1. The Olympic Games
Chapter 9

2. Key Terms Olympia Olympic Games Macedonia Olympiad Pentathlon Dromos
Athlos
Sacred Truce
Heraea
Pancratium
Milo of Crotono
Palaistra
Macedonia
Pentathlon
Panhellenic
Pythian Games
Amphora
Theodosius I
Baron Pierre de Coubertin
Key Terms

3. Greeks held many festivals to honor the gods and goddesses
Most well-known was held in Olympia to honor Zeus
Came to be known as the Olympic Games
First held in July, 776 B.C.E.
Took place regularly for one thousand years
Four year period between festivals known as an Olympiad
Helped date other important historical events
The Olympic Games

5. The Evolution of the Olympic Games
The dromos was the only athletic event at Zeus’s festival
Dromos is a 186-yard sprint, back and forth across a field
Coroebos was the first winner
More events added over time
Athlos = contest
Olympic Games included athletics, religious ceremonies, and literary presentations over a five-day period
The Evolution of the Olympic Games

6. The Evolution of the Olympic Games, continued
Sacred Truce
Any fighting occurring during the time of the Olympics stopped
Athletes could travel safely to and from Olympia
Other Olympic Facts
Participants had to be Greek
Women could not attend – why?
They created their own games, called the Heraea
The Evolution of the Olympic Games, continued

7. The Stadium Running events were held in the stadium
Starting and finish lines with history’s first starting blocks
Why was the track 600 ft. long?
The Stadium

8. The Other Events Discus Javelin Wrestling Boxing
Took place in the palaistra
Upright wrestling
Ground wrestling
Boxing
The Other Events

9. The Other Events, continued
Standing broad jump
1200 ft. dash
Pancratium
A free-for-all fight (no biting or gouging of eyes, though!)
Milo of Crotono won this event seven times!
Chariot racing
Horse races
Macedonia – importance?
Pentathlon
Means “five contests” – 200 yd. dash, discus, long jump, javelin, wrestling
The Other Events, continued

11. Good Sportsmanship Rules were important
Athletes recited an oath at the altar of Zeus
Judges also promised to not accept bribes
If you or your city were found guilty of breaking a rule, you were eliminated and had to pay a fine
Money raised was used for copper statues of Zeus, called Zanes
Plural of Zeus in the local dialect
The location of these statues was no coincidence: the athletes had to pass them when going to the running track
Good Sportsmanship

12. Good Sportsmanship, continued
Procession of champions marched to the Temple of Zeus
Winners received wild olive branches
Had a feast; meat from sacrificed animals
Champions welcomed home with fanfare
Placed wreath on altar of patron deity
Received a banquet
Statues made in their honor
Poets wrote odes about them
Good Sportsmanship, continued

13. Other Games Panhellenic games – open to all Greeks Pythian Games
In honor of Apollo – where were they held?
Also held every four years, in the middle of the Olympiad
How were they different from the Olympics?
Nemean Games
Winners received wreaths made of wild parsley or celery
Isthmian Games in Corinth
In honor of Poseidon; victors received wreaths of pine needles
Panathenaic Games in Athens
Winners received an amphora w/olive oil
Amphora was decorated with their event
Other Games

14. The Revival of the Olympic Games
Ancient Olympics ended in 394 C.E.
The Romans were in power
Theodosius I stopped the Games – why?
Arenas and stadiums crumbled
Ruins at Olympia uncovered in 1875
Baron Pierre de Coubertin
French nobleman
Worked to have the games revived
Games began again in 1896
The Revival of the Olympic Games

15. Modern Olympics Traditions from ancient Olympics still honored
Lighting the Olympic flame
Sportsmanship
Some of the same events in the summer games
Discus
Javelin
Pentathlon
Wrestling
Modern Olympics

16. HW Questions Where is Olympia?
Why did the first Olympic Games take place?
Describe the stadium at Olympia.
What was the pancratium?
Describe the racing events at the games.
What cultural events took place at the games?
HW Questions