Olympics in Greece
There are many thoughts on how the games started, but most believe they originated from the gods. The earliest myth says that Herakles and his two brothers raced at Olympia and the winner was crowned with a laurel wreath, which they use in the modern Olympics that was held in Greece in 2004. The other gods would compete in sports like running, wrestling and jumping.
The first real (not mythological games) were held in Olympia in 776 BC. and lasted for just one day. The first event was a foot race called Stadion, which lasted the length of the stadium which was about 600 feet. The true length is uncertain because the tracks that were found by archeologists are all different sizes. In later years many other types of races were added, such as boxing, long jump, javelin and discus. Boxing became much more hardcore over time. Originally you covered your fingers with soft leather, but eventually harder leather with metal weights were used. The fight continued until one man surrendered or died. Killing someone was not a good idea because the person who died was declared the winner.
In the events the athletes competed nude. They did this because the games were suppose to represent the achievements of the human body. Also only men were allowed to compete and watch the games. Also you had to be Greek and be a free man. Now men and women from everywhere in the world compete in the Olympics and wear athletic clothes. In the ancient Olympics if your won you were considered a hero, and got free food for the rest of your life.
To get into the games the athletes had to have their names written in lists. Only young people participated in the games. There was a story of a young man who was rejected for being too old. Every one in the games had to take an oath in front of the statue of Zeus, saying they had trained for ten months.
The Olympics was not only about sport, but also a religious event. The games were in honor of Zeus, and there were several ways they would honor Zeus one of the ways was in the middle of the games they would sacrifice 100 oxen. Art was also a big part of the games. Poets, painters and other artists would come to games and display their works in which became an art competition.
The Olympics happened every four years in Ancient Greece just as it does today, but in 393 AD the Roman emperor at the time ordered that the games be abolished because he thought they were a tribute to the wrong gods. It wasn’t in till the 1890’s when a French man revived the games and the first of the modern Olympic games was played again in Greece.
