.66/10) – 50 3.Corinth (8.66/10) – 40 4.Argos (8.49/10) – 30 5.Olympia (8.33/10) – 20 6.Athens (8.33/10) - 10

Results cont’d… Rock Paper Scissors Challenge: 1.Athens – 60 2.Olympia – 50 3.Sparta – 40 4.Argos – 30 5.Thebes – 20 6.Corinth - 10

Bonus Marks! (moustache sponsorship, food) Thebes Athens Sparta (5) Corinth Olympia Argos