The Ancient Olympics

“There is no greater glory that can befall a man living than what he achieves by speed of his feet or strength of his hands.” (Homer, Odyssey, VIII, 147-148)

What are the topics:A blast from the past, Olympia

and the ancient Olympics;

Sybaris and the arm wrestling with Olympia;

A fellow winner: Kleòmbrotos

1.Olympia and the ancient Olympics

Pelops seems to have been their first institutor. When he was a young

man he was sent to death and executed by his father who wanted

to use him for a sacrifice.

Jupiter, feeling sorry for the event, brought him back to life.

1700 BC, the origin:

So Pelops wanted to celebrate his rebirth giving a huge feast setting

up a simulated combat competition.

1000 years later, in 776 B.C Iphitos celebrated the "Games of Olympic Jupiter"

Initially the Olympic Games lasted only one day, but

eventually they grew to six days and were held every four years.

The days were chosen so that the central day coincided with the second or third full moon after the summer solstice .

Because of the high temperatures were not

uncommon cases of heat stroke, or death.

1° day: opening ceremony

1° day: opening ceremony

2° day: the foot race2° day: the foot race

3° day: wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium

3° day: wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium

4° day: the Horse-racing

4° day: the Horse-racing

5° day: the pentathlon5° day: the pentathlon

6° day: the winner received the olive wreath

6° day: the winner received the olive wreath

1.1 The foot races:

The stadion (or "stade") race, a

short sprint measuring

between 180 and 240 metres (590 and 790 ft), or the length of

the stadium.

The diaulos, or two-stade race, was

introduced in 724 BC, during

the 14th Olympic

games. The race was a

single lap of the stadium,

approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft).

A third foot race, the dolichos, was

introduced in 720 BC. the length of the race

was 18-24 laps, or about three miles (5 km). The event was

run similarly to modern marathons.

The "Hoplite race“(520 BC.) The runners would run

in full or partial armour. The

hoplitodromos emulated the

speed and stamina needed for

warfare. 

1.2 Wrestling, Boxing, and the Pancratium:

Fists were absolutely prohibited in wrestling matches, the wrestlers were naked and anointed to make very difficult the taking but were free to headbutt the opponent. The one who could assign three pinned to his opponent got the victory.

Boxing was a widespread and violent sport especially for the particular type of gloves used. Greek boxers wrapped their hands and forearms in an armor made of leather and metal straps. Tragic conclusions were not rare . In this case, the winner-murderer incurred in flogging.

Finally pancratium, was a synthesis of wrestling and boxing: all sockets and all shots were allowed, only biting the opponent and shoving the fingers in his eyes were forbidden.

1.3 The horse-racing:

Horse Horse racesraces

Chariot Chariot racesraces

Hors

e r

aci

ng

Hors

e r

aci

ng Took place in the

HippodromeTook place in the

Hippodrome

Were the most expensive of the all

Olympic program

Were the most expensive of the all

Olympic program

The owners of the major teams were kings and however rich people

The owners of the major teams were kings and however rich people

Had a political meaningHad a political meaning

1.4 The pentathlon:

55Wrestling

Discus

Javelin

Running Jumping

The ancient Greeks considered the rhythm and precision of an athlete throwing the discus as important as his strength.

The discus was made of stone, iron, bronze, or lead, and was shaped like a flying saucer. Sizes varied, since the boys' division was not expected to throw the same weight as the mens'.

The javelin was a man-high length of wood, with either a sharpened end or an attached metal point. It had a thong for a hurler's fingers attached to its center of gravity, which increased the precision and distance of a javelin's flight.

Athletes used lead or stone jump weights (halteres) shaped like telephone receivers to increase the length of their jump. The halteres were held in front of the athlete during his ascent, and forcibly thrust behind his back and dropped during his descent to help propel his body further.

The athletes competed in the sprinting and wrestling

match, which followed exactly the races during the

second and third day.

1.5 The proclamation of the winner:

After this coronation, which was the highest honor that an athlete could achieve in ancient Greece, the Olympic athletes were making a tour of the stadium to receive the spectators’ cheers.

"The important thing in life is not to compete but to triumph”, this is the basic rule.

The victory banquet started with a procession to the Temple of Zeus, referred to by the Greeks as the Altis, where each winner received his wreath of olive branches from olives.  Crowds then showered them with flowers.

The victors of the Olympic games were rewarded generously.  Statues were erected in their honour.   Parades with chariots, songs, and poems written in their honor were given in their hometowns.

1.6 Some interesting facts about the ancient

Olympic Games2. After a period of time women practiced athletic activity, with a more significant participation  than the sources allow a glimpse.

4.They also had a reserved stadium, but it was reduced by about one-sixth.

1. Were not allowed to partecipate and even just watch the games.

3. Their competitions were called «Erei Games» in honour of goddess Hera

5. the youngest run for first, after these those not so young and the last those who were older. They run like this: the hair was loose, the chiton got a bit ’above the knee, from the right shoulder to below the breast were uncovered.

6. The winners won crowns of  olive and a part of the cow sacrificed to Hera.

Women and Women and OlympicsOlympics

Competitions for young people1. Competitions were organized for the young with a program that provided only races and fight for the danger of the other disciplines.2. The young man was that until the

age of 18 years, regardless of age but in the opinion of the

judges a young person could be excluded or admitted directly to the

category ofadults in the case of a fit physique.

3. Greek world attributed great value to the victories gained by young people believing them a good omen for the population’s future to which they belonged.

The Olympic truce1. The truce (ekecheirìa) was declared and disseminated by the so-called "messengers of peace," before the game. 2. All the ongoing conflicts were

suspended and all the armies stopped military action to respect the sacred event of the Olympics.

3.The Olympic Truce, thus understood, was taken up by Pierre de Coubertin, whose goal was to give, through the reorganization of the Olympic Games, a contribute to understanding between peoples and to build a more peaceful world.

“Humanity would be happy if, as in

ancient Greece, in the middle of

a war, the enemy armies stopped for a

moment their struggles, to honor and celebrate the Olympic

Games”

2. Sybaris and the arm wrestling with Olympia

3. Sybaris at the 2004 Olympics

2. A fellow winner: Kleòmbrotos

1. The reasons of the competition

1 The

first winner of the children boxing, 

set in XLI Olympics, was the Sybarite 

Philytas in 616 BC.

3The thing that confirms the existence of important games in Sybaris was the disproportionate financial ability to fund the awards.

2The polis developed the

intention to emulate, and

perhaps obscure, the glorious Olympic

Games, to confirm so the importance 

achieved by the polis.

2.1 The reasons of the competition

Kleombrotos was a Sybaris citizen, who lived in the early sixth century. B.C. and

 participated in perhaps the 46th Olympiad (526 BC), winning.

“Kleombrotos, Dexilawos’ son, dedicated to Athena one tenth of the awards obtained from the victory in the competition of the equals in height and body size, as he promised”.

The inscription suggests that the athlete is measured in boxing or wrestling, or otherwise in a discipline in which athletes are facing according to the weight and height.

2.2 A fellow winner: Kleòmbrotos

What Kleòmbrotos is to Sibari’s citizens:

He represents the possibility of projecting their lives into the future without any fear, but with the consciousness that values like loyalty, are necessary for the success in their actions

He gave

evidence

of the

beauty of

sport as a

proof of

civilization

He certainly is a source of pride to them

December 16, 2008 represents a historical date for the people of Sibari: that day the Elementary School was named after Kleombrotos.

“the naming of the scholastic institution after Kleombrotos is, to the students belonging to the elementary school in Sibari, the dream, the project for a life devoted to goodness and to all those values that the ancient athlete represented…his loyalty, his strength and glory should be a sort of inspiration for a good personal and social development”.

The headmaster’s speech:

2.3 Sybaris at the 2004 Olympics

Sibari, boasts its recent participation to the Olympic Games during Athens 2004 thanks to the archaeological remains preserved in its museum, “the national museum of Sybaris”, and this all happened thanks to Kleombrotos.

Whoever he may be French, Greek, American, English, German, Italian or belonging to the other countries attending to the Olympic Games.

Conclusions:

The admiration for Kleombrotos makes me respect each athlete that has his own quality.

That’s because the attribute of The Olympics is “world” this means that oneof its objectives, among all, is the mixing of people of different cultures

So from Sibari to London only one road will link us this time: the sport ...according to the saying: "all roads lead… to the sport".

Thanks for your Attention...

Atene Antonella