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 Ancient Olympic Games |
 Ancient Olympic Games |
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OLYMPIC GAMES & GREEK MYTHOLOGY
From all the Pan-Hellenic games in ancient Greece the most important took place in Ancient Olympia.
"As the water is most precious than the elements, and as the gold appears as most expensive between all the goods, and as, finally, the sun sunshine more than any star in the sky, thus and Olympia shines shading each other game” this is a song from Pindaros in his first Olympic ode.
According to tradition, firstly the ancient gods fought in ancient Olympia. Ancient god Dias overcame Kronus in fight, God Apollo overcame Hermes in the street contest and also Apollo overcame God Aris in hand boxing. The ancient sources report enough heroes as founders of fights.
In the Mycenaean period belongs the fable of Pellopas. After his victory on Ojnomaos, Pellopas create games on the honor of Oinomaos in order to purificate himself, but also in order to thank the ancient gods for the victory that they gave him. Hippodameia on the contrary, founded feminine fights to price of Hera , most known as Heraia . At that moment were established the Ancient Olympic Games in Olympia. The foundation of Olymic Games, according to other fables, is attributed in the dem-igod Hercules, which founds the street games and the carriage race game. Hercules is the one that brought the wild olive tree' from country of Ypervoreion, and planted it, in the Holy of Olympia temple. The same time determined the limits of holy grove.
Altis is encompassed by grounds inside which are included the mainly religious and holy buildings.Outside from the grounds was the auxiliary spaces, which was the residences of priests, the baths, the spaces of preparation of athletes, and some guests rooms.
Also according to other fables, the Hercules from Ideas with his four brothers, named Dactylics or Kourites, reaches Olympia from Crete, fixes the length of stage, organizes street fights with his brothers and give to the victor the price which was the branch of olive. Between the names of founders of fights are reported also Nileas, Pelias and Pisos, which was an eponymous hero of Pisatidas area. Finally Stravon, considers that the fights were organised by Oxyllos, the king of Herakleidon area after their descent in Ilia area ( during 1200 B.C.). Later the Olympics were reorganized by the Ifitus, who contracted agreement (the holy truce) with the king and legislator of Sparta Lykoyrgo and the king of Pisas Klistheni. From that time Olympia was changed in Pan-Hellenic centre. The ancient written sources, report as year of beginning of fights 776 B.C. From this year begin also the list of Olympic champions (that it was supplemented of course much later).
THE ORGANISATION OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
The Olympic games were taken place each four complete years, were that is to say pentetiriki. The interval that intervened from the expiry of games until the beginning of next, was named Olympia, term that was used in order to declare also the name of the games. The Olympic games started first full moon after July-August. Until 684 B.C. the games was six, and all of them started and ended it, in one day.
As however the Olympic games increased (in classic season had reached the 18th), were increased also the days of duration of the Olympic games.
PIsates organised the Olympic games from 688 until the 572 B.C.During 570 B.C., Ilies occupied Pjsa are and placed under their control the organization of The Olympic games. The 5th century B.C. the Olympic games reached in the apex of their glory. In Hellenistic season however, the Olympic games have lost their initial character and there were changed in professional athletic events something that was solidified in the Roman season. The great historical events that were played in the course of centuries in the Hellenic space, had their impact in athletically ideal of the Olympic games.
That befalls progressive fall of moral values, that was worsened perceptibly from the 146 A.C., when Greece was mainly subjugated in the Roman state and the Ilies lost their independence.
The 2nd century A.C., when it was granted the right of Roman citizen in all the residents of Roman Empire, was observed also a internationalization of games. Finally, the Olympic games were suppressed by Theodosios A at 393 A.C. (293rd Olympiad), when with his decree was prohibited the operation of all idolatry Holies.
Right of attendance in the Olympic games, had all the free Greek citizens, that had not committed murder or sacrilege. Was prohibited the attendance in the barbarians and in the slaves. The Romans later, in order to take part in the games, tried to prove their Greek origin.
The women had right of attendance in the horse races only as householders of horses. All however, apart from women, had the right to watch the fights even the barbarians and the slaves.
The strictest provision that prohibited to the women to watch the Olympic games still remains without response. According to Paysanias the prohibitory provision was in effect only for the wedded women. Only the priestess of Demeter Chamyne could watch the Olympic games seated in the altar of view, which is found in the northern side of the stage.
The punishment of women that would violate the prohibitory law was the death. Those women were precipitated from Typaio mountain , which is found southerly of the Holy. However the only women that forced the law and was not punished was Kaleipatira, doughter of the famous Olympic champion Djagoras, who was a gender of Olympic champions. For this reason the critics did not want her punish.
From the ends of Greek world came spectators in order to watch the Olympic games. The crowd that reached in Olympia for the follow-up of fights set up tents at length of rivers or under the trees. Apart from the individual pilgrims existed also the theories, the official delegations of cities, which were composed from eminent citizens and brought richest gifts in Holy. All the athletes should go to Ilida, the organizing city of the games, one month before the beginning, in order to be trained under the supervision of Ilias critics.
The monitoring for the observation of regulations had the Ellanodikes. Initially the institution of Ellanodikes was hereditary and lifelong. Later however (perhaps from the 584 B.C.) , their election was with lot, between all the Ilious citizens. They were elected for one Olympiad only, and their education lasted ten months. Sduring the period of education they remained in Ilida inside the Ellanodikaiona, where they learned the regulations of all the games. Apart from the organization and the conduct of the games in their duties were also to hand-over the rewards.
Ellanodikes, could also impose sentences pecuniary and bodily, or even exclude athletes from the games. By the pecuniary sentences were manufactured cupreous statues of Zeys, which where placed in ¢lti, in the entry of the Stage. The number of Ellanodikes was not the same during the duration of the games. In the beginning were two, afterwards nine, later twelve and finally ten until the end of the games.
At the duration of the games , Ellanodikes were dressed with red cloak and they sate in the platform that is found in the had in their hands olive branches and transported the message of holy truce from city to city.
At the duration of truce (initially one month, later three, while certain report also the interval of ten months), each hostility stopped, the entry in Ilia was prohibited in armed man or in team of army, and was prohibited the implementation of anyone’s death penalty. It deserves to be marked that during 1200 roughly years that lasted the games, the violations of institution were minimal and insignificant.
This precisely shows that it was an institution powerful, absolutely respectable from all.
The Olympic games were gymnic , horse races and later were also musical. The gymnic games became in the stage and horse races in the hippodrome.
With the Olympic games was forged national, racial and intellectual unit of Greeks. The games combined the deep religious spirit with the heroic past of Greeks, the biggest degree of culture of body, mind and soul with the human philosophical values and the projection of individual and cities with the ideal of freedom.
Their supernational character survives also in the modern Olympic games, that after interruption of 15 centuries were organized in Athens in 1896, and taken place by then each four years.
The Foot Race
It constitutes the older fighting confrontation 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 ran naked in an extent, whose length was fixed in 600 legs (192,27 m.), a stage. It was this distance that gave its name and the installation that was required for the performance of the street event. These areas, the stages, were situated in hillsides or in small valleys, where the public could watch the games. Later and as long 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.
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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