Olympic Games

Ancient Greece: The Olympic Games

At first, the Olympic Games lasted only one day, but eventually grew to five days. The Olympic Games originally contained one event: the stadion race, a short sprint measuring between 180 and 240 metres, or the length of the stadium..Runners had to pass five stakes that divided the lanes: one stake at the start, another at the finish, and three stakes in between.

Over the years, more events were added: boxing, wrestling and pankration, a fighting competition combining both elements. Wrestling was also the final decisive event in the ancient pentathlon. Boxing became increasingly brutal over the centuries. Initially, soft leather covered their fingers, but eventually, hard leather with metal sometimes was sometimes used. The fights had no rest periods and no rules against hitting a man while he was down. Bouts continued until one man either surrendered or died- however, killing an opponent wasn't a good thing, as the dead boxer was automatically declared the winner.

In ancient Greece, runners participated in Olympic torch races known as lampadedromia, or “Torch Race” in Greek. The first athlete to arrive at the designated temple, such as one dedicated to Prometheus, would be given the honor of lighting the Olympic flame which would burn during the entire event.

The Torch Relay, however, is a tradition that started in the 20th century, during the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Unlike the races in ancient Greece, it is not a competition, but rather a succession of athletes who relay the torch to one another to deliver it to its final destination at the games.

Diciplines and traditions

Olympic Games

Why did it start?

The Games were held in honour of Zeus, king of the gods, and were staged every four years at Olympia, a valley near a city called Elis. People from all over the Greek world came to watch it and take part in it.

When and where did it start?

The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in southwest Greece. The Games were part of a religious festival. The Greek Olympics, thought to have begun in 776 BC, inspired the modern Olympic Games.