History of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games are the oldest and most popular sporting events in Ancient Greece. For the first time (although, according to legend, this attempt turns out to be the third), they took place in 776 BC. e. and were part of the festival dedicated to Zeus. The Greeks considered the year of the first Olympiad to be very important for themselves, and therefore the ancient Greek chronology began with it. However, there is evidence of the origin of the Olympics from another cult - sports games in honor of Pelops (first attempt). Here it is appropriate to take a small step towards Greek myths in order to remind readers of the history of this hero. Pelops was the son of the infamous Tantalus - the very one who to this day is experiencing torment in the kingdom of Hades.

Pelops' childhood was marked by a terrible death and miraculous salvation - his father, blinded by permissiveness (he was the son of Zeus), deciding to test the insight of the Olympic gods, invited them to a feast, one of the dishes at which was prepared from Pelops. Having comprehended the evil intent of Tantalus, the gods did not touch the terrible food, only Demeter, grieving for the loss of her daughter Persephone, without paying attention, ate the boy's shoulder. However, Hermes revived the child with his charms, and Hephaestus made him a new shoulder from ivory. Tantalus was punished, and the young Pelops received power in his hometown of Sipil.

But he did not have to rule for long - the mighty king of Troy went to war against him. The defeated Pelops was forced to leave his homeland (without forgetting his treasures). Accompanied by a detachment of countrymen, he went to the south of Greece, where he settled on the peninsula, which still bears his name, the Peloponnese. Seeing once the daughter of the king of the city of Pisa Oenomaus, the beautiful Hippodamia, Pelops wished to marry her. And I must say, this desire was not original, but the terrible prediction of Enomai about his death at the hands of his son-in-law was an obstacle in this event. Having no equal in all of Greece in the art of driving a chariot and owning the fastest horses in the world, Enomai offered races across the Peloponnese from Pisa to Corinth to applicants for the hand and heart of his daughter. The defeated groom paid for the loss with his life. But even this did not stop those who wished - Hippodamia was so good. The heads of the unfortunate victims of beauty Enomai nailed to the gates of his palace. This cup would not have passed even our hero, but ... Having inherited pride, deceit and ingenuity from his father, Pelops made a knight's move - promising the golden mountains to the charioteer Enomai Myrtilus, the son of Tantalus secured his promise not to insert checks into the axles of the chariot, which should have delayed King Pisa on the road. The idea was a success - at full speed the wheels jumped off the axles, the chariot overturned, and the proud Enomai died ingloriously in the dust of the route he conquered more than once.

The winner solemnly returned to Pisa, married Hippodamia, and at the same time sat on the throne of his father-in-law, who had been killed by him. Everything would be fine, but here Myrtilus remembered to whom Pelops should be grateful for the prize he so unexpectedly got, and demanded as much as half the kingdom (according to another version, the wedding night with Hippodamia). In Pelops, Tantalus's greed and deceit again woke up. History does not know what kind of trick Pelops Mirtila lured to a high rock, but the result of the meeting was sad - the newly-minted monarch pushed the charioteer into the sea. According to Greek tradition, Myrtilus managed to do the only thing for which he had enough time to fall, namely, to curse Pelops and all his offspring. In honor of his beloved Pelops, and established these games, according to Pausanias, "more brilliant than anyone before him."

Archaeologists have found evidence of the connection between the cult of Pelops and the Olympic Games. At the so-called sacred site of Zeus at Olympia - the city of the games - they discovered the remains of the sanctuary of Pelops around the end of the 2nd millennium BC. e.

In the very first Olympics, there was only one competition - the young men's race for a short distance of 1 stadia (185 m). History has preserved for us the name of the first Olympian winner (from the Greek. Nika - the goddess of victory) - he became a cook from Elis Koreb.

Starting from 660 BC. e. - that is, from the 30th games - all residents of mainland Greece were allowed to compete, and after 10 games (40 years) residents of the Greek colonies began to take part in the Olympics. The Olympic Games gained wide popularity, and the winners could count on a generous prize, honors and national fame. Olympionik was “crowned” with a textbook olive wreath (the branches for which were cut with a golden knife by a boy, the son of free and healthy parents) and was awarded a palm branch. In addition to the above awards, olympionists could count on free lunches in the city government until the end of their days, which, you see, is more pleasant and useful than a statue that, moreover, has no actual similarity.

Copper statues of Zeus (called zanami in the Doric dialect), dedicated to dishonored participants (for example, convicted of fraud, bribery, etc.) of the games, were made with money received in the form of fines, and were placed on the sides of the road leading to Olympic Stadium. The Greeks were very fond of material reminders of events.

The highest flowering of the Olympic Games falls on the VI-IV centuries. BC e. - The Olympics are becoming a Greek holiday, and Olympia is the center of everything sports world. Among other things, the Greco-Persian wars of the first half of the VI century. BC e. managed to rally (albeit for a short time) the Greek cities that were at war with each other, and the Olympics were the personification of this unity. Also the system physical education, popularized by the Olympic Games, bore fruit: the Greeks were clearly more successful in fights, the skills of running, fisticuffs, and pankratia came in handy in battles. The popularity and success of the Olympic Games led to the fact that by the beginning of the VI century. and in other parts of Greece began to hold similar competitions. In 590 (or 582) BC. e. the Pythian games at Delphi were reorganized, in 573 BC. e. - Nemean games in Argolis, in 572 BC. e. - Isthmian games near Corinth. All these games were held once every two or four years, so that each year there would be some kind of competition. An athlete who won all four games during one period received the title of periodon. History has preserved the names of athletes who have become periodonists even several times.

In the same period, the title of “triast” appears - a triple winner who won three competitions at once, which took place on the same day - in running, double running and running with weapons. Twice the title of triast was won by the Rhodian Leonidas, who received 12 wreaths of the winner at 4 Olympiads in a row. It is quite obvious that the competitions, which are so popular, could not do without certain, specially developed rules and conditions for their conduct. Well, a long history certainly contributed to the birth of traditions.

Revival of the Olympic Games. They became interested in truly ancient Games only when the excavations of Olympia began, sleeping under centuries-old layers. The finds, one more surprising than the other, amazed! Increasingly, voices began to be heard for the revival of the great competitions. And by that time (we are talking about the last quarter of the nineteenth century), timidly, but national and international sports unions... The Olympic Games just had to take place!

However, this is a very complicated matter: whole mountains organizational work. And besides, you need a lot of money. And besides, uniform rules are needed, which, with their firm objectivity, would suit everyone. The main thing is that a person was needed who would put his life on it. Who would not only be devoted to the idea of ​​Olympism, but also educated, noble, energetic. And such a person was found. His name was Pierre de Coubertin.

Pierre de Coubertin. Pierre de Coubertin was born on January 1, 1863 in Paris and died on September 2, 1937 in Geneva. Sports and public figure, initiator of the organization of the modern Olympic Games (1896).

Studying the life and culture of Ancient Greece, I gradually came to the conclusion that sport should be returned to the education system, because it was sport that made the ancient Greeks physically perfect and hardy. He traveled a lot, in England he attended a college famous for sports traditions in the city of Rugby, in Greece famous valley Alfea, 300 km from Athens, where the ancient Olympiads were held. In 1887 he was the initiator of the creation of the Union of French Running Societies. He outlined his reformist views on the education system in two books published in the late 1880s: Education in England and English Education in France.

Thanks to his organizational talent, brilliant knowledge of the subject, the ability to prove his case, mastery of oratory, he managed to ignite many politicians and public figures with the idea of ​​reviving the Olympic Games, gained supporters and followers in various countries of the world.

On June 16-23, 1894, the International Athletic Congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which a historic decision was made to revive the Olympic Games and hold the First Olympiad in 1896 in Athens. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was elected, with Coubertin as Secretary General. The Congress approved the Olympic Charter, which he developed, a set of basic rules and regulations of the IOC. Subsequently, he became the author of the Olympic emblem, a number Olympic rituals, the text of the Olympic Oath.

In 1896, after the resignation of the first president of the IOC, the Greek Demetrius Vikelas (1835-1908), he was elected president. In 1906, on his initiative, the IOC decided to organize art competitions at the Olympic Games with the aim of restoring the links between art and sports that were characteristic of the ancient Olympic Games.

In 1912, in the art competition in the literature section, he was awarded a gold medal for "Ode to Sports", in which he expressed his understanding of sports: "Oh sports! you are peace, progress, joy, justice, challenge, nobility, pleasure, architect, fruitfulness. In Lausanne there is a Coubertin Museum, in Grenoble there is a monument to him.

International Olympic Committee. On June 23, 1894, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created at the Congress in Paris.

Congress decided: in two years the first Olympic Games will be held! And it was a great victory for world sports, a great feat of Pierre de Coubertin!

Not so long ago, the world community solemnly and festively celebrated the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic movement, the formation of the IOC. The United Nations declared the year of the 100th anniversary of the IOC - 1994 - international year sport and the Olympic ideal. The supreme body of the world community has also revived the ancient peacekeeping tradition - the UN called on all states to observe the Olympic Truce.

June 23 is traditionally celebrated annually in dozens of countries around the world, including Russia since 1990, as Olympic Day.

Nevertheless, the main merit of Pierre de Coubertin is that Olympism, Olympic movement can be imagined as a tall and slender building. During the construction of this building, Pierre de Coubertin was not only the "foreman", but also the chief architect. His inspired thoughts formed the basis of Olympism.

The first and most important of them - sports, culture, science, art - must be combined into a strong and wonderful fusion, which will be called the Olympic movement.

Coubertin devoted his life to a special science called sports pedagogy. Its purpose is the physical and spiritual development and educating youth through sports. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the new subject would help to strengthen, make stronger and more resilient the French nation, the French youth. And it turned out that he took care of the youth of the whole world.

And again in Greece! The question of the place and time of the Games of the I Olympiad was decided at the Paris Congress. Athens, the capital of Greece, was chosen.

The Games opened on April 6, 1896. The beautiful new stadium brought together 245 athletes from 14 countries: from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy, USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.

Greetings, my inquisitive readers! All of you, of course, know from the Olympic Games, even from time to time, I’m sure, you cheer in front of the TV screens for our Russian athletes. But has anyone wondered why these sports competitions are so named, where they took place for the first time and how old they are?

I think everyone can give a short answer to one or two questions. Well, so that you can freely talk about the history of the Olympics, I propose to get acquainted with the topic called "The first ever Olympic Games" closer.

Lesson plan:

How it all began?

Ancient history will always remain a mystery to us, which even historians are unable to fully reveal. So it is in this matter. There is no reliable information about who actually and when founded the first Olympic Games in the history of mankind. Everything related to ancient times is always shrouded in myths.

The king of the small country of Elis, named Ifit, was preoccupied with one question: how to save his people from robberies and war, and came to the soothsayer for advice. The oracle's answer was a little strange: "We need to found games that are pleasing to the gods!" And Ifit went to his neighbor - the ruler of Sparta, announced a prediction, agreed on peace and, in gratitude, promised to organize athletic competitions.

The ancient Greek rulers established the order of the games and entered into a sacred alliance. Established competitions were to be held every four years in the ancient Greek town of Olympia. So the competition got its name Olympic.

There is another version of the appearance of the Olympic Games, according to which they began to be held thanks to the son of the god Zeus - Hercules, who brought the sacred olive branch to Olympia, marking the victory of his father over his ferocious grandfather.

According to other information, the same Hercules, with the help of athletic competitions, immortalized the memory of King Pelops for his victory in chariot races.

Which version do you prefer?

Organization of the first games

Whatever myth about the appearance of the first Olympic Games we no longer tend to, according to the documents, the date when they took place for the first time is attributed to 776 BC. On the bronze disc of King Ifit, the rules of the competitions were written down and a clause on a mandatory military truce for the duration of their holding was introduced. The words of the text of reconciliation are inscribed around the disk.

The venue for the competition, Olympia, was declared sacred, where one could enter only without weapons. Anyone who encroaches on the shrine, holding a sword in his hands, was proposed to be considered a criminal.

It was decided to hold competitions between harvest and grape harvest, in the sacred month, which began after the summer solstice. sports holiday at first it was one day, then the time of the competition was extended by five days, and later they began to compete for a month.

A specially created commission appointed the day of the beginning of the Olympic Games, and messengers traveled from Elis in different directions to announce the beginning of the truce and the date of the holiday. A month before the start of the competition, athletes from various ancient Greek states came to Olympia to train. The envoys of the warring policies of Ancient Greece gathered together to conduct peace negotiations and settle conflicts.

Who could participate in ancient Greek competitions?

In order to apply for participation in the Olympic Games, one could not be a slave, or a barbarian, or a criminal. The ancient Greeks considered everyone who was not a citizen of their state barbarians. There was no age limit for the participants in the competition - both an adult man and a young man under the age of 20 could become one.

At first, only athletes from Elis took part in the competition. After a dozen games, residents of other cities of Ancient Greece were allowed to participate in the number of participants, and then athletes from the ancient Greek colonies joined them.

Olympic sports

In the programs of the Olympics of Ancient Greece different kinds sports were included gradually.

At first, only running was included in the competition of athletes.

These were competitions short distances when the athletes ran from one end of the stadium to the other. Subsequently, a double run was added, when the distance included the way there and back. fifteenth Olympic Games already included running on long distance. The sixty-fifth competitions were distinguished by a running competition with weighting - shields, helmets, leggings were hoisted on the athletes.

On the second ten Olympic years the competition program included chariot riding, as well as pentathlon, which included wrestling, running, long jump, javelin and discus throwing.

During the thirty-third Olympiad in ancient Greece, such a sport as pankration appeared - martial arts with kicks and hands, suffocating techniques. By this time, the athletes had already skillfully competed in fisticuffs, for participation in which they protected their heads with a bronze cap, and their hands with leather belts with metal tips. Around the same time in Olympic program added horse racing.

Ancient Greek Olympic winners

Why did the athletes try so hard, enduring physical exercise and exercising every year? Of course, for the sake of glory, to glorify both themselves and the city they came from!

The tradition that existed in Ancient Greece to carve the names of the winners of the Olympics on marble columns that were installed along the banks of the Alpheus River played an invaluable role - the name of the first winner has come down to the present. They became a cook from Elis named Koreba.

All the winners of the competitions were called Olympionists. For their victory, the athletes were rewarded with a wreath of olive leaves and money.

But the most important reward awaited them at home, in their city, when the heroes received various privileges. They gained fame throughout ancient Greece and were honored at the level of great warriors. If an athlete wins Olympic competitions three times, then in the city of residence he was given a bust and entered in the book of prominent citizens.

If you already know such philosophers as Pythagoras and Plato, then it will be interesting for you to know that at one time the first was a champion in fisticuffs, and the second in pankration.

Why is it over?

The Olympic Games in ancient Greece began to lose their significance in the 2nd century BC. They began to turn into ordinary local competitions.

The reason for this is the conquest of the country by the Romans, who did not care about sports spirit, they saw only a spectacle in the games. The change of religion to Christianity put an end to the Olympics. Many scholars say it was the Roman Emperor Theodosius who officially banned the competition in 393 AD with his code of laws against paganism.

Only after centuries, in 1896, the Olympics was revived again thanks to the initiative of the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin.

5 Interesting Facts About the Ancient Olympic Games

1. Women were not allowed to the Olympic Games, not only as participants, but also as spectators. An exception was made only for the priestess and chariot drivers.
2. All athletes participating in the first Olympic Games performed completely without clothes. Yes, yes, they ran naked!
3. An athlete who violated the rules in pankration competitions was beaten by a judge with a stick.
4. The Olympic Games were to be repeated after 1417 days. This period of time was called the "Olympic year".
5. It is noteworthy that the athletes used dumbbells for the distance of the jump from a place. Apparently, they jumped into the distance more confidently.

And in 1978, an animated film was shot about how the Cossacks became Olympians. Do you want to see it? Then run turn on the video)

Here is such an interesting sports history. Now you can easily show off your knowledge in the classroom. I look forward to seeing you again on the ShkolaLa blog, check back for new interesting stories.

Good luck in your studies!

Evgenia Klimkovich.

In Paris, in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne, a commission has gathered to revive the Olympic Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee- The IOC, which includes the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.

The first Olympic Games of modern times were originally planned to be held at the same stadium in Olympia, where the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were held. However, this required too much restoration work, and the first revived Olympic competitions took place in Athens, the capital of Greece.

On April 6, 1896, at the restored ancient stadium in Athens, the Greek King George declared the first modern Olympic Games open. The opening ceremony was attended by 60 thousand spectators.

The date of the ceremony was not chosen by chance - on this day, Easter Monday coincided in three directions of Christianity at once - in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. This first opening ceremony of the Games laid two Olympic tradition- the opening of the Games by the head of state where the competitions are held, and the performance of the Olympic anthem. However, there were no such indispensable attributes of the modern Games as the parade of the participating countries, the ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame and the pronouncing of the Olympic oath; they were introduced later. There was no Olympic village, the invited athletes provided themselves with housing.

241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the I Olympiad: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary (at the time of the Games, Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary, but Hungarian athletes competed separately), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy , USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.

Russian athletes were quite actively preparing for the Olympics, but due to lack of funds Russian team was not directed to the Games.

As in ancient times, only men took part in the competitions of the first modern Olympiad.

The program of the first Games included nine sports - classical wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, Athletics, swimming, bullet shooting, tennis, weightlifting and fencing. 43 sets of awards were played.

According to ancient tradition, the Games began with athletics competitions.

Athletics competitions became the most massive - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - was won by representatives of the United States.

First Olympic champion was the American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 meters 71 centimeters.

Wrestling competitions were held without uniform approved rules for wrestling, there were also no weight categories. The style in which the athletes competed was close to today's Greco-Roman, but it was allowed to grab an opponent by the legs. Only one set of medals was played among five athletes, and only two of them competed exclusively in wrestling - the rest took part in competitions in other disciplines.

Since there were no artificial pools in Athens, swimming competitions were held in an open bay near the city of Piraeus; the start and finish were marked with ropes attached to the floats. The competition aroused great interest - by the beginning of the first swim, about 40 thousand spectators had gathered on the shore. About 25 swimmers from six countries took part, most of them are naval officers and sailors of the Greek merchant fleet.

The medals were played in four types, all heats were held in "freestyle" - it was allowed to swim in any way, changing it along the distance. At that time, the most popular swimming methods were breaststroke, overarm (an improved way of swimming on the side) and "trend-style". At the insistence of the organizers of the Games, the program also included an applied type of swimming - 100 meters in sailor's clothes. Only Greek sailors participated in it.

In cycling, six sets of medals were played - five on the track and one on the road. track racing were held at the Neo Faliron velodrome specially built for the Games.

In the competition for gymnastics eight sets of awards were played. The competitions were held on outdoors, at the Marble Stadium.

In shooting, five sets of awards were played - two in rifle shooting and three in pistol shooting.

Tennis competitions were held on the courts of the Athens Tennis Club. Two tournaments were held - in singles and doubles. At the 1896 Games, there was not yet a requirement that all team members represent one country, and some couples were international.

Weightlifting competitions were held without division into weight categories and included two disciplines: squeezing the ball bar with two hands and lifting the dumbbell with one hand.

In fencing, three sets of awards were played. Fencing became the only sport where professionals were also admitted: separate competitions were held among "maestro" - fencing teachers ("maestro" were also admitted to the 1900 Games, after which this practice ceased).

The culmination of the Olympic Games was the marathon. Unlike all subsequent Olympic competitions in marathon running, the length of the marathon distance at the Games of the I Olympiad was 40 kilometers. The classic length of a marathon distance is 42 kilometers 195 meters. The Greek postman Spyridon Louis finished first with a result of 2 hours 58 minutes 50 seconds, who became a national hero after this success. Except Olympic awards he got a gold cup, established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on the inclusion of marathon running in the Games program, a barrel of wine, a voucher for free meals throughout the year, free tailoring of dresses and use of hairdresser services throughout life, 10 centners of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 sheep.

» History of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

History of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

The history of the ancient Olympic Games is extraordinarily rich. The Olympic Games appeared in the ninth century. BC e. In those days, the Greek states ruined each other in endless wars. Ifit, the king of Elis, arrived in Delphi to learn from the oracle how he, the ruler of a small country, should protect his people from wars and robberies. Delphic oracle- his predictions and advice were considered absolutely correct - answered Ifitu:
“I need you to found Games that please the gods!”
Ifit immediately went to meet with the king of neighboring Sparta, the powerful Lycurgus. Obviously, Ifit was a good diplomat, since Lycurgus decided (and all the other rulers agreed with him) that from now on Elis is a neutral state. Immediately, Ifit, in order to prove peaceful aspirations and thank the gods, established the athletic Games: they were to be held in Olympia every four years. Hence their name - Olympic. It was 884 BC. e.

At first, athletes from two cities of Elis, Elis and Pisa, participated in the Games. The first to enter the annals of the Games was 776 BC. e. - the year of the first all-Greek Games. Only thanks to the ancient Greek tradition - to carve the names of Olympionists on marble columns installed along the banks of the Alpheus River, the name of the first winner, Koreb, a cook from Elis, has come down to us.
With the approach of the Olympic Games, messengers (feors) dispersed from Elis in all directions, who announced the day of festivities and announced a "holy truce". They were met with triumph not only in Hellas itself, but everywhere where the Greeks settled. The warriors put aside their weapons and went to Olympia. When the envoys of all the Greek states gathered together, they certainly felt their national community.
Then a unified calendar of the Olympic Games was established, which decided to be held regularly every four years "between the harvest and the grape harvest." The festival of athletes, which consisted of numerous religious ceremonies and sports competitions, lasted first one day, then five days, and later for a whole month. In order to participate in the Games, it was supposed "to be neither a slave nor a barbarian, not to commit a crime, nor blasphemy, nor sacrilege." (Barbarians were those who were not citizens of the Greek states.)

The history of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece - the emergence of new spectacular competitions

At the first 13 Games, they competed only in the stadiodromos - running a distance of 1 stage. In 724 BC. e. a double run was added - diaulos (at a distance of 384.54 m). Then, in 720 BC. e., at the 15th Olympiad, the pentathlon appeared, or, as the Greeks called it, the pentathlon, which consisted of a simple run, long jump, discus and javelin throw, wrestling. After another seven Olympiads, in 688 BC. e., the program was enriched with a fistfight, 12 years later - a chariot race and, finally, at the 33rd Olympiad, in 648 BC. e., pankration, the most difficult and cruel type of competition.

going out on fist fight, the participants put on a special bronze cap on their heads, and wrapped their fists with leather belts with metal bumps. When preparing to strike, the fighter took precautions: he protected his head with his hand; he tried to stand up so that the sun blinded the enemy, and then with all his might he beat with his fist, actually encased in iron, on his ribs, face and torso. The fight continued until one of the two pleaded defeated. Usually athletes left the battlefield disfigured, crippled, bleeding. Often they were carried out of the stadium half dead.
Pankration combined wrestling and fisticuffs. It was forbidden to use teeth and twist or break the fingers of the enemy, to put on metal armlets on the hands. But any blows, grabs, kicks, painful techniques were allowed, it was possible to overturn the opponent to the ground and squeeze his throat.
Later, armed running was included in the program of the Games; the run of trumpeters and heralds; mule-drawn chariot races; competitions for children in wrestling, horse racing, pentathlon), and in 200 BC. e., at the 145th Olympiad, even a children's pankration appeared.
On the eve of the opening of the Olympics, the audience admired the marble statues of the winners of the previous Games, located between the stadium and the river Alpheus. The statues were made and installed at the expense of the cities where the new “demigods” came from: the first Olympionist Ko-reb from Elis; "the strongest among the strong" Milo of Croton; Polites from Korina, the fastest athlete at the 212th Olympiad; Lasfen from Te-bei, who ran 156 stadia, competing with a horse; Nikola from Akria, who won five race victories in two Olympics, and many other glorious athletes.

The young men were also shown the statues of Zeus, towering near the Krona hill. Each of these statues was ordered and placed on the penalties imposed on those participants in the Games who cheated, tried to bribe the enemy or injured him during the competition.

The Olympic festivities began with the rising of the full moon. The solemn procession was heading to the golden statue of Zeus. The Hellanodiki in purple robes led the procession, followed by athletes and eminent citizens. Two huge bulls were sacrificed to Zeus, and the judges and contestants took a solemn oath to be worthy of being awarded a laurel wreath and a palm branch. In the evening, after the drawing of lots, a festival of arts was held. Long before its end, the athletes went to bed - half-starved, having eaten a piece of cheese and drinking cold water.

So the big day arrived. Between 40,000 and 60,000 spectators took their seats on the embankment around the stadium. Trumpets greeted the approaching Hellanodics and guests of honor. Athletes took turns going to the middle of the arena to introduce themselves to the audience. The herald loudly announced the name and homeland of each and asked three times: “Do all of you, the happy guests of Olympia, agree that this athlete is a free and worthy citizen?” Then the competition began.
On the first day, competitions were held in all types of running, on the second - in pentathlon, and on the third - in wrestling, fisticuffs and pankration. The fourth day was completely given to the children. Running distances for them were two times shorter than for adults. On the fifth day, chariot races drawn by four horses were arranged, as well as horse racing in a circle at stages 8 and 73 (1538 and 14000 m).
The history of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece is very rich in intense and spectacular sports competitions.

Olympic Games - the most significant in the world sport competitions. They are held every four years. Every athlete dreams of winning these competitions. The origin of the Olympic Games dates back to ancient times. They were held as early as the seventh century BC. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? In which country were they first held?

The myth of the origin of the Olympic Games

In ancient times, these were the greatest national festivals. Who is the founder of the ancient Olympic Games is unknown. Myths and legends played a significant role in the social and cultural life of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that the birth of the Olympic Games dates back to the time of Kronos, the son of the first god Uranus. In a competition between mythical heroes, Hercules won on the run, for which he was awarded an olive wreath. Subsequently, the winner insisted that a sporting event be held every five years. Such is the legend. Of course, there are other legends about the origin of the Olympic Games.

The historical sources confirming the holding of these festivities in ancient Greece include Homer's Iliad. This book mentions a chariot race organized by the inhabitants of Elis, the area in the Peloponnese where Olympia was located.

Holy Truce

A mere mortal who played a significant role in the development of the ancient Greek Olympic Games was King Ifit. During his reign, the interval between the competitions was already four years. Resuming the Olympic Games, Ifit declared a sacred truce. That is, during these festivities it was impossible to wage war. And not only in Elis, but also in other parts of Hellas.

Elis was considered a sacred place. It was impossible to wage war with her. True, later the Eleans themselves invaded neighboring areas more than once. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? Firstly, the holding of these competitions was associated with the names of the gods highly revered by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, the aforementioned truce was announced for a month, which had a special name - ἱερομηνία.

About the sports in the Olympic Games held by the Hellenes, scientists still have not come to a consensus. There is an opinion that initially athletes competed only in running. Later, wrestling and chariot racing were added to the sports in the Olympic Games.

Members

Among the citizens in ancient Greece were those who were subjected to public dishonor and contempt by others, i.e. atymia. They could not become participants in competitions. Only respected Hellenes. Of course, the barbarians, who could only be spectators, did not take part in the ancient Olympic Games either. An exception was made only in favor of the Romans. At the ancient Greek Olympic Games, a woman did not even have the right to be present if she was not a priestess of the goddess Demeter.

The number of spectators and participants was huge. If at the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece (776 BC) competitions were held only in running, then later other sports appeared. And over time, poets and artists got the opportunity to compete in their skills. During the festivities, even deputies competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to mythical deities.

It is known from the history of the Olympic Games that these events had a rather important social and cultural significance. Deals were made between merchants, artists and poets introduced the public to their creations.

Competitions were held on the first full moon after the summer solstice. It went on for five days. A certain part of the time was devoted to rituals with sacrifices and a public feast.

Types of competitions

The history of the Olympic Games, as already mentioned, is full of stories and legends. However, there is reliable information regarding the types of competitions. At the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, athletes competed in running. This sport was represented by the following varieties:

• Distance running.
• Double run.
• Long run.
• Running in full armor.

The first fist fight took place at the 23rd Olympiad. Later, the ancient Greeks added martial arts such as pankration, wrestling. It was said above that women did not have the right to take part in competitions. However, in 688 BC, special competitions were created for the most purposeful inhabitants in ancient Greece. the only sport in which they could compete, there were horse races.

In the fourth century BC, a competition between trumpeters and heralds was added to the program of the Olympic Games - the Hellenes believed that aesthetic pleasure and sport had a logical connection. Artists exhibited their works on the market square. Poets and writers, as mentioned above, read their writings. Sculptors were sometimes ordered statues of winners after the end of the Games, lyrics in honor of the strongest and most dexterous composed laudatory songs.

Ellanodons

What were the names of the judges who watched the course of the competition and awarded awards to the winners. Ellanodons were appointed by lot. The judges not only presented the award, but also managed the organization of the entire event. At the first Olympic Games there were only two, then nine, and later ten. Beginning in 368 BC, there were twelve Hellanodons. True, later the number of judges decreased. The Ellanodons wore a special purple robe.

How did the competition start? Athletes proved to spectators and judges that the previous months were devoted exclusively to preliminary preparation. They took an oath in front of the statue of the main ancient Greek god - Zeus. Relatives of those wishing to compete - fathers and brothers - also took an oath. A month before the competition, the athletes demonstrated their skills in front of the judges at the Olympic Gymnasium.

The order of the competition was determined by drawing lots. Then the herald publicly announced the name of the contestant. Where were the Olympic Games held?

Sanctuary of Ancient Greece

Where the Olympic Games were held is already clear from the name. Olympia is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. This was once located temple-cultural complex and sacred grove of Zeus. On the territory of the ancient Greek sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, athletic facilities and the houses where participants and guests lived. This place was the center of Greek art until the fourth century BC. Later they were burned by order of Theodosius II.

The Olympic Stadium was built gradually. He became the first in ancient Greece. In the fifth century BC, this stadium received about forty thousand spectators. For training, a gymnasium was used - a structure, Treadmill which was equal in length to the one that was in the stadium itself. Another platform for preliminary preparations - palestra. It was a square building with a courtyard. Mostly athletes who competed in wrestling and fisticuffs trained here.

Leonidoyon, which served as a function, was built in the fifth century BC according to the project of a well-known architect in Ancient Greece. The huge building consisted of a courtyard surrounded by columns and included many rooms. The Olympic Games played an important role in the religious life of the Hellenes. And that's why here locals erected several temples and shrines. The buildings fell into disrepair after an earthquake that occurred in the sixth century. The hippodrome was finally destroyed during the flood.

The last Olympic Games in Ancient Greece took place in 394. Banned by Emperor Theodosius. In the Christian era, these events were regarded as pagan. The revival of the Olympic Games occurred after two millennia. Although already in the 17th century, competitions reminiscent of the Olympic ones were held repeatedly in England, France and Greece.

Revival of ancient Greek traditions

The forerunners of the modern Olympic Games were the Olympia, held in the middle of the 19th century. But they, of course, were not so large-scale and had little in common with the competitions, which in our time take place every four years. French Pierre de Coubertin played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games. Why did the Europeans suddenly remember the traditions of the ancient Greeks?

In the middle of the 17th century, archaeological research was carried out in Olympia, as a result of which scientists discovered the remains of temple structures. The work continued for more than ten years. At that time, everything related to Antiquity was popular in Europe. Many public and cultural figures became infected with the desire to revive the Olympic traditions. At the same time, the French showed the greatest interest in the culture of holding sports competitions in Ancient Greece, although the archaeological discoveries belonged to the Germans. This can be easily explained.

In 1871, the French army was defeated, which significantly undermined the patriotic spirit in society. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the reason was in a weak physical training soldier. He did not try to inspire his compatriots to fight against Germany and other European powers. The French public figure spoke a lot about the need to improve physical culture, but also advocated overcoming national selfishness and establishing international understanding.

First Olympic Games: new time

In June 1894, a congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which Coubertin presented to the world community his thoughts on the need to revive the ancient Greek traditions. His ideas were supported. On the last day of the congress, it was decided to hold the Olympic Games in two years. They were supposed to take place in Athens. Conduct Committee international competitions led by Demetrius Vikelas. Pierre de Coubertin took over as general secretary.

The 1896 Olympic Games were the largest sporting event. statesmen Greece put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games exclusively in their homeland. However, the committee decided otherwise. The venue for the Games changes every four years.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Olympic movement was not widely popular. This is partly due to the fact that at that time the World Exhibition was held in Paris. Some historians believe that olympic ideas saved thanks to the intermediate games of 1906, held again in Athens.

Differences between modern Games and ancient Greek

Competitions were resumed on the model of ancient sports competitions. The modern Olympic Games unite athletes from all states; discrimination against individuals on religious, racial, political grounds is not allowed. This, perhaps, is the main difference between the modern Games and the ancient Greek ones.

What did the modern Olympic Games borrow from the ancient Greek? First of all, the names themselves. The frequency of the competitions was also borrowed. One of the purposes of the modern Olympic Games is to serve the world, to establish mutual understanding between countries. This is in tune with the ideas of the ancient Greeks about a temporary truce during the days of the competition. The Olympic fire and torch are the symbols of the Olympics, which, of course, originated in antiquity. Some terms and rules for holding competitions were also borrowed from the ancient Greeks.

There are, of course, several significant differences between modern Games and antique. The ancient Greeks held sports events exclusively in Olympia. Today the Games are organized each time in a different city. In ancient Greece, there was no such thing as the Winter Olympics. Yes, the competition was different. In antiquity in the Olympic Games were attended not only by athletes, but also by poets.

Symbolism

Everyone knows what the symbol of the Olympic Games looks like. Five fastened rings in black, blue, red, yellow and green. However, few people know that these elements do not belong to any particular continent. sounds in Latin, translated into Russian means "faster, higher, stronger". The flag is a white cloth with rings. It has been raised at every Games since 1920.

Both the opening and closing of the Games are accompanied by a grandiose, colorful ceremony. The best organizers are involved in the development of the script mass events. Famous actors and singers strive to participate in this spectacle. The broadcast of this international event attracts tens of millions of viewers around the world to television screens.

If the ancient Greeks believed that in honor of the Olympic Games it was worth suspending any hostilities, then in the twentieth century the opposite was true. Sports competitions were canceled due to armed conflicts. The games were not held in 1916, 1940, 1944. Russia has hosted the Olympics twice. In 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi.