Where did the Olympics get its name from?
The Olympics took its name from the Olympia sanctuary in Greece approximately 2,700 years ago.. Olympia is located on the Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula.The first written record of the ancient Olympic Games dates back to 776 B.C. when a cook named Coroebus won a 192-meter footrace called the stade (the origin of the modern “stadium”) to become the first Olympic champion.
Where were the first Olympics hosted?
A Yearly Overview of Locations for Olympics Since 1896
- 1896 Athens Olympics. The first Modern Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece during the first weeks of April 1896. ...
- 1900 Paris Olympics. ...
- 1904 St. ...
- Unofficial 1906 Athens Olympics. ...
- 1908 London Olympics. ...
- The 1916 Olympics. ...
- 1920 Antwerp Olympics. ...
- 1924 Paris Olympics. ...
- 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. ...
- 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. ...
Why are the Olympics held every four years?
Why is the Olympics held only once in four years?
- Ancient Olympics. The history of the Olympics dates back to 3,000 years. ...
- Revival of the Olympics. The Ancient Olympics stopped after 393 AD, and it was the French educator Pierre de Coubertin who took the initiative and formed the International Olympic Committee ...
- 1896 Athens Olympics. ...
Where were the modern Olympics started?
The modern Olympics were first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. They began after decades of increased interest in reviving the ancient games. They began after decades of increased interest in reviving the ancient games.
Where does the Olympic Games originated from?
Ancient GreeceThe history of the Games goes back around 3,000 years, to the Peloponnese in Ancient Greece. Sports contests organised at Olympia took place every four years and acquired the name Olympic Games.
Where were the Olympic Games held first?
AthensThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed, and the first Games were planned for 1896 in Athens, the capital of Greece. In Athens, 280 participants from 13 nations competed in 43 events, covering track-and-field, swimming, gymnastics, cycling, wrestling, weightlifting, fencing, shooting, and tennis.
When did the Olympic Games originate?
Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894.
Who started the Olympics and why?
Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games (Ancient Greek: Ὀλυμπιακοί Ἀγῶνες), held in Olympia, Greece from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Games in Athens in 1896.
Who invented the Olympics?
Baron Pierre de CoubertinBaron Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the modern Olympic Games. Inspired by the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, which ended in 393 AD, Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin decided to pursue his project to revive the Olympic Games.
Why was the Olympics created?
In fact, the Olympics were created in honor of ancient Greece's most famous god: Zeus, king of the gods. Athletes prayed to Zeus for victory and left gifts to thank him for their successes.
What do the Olympic rings represent?
The Olympic symbol (the Olympic rings) expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.
What is the main purpose of Olympic game?
The Olympic Games are an international sports festival, held every four years. The ultimate goals are to cultivate human beings, through sport, and contribute to world peace. Summer Games and Winter Games are held separately.
Where has the Olympics been held?
Host cities for Summer and Winter Olympic GamesCityCountryClosing ceremonyRio de JaneiroBrazil21 August 2016PyeongchangSouth Korea25 February 2018TokyoJapan8 August 2021BeijingChina20 February 202259 more rows
Where were the Olympic Games held in ancient Greece?
1 - The ancient Olympic stadium The Olympics were named after Mount Olympus, but they were actually held in the rural sanctuary of Olympia, in Greece's western Peloponnese region. It was a hugely sacred area, featuring picturesque olive tree plantations and a giant statue of the god Zeus.
What is the oldest Olympic sport?
The running race known as stadion or stade is the oldest Olympic Sport in the world. It was the only event at the very first Olympics in 776 BCE and remained the sole event at the Games until 724 BCE. The length of the race was 600 Greek feet, but this was not a standardized unit so stadions often varied in length.
Where were the Olympics held in the US?
Have any U.S. cities hosted the Olympics twice? Two cities in the United States have hosted the Olympic Games twice: Lake Placid and Los Angeles. Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, while Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984.
What are the Olympic Games?
The Olympic Games are an athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and were revived in the late 19th century. They are the world’s foremo...
What is the origin of the Olympic Games?
The first Olympic Games had achieved major importance in Greece by the end of the 6th century BCE. They began to lose popularity when Greece was co...
When are the Olympic Games?
The Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games are each held every four years. After 1992, when both a Summer and Winter Games were held, they h...
Where are the Olympic Games held?
The International Olympic Committee chooses the location of each Olympic Games. The choice is based on applications made by the chief authority of...
What are the prizes at the Olympics?
In individual Olympic events the award for first place is a gold medal, for second place a silver medal, and for third place a bronze medal. Diplom...
Are the Olympic Games an overall benefit for their host countries and cities?
Winning a bid to host the Olympic Games has been considered a major boon for any city, but not all agree. Proponents believe that hosting the Olymp...
Where were the first Olympic Games held?
The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. In the opening ceremony, King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed 280 participants from 13 nations (all male), who would compete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. All subsequent Olympiads have been numbered even when no Games take place (as in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940 and 1944, during World War II ). The official symbol of the modern Games is five interlocking colored rings, representing the continents of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, flew for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920.
When were the Olympics first held?
The first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, and featured 280 participants from 13 nations, competing in 43 events. Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately and have alternated every two years. The 2020 Summer Olympics, delayed one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ...
What are the two races that were part of the Olympic Games?
After 13 Olympiads, two more races joined the stade as Olympic events: the diaulos (roughly equal to today’s 400-meter race), and the dolichos (a longer-distance race , possibly comparable to the 1,500-meter or 5,000-meter event). The pentathlon (consisting of five events: a foot race, a long jump, discus and javelin throws and a wrestling match) was introduced in 708 B.C., boxing in 688 B.C. and chariot racing in 680 B.C. In 648 B.C., pankration, a combination of boxing and wrestling with virtually no rules, debuted as an Olympic event. Participation in the ancient Olympic Games was initially limited to freeborn male citizens of Greece; there were no women’s events, and married women were prohibited from attending the competition.
How many athletes competed in the 2004 Olympics?
Eighty years later, when the 2004 Summer Olympics returned to Athens for the first time in more than a century, nearly 11,000 athletes from a record 201 countries competed. In a gesture that joined both ancient and modern Olympic traditions, the shotput competition that year was held at the site of the classical Games in Olympia.
What is the symbol of the Olympics?
The official symbol of the modern Games is five interlocking colored rings, representing the continents of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, flew for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920. The Olympics truly took off as an international sporting event ...
When was the pentathlon invented?
The pentathlon (consisting of five events: a foot race, a long jump, discus and javelin throws and a wrestling match) was introduced in 708 B.C., boxing in 688 B.C. and chariot racing in 680 B.C. In 648 B.C., pankration, a combination of boxing and wrestling with virtually no rules, debuted as an Olympic event.
Where were the ancient Olympics held?
The Games were named for their location at Olympia, a sacred site located near the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece. Their influence was so great that ancient historians began to measure time by the four-year increments in between Olympic Games, which were known as Olympiads.
When was the first Olympic Games?
Various uses of the term "Olympic" to describe athletic events in the modern era have been documented since the 17th century. The first such event was the Cotswold Games or "Cotswold Olimpick Games", an annual meeting near Chipping Campden, England, involving various sports. It was first organised by the lawyer Robert Dover between 1612 and 1642, with several later celebrations leading up to the present day. The British Olympic Association, in its bid for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, mentioned these games as "the first stirrings of Britain's Olympic beginnings".
Where were the ancient Olympics held?
The Ancient Olympic Games were religious and athletic festivals held every four years at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. Competition was among representatives of several city-states and kingdoms of Ancient Greece. These Games featured mainly athletic but also combat sports such as wrestling and the pankration, horse and chariot racing events. It has been widely written that during the Games, all conflicts among the participating city-states were postponed until the Games were finished. This cessation of hostilities was known as the Olympic peace or truce. This idea is a modern myth because the Greeks never suspended their wars. The truce did allow those religious pilgrims who were travelling to Olympia to pass through warring territories unmolested because they were protected by Zeus. The origin of the Olympics is shrouded in mystery and legend; one of the most popular myths identifies Heracles and his father Zeus as the progenitors of the Games. According to legend, it was Heracles who first called the Games "Olympic" and established the custom of holding them every four years. The myth continues that after Heracles completed his twelve labours, he built the Olympic Stadium as an honour to Zeus. Following its completion, he walked in a straight line for 200 steps and called this distance a " stadion " ( Greek: στάδιον, Latin: stadium, "stage"), which later became a unit of distance. The most widely accepted inception date for the Ancient Olympics is 776 BC; this is based on inscriptions, found at Olympia, listing the winners of a footrace held every four years starting in 776 BC. The Ancient Games featured running events, a pentathlon (consisting of a jumping event, discus and javelin throws, a foot race, and wrestling), boxing, wrestling, pankration, and equestrian events. Tradition has it that Coroebus, a cook from the city of Elis, was the first Olympic champion.
What happened to the Olympics after the 1896 Olympics?
After the success of the 1896 Games, the Olympics entered a period of stagnation which threatened its survival. The Olympic Games held at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904 failed to attract much participation or notice. Of the 650 athletes in the 1904 Olympics, 580 were American; the winner of the marathon was later disqualified upon discovery of a photograph of him riding in a car during the race. The Games rebounded with the 1906 Intercalated Games (so-called because they were the second Olympics to take place within the third Olympiad), which were held in Athens. These Games attracted a broad international field of participants and generated a great deal of public interest, marking the beginning of a rise in both the popularity and the size of the Olympics. The 1906 Games were officially recognised by the IOC at the time (although not any longer), and no Intercalated Games have been held since.
Why are the Olympics so controversial?
The sale of the Olympic brand has been controversial. The argument is that the Games have become indistinguishable from any other commercialised sporting spectacle. Another criticism is that the Games are funded by host cities and national governments; the IOC incurs none of the cost, yet controls all the rights and profits from the Olympic symbols. The IOC also takes a percentage of all sponsorship and broadcast income. Host cities continue to compete ardently for the right to host the Games, even though there is no certainty that they will earn back their investments. Research has shown that trade is around 30 percent higher for countries that have hosted the Olympics.
Why are the Olympics called the Winter Olympics?
The Winter Olympics was created to feature snow and ice sports that were logistically impossible to hold during the Summer Games. Figure skating (in 1908 and 1920) and ice hockey (in 1920) were featured as Olympic events at the Summer Olympics. The IOC desired to expand this list of sports to encompass other winter activities. At the 1921 Olympic Congress in Lausanne, it was decided to hold a winter version of the Olympic Games. A winter sports week (it was actually 11 days) was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France, in connection with the Paris Games held three months later; this event became the first Winter Olympic Games. Although it was intended that the same country host both the Winter and Summer Games in a given year, this idea was quickly abandoned. The IOC mandated that the Winter Games be celebrated every four years in the same year as their summer counterpart. This tradition was upheld through the 1992 Games in Albertville, France; after that, beginning with the 1994 Games, the Winter Olympics were held every four years, two years after each Summer Olympics.
How many athletes are in the Olympics?
The scope and scale of the Winter Olympics is smaller; for example, Pyeongchang hosted 2,922 athletes from 92 nations in 2018. Most of the athletes and officials are housed in the Olympic Village for the duration of the Games. This accommodation centre is designed to be a self-contained home for all Olympic participants, and is furnished with cafeterias, health clinics, and locations for religious expression.
How many athletes competed in the 2016 Olympics?
Over 14,000 athletes competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics and 2018 Winter Olympics combined, in 35 different sports and over 400 events. The first, second, and third-place finishers in each event receive Olympic medals: gold, silver, and bronze, respectively.
What is the origin of the Olympics?
The Cronus Theory. Pausanias 5.7 says the Olympic origins lie in Zeus' victory over Cronus. The following passage elaborates this and also explains musical elements in the ancient Olympics. [5.7.10] Now some say that Zeus wrestled here with Cronus himself for the throne, while others say that he held the games in honor of his victory over Cronus.
When did the Olympics start?
The Origins of the Olympic Games. Conventionally, the ancient Olympic games began in 776 B.C.E., based on records of stade-length races. The victor of this first Olympic game was Koroibos of Elis, in Southern Greece. However, because the Olympics originated during an era that is not well-documented, the actual date of the first Olympics is disputed.
When Did the Games Stop?
The games lasted for about 10 centuries. In 391 C.E. the Emperor Theodosius I ended the games.
What was the significance of the Olympics?
The Olympics were a religious event for the Greeks. A temple on the site of Olympia, which was dedicated to Zeus, held a gold and ivory statue of the king of the gods. By the greatest Greek sculptor, Pheidias, it stood 42-feet high and was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World .
Why were the ancient Olympics important?
Representatives of each polis (city-state) could attend the ancient Olympics and hope to win a victory that would confer great personal and civic honor. So great was the honor that cities considered Olympic victors to be heroes and sometimes fed them for the rest of their lives. The festivals were also important religious occasions and the site was more a sanctuary to Zeus than a city proper. In addition to competitors and their trainers, poets, who wrote victory odes for the winners, attended the games.
How often did the Greeks hold the Olympics?
Frequency of the Games. The Ancient Greeks held the Olympics every four years starting near the summer solstice. This four-year period was known as an "Olympiad" and was used as a reference point for dating events throughout Greece.
Why are the Olympics disputed?
However, because the Olympics originated during an era that is not well-documented, the actual date of the first Olympics is disputed. The origins of the ancient Olympics interested the ancient Greeks, who told conflicting, history-laced, mythological aitia (origin stories).
Where were the first Olympic Games held?
Overview of the first Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece. Just how far back in history organized athletic contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago.
Who was the first Olympic champion?
The first Olympic champion listed in the records was Coroebus of Elis, a cook, who won the sprint race in 776 bce. Notions that the Olympics began much earlier than 776 bce are founded on myth, not historical evidence. According to one legend, for example, the Games were founded by Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmene.
What is the most famous event in Greek history?
Of all the games held throughout Greece, the Olympic Games were the most famous. Held every four years between August 6 and September 19, they occupied such an important place in Greek history that in late antiquity historians measured time by the interval between them—an Olympiad. The Olympic Games, like almost all Greek games, were an intrinsic part of a religious festival. They were held in honour of Zeus at Olympia by the city-state of Elis in the northwestern Peloponnese. The first Olympic champion listed in the records was Coroebus of Elis, a cook, who won the sprint race in 776 bce. Notions that the Olympics began much earlier than 776 bce are founded on myth, not historical evidence. According to one legend, for example, the Games were founded by Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmene.
Why were the Olympics abolished?
They began to lose popularity when Greece was conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BCE, and the Games were officially abolished about 400 CE because of their pagan associations. The Olympics were revived in the late 19th century, with the first modern Games being held in Greece is 1896.
When were the Greek sports held?
Just how far back in history organized athletic contests were held remains a matter of debate, but it is reasonably certain that they occurred in Greece almost 3,000 years ago. However ancient in origin, by the end of the 6th century bce at least four Greek sporting festivals, sometimes called “classical games,” had achieved major importance: the Olympic Games, held at Olympia; the Pythian Games at Delphi; the Nemean Games at Nemea; and the Isthmian Games, held near Corinth. Later, similar festivals were held in nearly 150 cities as far afield as Rome, Naples, Odessus, Antioch, and Alexandria.
When were the pentathlons introduced?
Wrestling and the pentathlon were introduced in 708 bce.
How long was the Stade?
The race, known as the stade, was about 192 metres (210 yards) long. The word stade also came to refer to the track on which the race was held and is the origin of the modern English word stadium. In 724 bce a two-length race, the diaulos, roughly similar to the 400-metre race, was included, and four years later the dolichos, a long-distance race possibly comparable to the modern 1,500- or 5,000-metre events, was added. Wrestling and the pentathlon were introduced in 708 bce. The latter was an all-around competition consisting of five events—the long jump, the javelin throw, the discus throw, a footrace, and wrestling.
Where were the Greek games held?
The games included a series of athletic competitions between athletes of city-states of the Greek world, spreading from the far ends of the Iberian Peninsula all the way to the Black Sea region in Turkey. Held in the sanctuary of Olympia, in western Peloponnese, the games were first recorded in 776 BC. But the games in Olympia were not the only ...
What were the games in Olympia?
Throughout the time that they endured, the Olympic Games included a variety of events such as races, wrestling, and horse and chariot racing events.
Who was the first Greek philanthropist to establish the Olympic Committee?
While Pierre de Coubertin is credited with establishing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, which led to the first modern Games in Athens two years later, it was in fact, Evangelos Zappas, a wealthy Greek philanthropist, ...
Did Olympia have a naked competition?
Indeed, athletes would compete naked, although the origin of this tradition is somewhat obscure. A fascinating fact that few people know is that Olympia was also home to the Heraean Games, a competition for women held in honor of goddess Hera, and it actually predates the all-male version.
What are the Origins of the Olympic Games?
Every four years, we all follow the world’s biggest sports event, the Olympic Games. Here’s some insight on the origins of the Ancient Greek Olympic Games, and how they compare to the modern ones.
When did the Olympic Games start?
There are numerous legends explaining how the ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BC. Pausanias mentions that they were held in honour to Zeus, the King of Gods. According to another story, it was Pelops, the mythical king of the Peloponnese, who started the Games.
What were the buildings in Ancient Olympia?
There were a few more temples, as well as sanctuaries and bronze statues dedicated to the gods. Other buildings in Ancient Olympia included. The bouleuterion, where the athletes were registered and took the Olympic oath. The prytaneion, the administrative centre for the Olympic Games.
What was the only event that took place in the ancient Olympic Games?
Originally, the only event that took place in the ancient Olympic Games was the stadion foot race . Gradually, other sports were added, such as more foot races, wrestling, the pentathlon, boxing, pankration and chariot races.
Where were the first Olympic Games held?
The first Ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 BC in Ancient Olympia, in the Peloponnese. While initially they were a one-day event consisting of races, they gradually became much larger. There are different myths and legends as to why and how the Olympic Games were first organized.
When was the Greek world discovered?
After Athens was liberated from the Ottomans, in 1821, the ancient Greek world started being unearthed and discovered. In the late 1850s, a Greek benefactor, Vangelis Zappas, attempted to revive the Olympic Games in Athens. He organized a sports event, which was the first of a short series.
Where did the Olympics originate?
The Olympics' Ancient Greek origins. The format of the Olympic Games originates from ancient Greece when festivals were held at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia. According to legend at the time, the Games were devised by Heracles, who also built the Olympic Stadium and declared that they should be staged every four years.
Where was the first Olympic Games held?
The Games of the First Olympiad were held in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens from April 6-15, 1896, attracting 241 athletes from 14 nations competing in 43 events. The United States won the most gold medals with 11, setting a trend of dominance in the medal table that they have preserved to this day.
Why were the ancient Olympics banned?
It is thought they were banned after emperor Theodosius I designated them a pagan celebration in 393 AD and his successor Theodosius II then commanded the destruction of all Greek temples.
How many times did London host the Olympics?
The biggest Olympics shocks of the 21st century. While London became the first city to host the Olympics three times in 2012, they continued to tread new ground by moving to South America for Rio 2016. The Games five years ago set records across the board, with 11,238 athletes from 207 nations contesting 306 events.
How many athletes are there in the Olympics?
The Summer Olympics are the biggest sporting festival in the world, with over 11,000 athletes, 200 countries, and 300 events featuring at the last edition in Rio de Janeiro five years ago. Where did the Olympics originate from, how they did evolve into the event enjoyed around the globe today, and which important moments ...
Why did the Olympics move to London?
Rome was forced to resign as host due to financial issues, meaning the Games were moved to London. Although they were again held over a long span of 187 days, a total of 2,008 athletes competed, more than double that of any preceding Olympics, and over 100 events were contested for the first time.
What happened to the Olympics in 1980?
The 1980 and 1984 Olympics were marred by US and USSR-led boycotts respectively, prompting unpredecented medal hauls.
The Olympics Begin in Ancient Greece
Decline and Revival of The Olympic Tradition
- After the Roman Empire conquered Greece in the mid-2nd century B.C., the Games continued, but their standards and quality declined. In one notorious example from A.D. 67, the decadent Emperor Neroentered an Olympic chariot race, only to disgrace himself by declaring himself the winner even after he fell off his chariot during the event. In A.D. 393, Emperor Theodosius I, a Ch…
The Olympics Through The Years
- The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. In the opening ceremony, King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed 280 participants from 12 nations (all male), who would compete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. All subsequent Olympiads have be…
Overview
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. The Oly…
Modern Games
Various uses of the term "Olympic" to describe athletic events in the modern era have been documented since the 17th century. The first such event was the Cotswold Games or "Cotswold Olimpick Games", an annual meeting near Chipping Campden, England, involving various sports. It was first organised by the lawyer Robert Dover between 1612 and 1642, with several later celebration…
Ancient Olympics
The Ancient Olympic Games were religious and athletic festivals held every four years at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. Competition was among representatives of several city-states and kingdoms of Ancient Greece. These Games featured mainly athletic but also combat sports such as wrestling and the pankration, horse and chariot racing events. It has been widely written tha…
International Olympic Committee
The Olympic Movement encompasses a large number of national and international sporting organisations and federations, recognised media partners, as well as athletes, officials, judges, and every other person and institution that agrees to abide by the rules of the Olympic Charter. As the umbrella organisation of the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is responsible for selecting the host city, overseeing the planning of the Olympic Games, updating …
Commercialisation
The Olympic Games have been commercialised to various degrees since the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, when a number of companies paid for advertising, including Kodak. In 1908, Oxo, Odol [de] mouthwash, and Indian Foot Powder became official sponsors of the London Olympic Games. Coca-Cola first sponsored the Summer Olympics in 1928, and has remained an Olympic s…
Symbols
The Olympic Movement uses symbols to represent the ideals embodied in the Olympic Charter. The Olympic symbol, better known as the Olympic rings, consists of five intertwined rings and represents the unity of the five inhabited continents (Africa, The Americas (is considered one continent), Asia, Europe, and Oceania). The coloured version of the rings—blue, yellow, black, green, and red…
Ceremonies
As mandated by the Olympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. This ceremony takes place on a Friday and is held prior to the commencement of the sporting events (apart from some group-stage football matches, softball games, and rowing heats). Most of the rituals for the opening ceremony were established at the 1920 Summer Olympics in A…
Sports
The Olympic Games programme consists of 35 sports, 30 disciplines and 408 events. For example, wrestling is a Summer Olympic sport, comprising two disciplines: Greco-Roman and Freestyle. It is further broken down into fourteen events for men and four events for women, each representing a different weight class. The Summer Olympics programme includes 26 sports, while the Winter Olympics programme features 15 sports. Athletics, swimming, fencing, and artistic gymnastics ar…
The Origins of The Olympic Games
When Did The Games stop?
- The games lasted for about 10 centuries. In 391 C.E. the Emperor Theodosius Iended the games. Earthquakes in 522 and 526 and natural disasters, Theodosius II, Slav invaders, Venetians, and Turks all contributed to destroying the monuments at the site.
Frequency of The Games
- The Ancient Greeks held the Olympics every four years starting near the summer solstice. This four-year period was known as an "Olympiad" and was used as a reference point for dating events throughout Greece. Greek poleis (city-states) had their own calendars, with different names for the months, so the Olympiad provided a measure of uniformity. Pausanias, travel writer of the se…
A Religious Occasion
- The Olympics were a religious event for the Greeks. A temple on the site of Olympia, which was dedicated to Zeus, held a gold and ivory statue of the king of the gods. By the greatest Greek sculptor, Pheidias, it stood 42-feet high and was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.
The Rewards of Victory
- Representatives of each polis (city-state) could attend the ancient Olympics and hope to win a victory that would confer great personal and civic honor. So great was the honor that cities considered Olympic victors to be heroes and sometimes fed them for the rest of their lives. The festivals were also important religious occasions and the site was more a sanctuary to Zeus tha…
Main Sports
- The ancient Olympic sporting events were: 1. Boxing 2. Discus (part of Pentathlon) 3. Equestrian Events 4. Javelin (part of Pentathlon) 5. Jumping 6. Pankration 7. Pentathlon 8. Running 9. Wrestling Some events, like mule-cart racing, loosely, a part of the equestrian events, were added and then not too much later, removed: