1. Greece
Chapter 3
Mechikoff & Estes, A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education, Fourth Edition © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. Greek Influence
Greeks developed much of the Western world’s belief about the body and physical education
Likely with Judaic and Phoenician influences
Two metaphysical systems in Greece
Naturalistic: man’s nature is both spiritual and corporeal (physical)
Achieving balance is desired
Emphasized physical and intellectual education

3. Greek Metaphysics Opposing views (cont.)
Anti-naturalistic: man’s nature created by mind
Mind held in higher esteem than body
Physical education not necessary
View of physical education: result of a specific metaphysical position
Both views held the mind in high esteem
Differed on importance of the body
Naturalistic view far more popular

4. Philosophical Positions: The Body
Dualism
Explanation of human existence based upon both metaphysical and theological beliefs
Socrates and Plato
Has profound implications for physical education
Separates human existence into two parts, mind and body.

5. Philosophical Positions: The Body
Dualism (cont.)
Elevates mind over body—regulates the corporeal to an inferior status
Reality and truth revealed through the mind, not the body
Mind and ideas are eternal, the body decays
Most dualists believe it is essential to develop the intellectual ability over the physical
Philosophy was the highest pursuit in Ancient Greece

6. Philosophical Positions: The Body
Dualism (cont.)
Body is enemy of the mind
Deceives as to what is real
Only in death is the mind truly free of the body
Potentially damaging for view of physical education

7. Plato: View of Physical Education
Initially seems that he doesn’t support it (Phaedo)
Later supports ideal education as harmony of mind (music) and body (gymnastics)
Does harmonious imply equality?

8. Classical Humanism
Emphasized existence as humans—welfare of the individual is most important
Body was important
One’s purpose in the universe was to work out his destiny
Plato was not a humanist
Emphasized mind more than the body

9. Classical Humanism Greek gods thought of as ideal humans
Anthropomorphic
Depicted as having magnificent bodies (Zeus, Apollo, Athena, etc.)
Greeks wanted to resemble their gods
Sought to train and develop the body

10. Greek Ideals: Arete and Agon
Ideals that resonated with every Greek
Greeks were most like the gods when striving and competing for excellence
The Greek ideal was the excellent scholar-athlete-soldier

11. Greek Ideals: Arete and Agon
Marble carving from the façade of the Treasury of the Athenians, Delphi, ca. 490 B.C. (Archeological Museum of Delphi). Herakles was a mythological Greek hero known for his great strength. One of the so-called Twelve Labours of Herakles was to kill the Nemean lion and bring back its skin; in this sculpture, Herakles is shown wearing the lion’s skin as a cloak.
Image source: Photo courtesy K. Price
Herakles, wearing a cloak made from the skin of the Nemean lion

12. Greek Ideals: Arete and Agon
Arete is possible only while individual is striving
Those who think they have attained it have lost it
Have passed into hubris (excessive pride)
Arete includes virtue, skill, prowess, pride, excellence, valor, and nobility (Stephen Miller)

13. Greek Ideals: Arete and Agon
Arete was not limited to athletes
Bestowed on public servants, poets, philosophers, and soldiers

14. Greek Ideals: Arete and Agon
Agon: Homer referenced as a meeting place where athletic events were held
Expanded from athletic competitions
Included competitions in music, poetry, public speaking and other events
Evolved into the term agonistic (competitive)
Became associated with the process (agony) of preparing for competition of any kind

15. Greek Sport Historical foundations Birth of Olympic Games (776 B.C.)
Funeral Games honored the deceased and pleased the Gods
Climate in Greece allowed for physical activity year round

16. Greek Sport: Historical Perspectives
Romantic view: Rise and fall approach
Glory years in fifth and sixth centuries
Declined with Roman conquest and Christianity
Traditional View
Sport evolved from games described by Homer

17. Greek Sport: Historical Perspectives
Modern sport historians
Many are “nontraditionalists”
Sport grew out of Greek contact with surrounding civilizations

18. Athens and Sparta: A Tale of Two City-States
Greece composed of city-states
Not politically unified
Athens and Sparta most famous
Had highly contrasting cultures
Athens: center of culture and learning
Sparta: military power with warrior-citizens

19. Athens and Sparta: Views on Physical Education
Obsessed with the military
Education was domain of the state
State’s purpose was to produce soldiers
Physical education was taken very seriously
Educated Spartans were physically fit, good soldiers

20. Athens and Sparta: Views on Physical Education
Physical education had prominent place
Education of mind and body was essential
Athenians were educated by their families
Beliefs were similar to our health clubs and personal trainers today

21. Athletic Participation of Greek Women
Spartan women
Participated in gymnastics and rigorous physical fitness and sports programs
Common belief was that physical fitness and training were for both sexes
Spartan women competed in foot races and other sports

22. Athletic Participation of Greek Women
Athenian women did not participate to extent of Spartan women
Euripides (426 B.C.): “A Spartan girl could not be chaste if she wanted…They share the same race track and palaestra—a situation I find insufferable”
Married women were forbidden under pain of death from attending Olympic Games

23. Athletic Participation of Greek Women
Held own athletic contests to honor wife of Zeus (Hera)
Included foot races
Used same stadium at Olympia
Took place after the Olympic Games
Same judges (Hellanodikai) as the Olympic Games

24. Ancient Olympic Games
First recorded evidence of the Olympic Games: 776 B.C.
Olympic Games occurred every fourth year (Olympiad)
Games may have originated in the hundreds of festivals, mostly religious, held over the years
Athletic contests were a major activity in festivals across Greece; a number of stadiums survive

25. Panhellenic Games Location Name Honored god Victory wreath Olympia
Olympic Games
Zeus
Olive
Delphi
Pythian Games
Apollo
Laurel
Corinth
Isthmian Games
Poseidon
Pine
Nemea
Nemean Games
Celery

26. Stadium at Olympia Stadium at Olympia
Image source: Photo courtesy K. Price

27. Stadium at Delphi Stadium at Delphi
Image source: Photo courtesy A. Price

28. Ancient Nemean Games Race in Armor
Athlete competing in race in armor (Museum at Ancient Nemea, Greece)
Image source: Photo by Robert Mechikoff
Race in Armor

29. Ancient Olympic Games Elaborate statues and other art forms erected
Celebrated military triumphs as well as athletic success
Greeks believed victory (athletics, military, etc.) was ordained by the gods
Olympia was a sacred location where victory was rewarded
Cheating occurred at Olympic Games as well as other athletic festivals in Greek world
Financial and material gain by victory in the Games

30. Ancient Olympic Games Only males were permitted to compete and watch
Married women were not allowed to attend, on pain of death; virgins could attend
Women who represented the priestess Demeter could view the Games
Showed the relationship between the ancient Games and theology
Women who owned a horse and chariot could enter the competition—but not watch it
Daughter of Spartan king was victorious in fourth century B.C.

31. Ancient Olympic Games By 472 B.C. games were five days long
Half competitive events, half religious events
Also had non-athletic competition
Competitions in arts, philosophy, poetry, music
Spirit of the games: originally religious
Gave way to attitude of celebrity
City states lured Olympians to their city by wealth and material possessions

32. Ancient Olympic Games Olympic champions became heroic
Closest thing to a god as mortal can become.
Given special privileges and could make vast sums of money by continuing to win.
Received a lifetime pension

33. Gift from a Champion Charioteer
Bronze statue of charioteer, Delphi, originally belonging to a group that featured a chariot drawn by four horses. The statue was dedicated to Apollo by Polyzalos of Gela in 478 B.C., after he won the chariot race at the Pythian Games.
Image source: Photo by K. Price
Bronze statue, gift of the winner of the
Chariot race at the Pythian Games

34. Ancient Olympic Games Greeks believed in developing the mind and body
Olympics were pinnacle of this achievement
Plato, Aristotle and other famous philosophers gathered at Olympia
Theodosius I and II: first Christian emperors of Rome
Outlawed pagan cults in A.D. 393
Ordered destruction of pagan temples (including temple at Olympia) in A.D. 435
Games tied to pagan religious buildings may then have ceased at most locations; the Games may have continued at some locations for a time