Origins
Year of the first Ancient Olympic Games
776 BCE
What were the only two rules of pankration?
1. No biting
2. No gouging
TRUE OR FALSE: Victors in the Ancient Olympic Games were given bronze, silver, and gold medals for placing in the top 3 of their event.
False
Length of an olympiad
4 years
Who was allowed to participate in and spectate these games?
Only free-born Greek men were allowed to compete. Married women were not even allowed to spectate. There is debate on whether single women were allowed to attend.
The games originated as a way to honor _____
Zeus
Athletes in combat sports had to indicate their surrender by doing what?
Raising their index fingers, some actually died before they were able to do so.
What were victors allowed to place in the sanctuary of Zeus?
Statues of themselves
What is the olympic truce?
An agreement to temporarily end fighting before, during, and shortly after the games ended.
TRUE OR FALSE: Athletes started to compete with clothes on beginning with the 226 BCE games.
FALSE. All athletes in every Ancient Olympics competed nude.
Location of the first Olympic Games
Olympia, Greece
For the first few Ancient Olympic Games, there was only one event. What was it?
A 600 ft. race called the stadion
FALSE
Why was an Olympic Truce necessary?
Because Greek city-states were frequently involved in fighting, the truce allowed athletes and spectators to travel safely.
The Olympiad (the four-year period up to the next Games) was named after the winner of what event?
The Stadion (600 ft. race)
Why did the athletes compete sans clothing?
Cultural reasons:
1. Ancient Greeks valued physical perfection as a reflection of inner virtue and divine beauty.
2. Physical training was seen as parallel to intellectual and moral development, with the nude body representing a disciplined and refined self.
Religious reasons:
Tribute to the Gods: The ancient Olympic Games were a religious ceremony in honor of Zeus. Competing naked was a way to show him a perfect, unadorned human form.
Practical reasons:
Freedom of movement and nothing for opponents to grab, intimidation, and/or comfort.
What happened if an athlete got a false start on the track?
corporal punishment in the form of public whippings with whips or sticks
What prize did victors get that would be placed on their head?
wild olive wreath/crown/garland
What bird is included in the symbol for the Olympic Truce?
Dove - represents peace
When did the Ancient Olympic Games end?
393 CE
Describe how the marathon event came to be named.
According to legend, Pheidippides ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, a distance about 25 miles. Upon reaching Athens and delivering the message, "Nike!", he collapsed and died from exhaustion. When the games were revived in 1896, the organizers wanted a way to connect modern sports with ancient Greek history, so they created the marathon event to honor the legendary run.
Name the four event categories in the later Ancient Olympic Games and at least one specific event for each.
Combat Sports: Wrestling, boxing, pankration
Running Events: stadion (600 ft.), two length race, long distance race (22-24 lengths of the track)
Pentathlon: discus, long jump, javelin, running, wrestling
Equestrian Events: Chariot race
Who is the goddess of Victory?
Nike
What is the Greek term for the "Olympic Truce"?
Ekecheiria
The Ancient Games at Olympia were the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games, which were first staged in ____(city) in ______ (year).
Athens, 1896