When and how the ancient Greek Olympic Games came into being is impossible to verify, but some clues can still be seen from some legends handed down from the Greek myth kingdom. There are three myths and legends about the origin of the Olympic Games.
Legend has it that 1 kronos, the father of Zeus, wanted to pass the throne to Zeus. In order to test his son's ability, he decided to have a wrestling match with Zeus. If Zeus wins, he can inherit the throne. As a result, kronos lost to Zeus and was defeated by his son. After Zeus took the crown of the head of the gods, he held a grand celebration in Olympia, including competitive competitions. This is the first ancient Olympic Games.
According to the second legend, King Elis made a bet with the hero Heracles that if Heracles cleaned 3,000 cows in the cowshed in one day, he would be rewarded with 300 cows. Clever Heracles drew water from the alfons River and soon cleaned the cowshed. But King Elis not only broke the contract, but also wanted to kill Heracles. But Hercules killed King Elis with the help of Zeus. After that, Heracles held a sports competition in Olympia to celebrate the victory and repay Zeus, so there was the ancient Olympic Games.
The third legend is the most popular. Onomanos, the king of Pisa, an ancient Greek city-state, had a beautiful daughter Hippodamia, and her pursuers were in constant stream. When the king heard the prophet say that he would die at the hands of his son-in-law, he came up with a way. If his daughter didn't marry, the suitor couldn't blame him. He asked his suitor to have a driving race with him. If the suitor wins, he can marry the princess. If he loses, he will be stabbed to death. Results 13 the pursuer died because of the failure of the car. One day, a young hero, Pearl Rope, came to propose. Although Pearl Rope was driving Poseidon's golden carriage, the king's two horses, Mafeira and harbi Na, were as fast as a whirlwind and were about to catch up. The king aimed his spear at the middle of the back of the pearl rope. Then Poseidon appeared, causing the wheels of the king's chariot to fly off, and the king fell to the ground and died. Pearl rope got her wish, married Hippodamia and inherited the throne. To celebrate the victory, a grand Olympic Games was held in Olympia. In Olympia today, people can still see the remains of Luo's tomb.
Although the contents of these myths are different, one thing is the same, that is, the ancient Olympic Games were related to God. The devout ancient Greeks held various ceremonies to worship the gods in order to please them and help them to plant crops, sail and fight. They think that since the gods like to watch competitive games, they take them as sacrifices. Therefore, ancient Greece had the East Moss Games dedicated to Poseidon, the Pito Games dedicated to Apollo, the sun god, and the Pan-Athens Games dedicated to Athena, the god of wisdom. The Olympic Games was dedicated to Zeus, the god of gods, so it became the most influential first grand event in ancient Greece. As Pindar, an ancient Greek poet, said, no other competition is more commendable than the Olympic Games.
Put down your weapons and take part in the Olympic Games.
There were hundreds of independent city-states in ancient Greece, and there were frequent wars among them. Therefore, the war had a great influence on the life of the ancient Greeks. In order to meet the needs of war, the ancient Greeks took physical exercise as a top priority. All kinds of competitive sports are popular for a while, and competitive sports competitions have also appeared in festivals such as the Olympic Games. Most of the events are related to military skills, reflecting the relationship between war and the development of ancient Greek Olympic Games.
In ancient times, the sacrificial competition held in Olympia was once interrupted. In the 8th century BC, when the city-state of Elis suffered a disaster, King Ipetos sent people to Delphi, a religious shrine dedicated to Apollo, to listen to the "Oracle". Listening to the Oracle is a religious tradition of the ancient Greeks.
In ancient times, the kings of Elis, Sparta and Pisa reached an agreement, decided to resume the religious celebration held in Olympia every four years, from summer to the second full moon in the future, that is, from mid-July to mid-August, and agreed to stop the war during the Olympic Games, so that athletes and spectators could participate in the Olympic Games and return safely. This is the famous "Olympic Truce". The truce was engraved on the discus and stored in the temple of Hera.
Every Olympic year, Elis city-states will send three ambassadors, wearing laurels woven by olive branches and holding batons, to each city-state to announce that the Olympic Games will be held soon and the "Holy Truce" will begin, and invite people to participate in the Olympic Games. Wherever they go, they are warmly welcomed. Once the "Holy Truce" was declared, the whole Elis city-state became a religious shrine, and no military action was allowed, nor were people allowed to enter with weapons. All the roads to Olympia are clear, and no one can stop them. Those who violate the "Holy Truce" and the polis will be severely punished. In 420 BC, after the "Holy Truce" was declared, Spartans attacked a town in the city-state of Elis, and Elise imposed a fine of 2000 meters (equivalent to the price of 200,000 sheep) on each soldier. The Spartans complained that they really didn't know that the "Holy Truce" had been announced and refused to pay the fine, so the Elis city-state rudely banned Sparta from participating. The term of the "Holy Truce" was originally 1 month, but it was later extended to three months because the Greek colonial city-states along the Mediterranean also participated in the Olympic Games.
The "Holy Truce" lasted for more than 1000 years, which made the ancient Olympic Games get rid of the interference of war and become a peaceful and friendly event, which reflected the ancient Greeks' desire for peace and had a far-reaching impact on the modern Olympic Games.
The 6th century BC to 5th century BC was the heyday of ancient Greek city-states. In 480 BC, after the heroic Greeks defeated the powerful Persian invaders on the marathon plain, the ancient Olympic Games reached its glorious peak. With the passage of time, the Olympic Games has also expanded from the initial 1 day to five days. In addition to competitive competitions, various sacrificial activities and art competitions are also held.
Competition in the arena
The competition in the ancient Olympic Games was extremely fierce, and the contestants were all elites with outstanding physical fitness and strong physique. They fought bravely in the arena for the honor of their city-state and family. Wonderful games often fascinate the audience. At first, there was only one sprint event in the Olympic Games, and then the scale of the Olympic Games continued to expand.
Ancient Olympic Games Race
13 Before the Olympic Games, there was only one competition. The distance of the race is a "Stade" (about 192 meters), and then gradually increase the round-trip running, that is, after running to the finish line, turn back at the stone pillar at the finish line.
In 720 BC, 15 Olympic Games added long-distance running events, with a distance of 7-24 "Stade". The starting position at that time was standing. Athletes stand on the stone trough of the starting line with their feet back and forth, put their toes in the trough respectively, lean forward and rush forward under the command of the herald.
Since the 65th Olympic Games in 520 BC, the armed race has been listed as an official event. Armed runners wear armor, helmets, shin guards on their legs and a round shield on their left hand. Although there is only one round trip, they are all dressed up and have a heavy burden. Therefore, young athletes do not participate in this project.
Boxing in ancient Olympic Games
Boxing is one of the oldest sports in ancient Greece, but it was not listed as an official event until the 23rd Olympic Games in 688 BC. The opponents in the competition are decided by drawing lots. There is no division in the competition, and it is not limited by time, and it is graded according to weight. Only fists or palms are allowed to hit each other in the game. If both sides are unwilling to abstain, the game will continue until one of them is knocked to the ground or raises his right hand to show failure.
Wrestling in ancient Olympic Games
Wrestling is the favorite sport of the ancient Greeks. Wrestling is divided into standing position and lying position. In the standing competition, the competitor only needs to fall down his opponent three times to win. Lying wrestling is a game in which both sides compete on a muddy field. Because the mud is covered with skin, it is difficult to catch each other, which increases the difficulty of winning. Wrestling in prone position is very fierce, and it is not until one side raises his right hand, raises his index finger and admits defeat that the outcome is decided.
Comprehensive fighting in ancient Olympic Games
Mixed martial arts is a competitive event that combines wrestling and boxing. In the competition, any part of the player's body is an offensive weapon, and he can strike his opponent with various actions and methods, but it is forbidden to bite his opponent with his mouth and stab his eye with his fingers. The mixed fighting game is fierce and dangerous, and the game should be played until the opponent loses his resistance or admits defeat.
Pentathlon in ancient Olympic Games
Pentathlon is the most respected event in the ancient Olympic Games, as Aristotle, the most famous scholar in ancient Greece, commented: "Pentathlon athletes are the best because they have both strength and speed."
Pentathlon became a competitive event at the 18 Olympic Games in 708 BC, including sprint, long jump, discus throwing, javelin throwing and wrestling. Among them, sprint and wrestling are not only the contents of pentathlon, but also the separate events of the Olympic Games. The most distinctive event is the long jump.
Long jump in ancient Olympic Games
The bunker used for long jump is called "Scarma", which is about15m long and is also a wrestling ground.
The long jump competition is accompanied by the flute to stimulate the athletes' emotions and the rhythm of the long jump. Long jump is divided into standing jump and run-up jump. During the competition, athletes hold a semi-circular weight called a jump aid, which weighs about 1.48 ~ 4.63 kg. It is said that this can not only increase the distance of long jump, but also help to keep the balance when landing.
The results of the long jump are measured with ropes and marked with stakes. After each athlete jumps three times, it is decided who can jump farthest. At the same time, it depends on whether the athlete's posture is beautiful when jumping. Only athletes who have both can win.
Discus throwing in ancient Olympic Games
The throwing cake was originally a kind of stone cake with thick center and thin edge. It was made of metal around the 6th century AD.
Because there is no uniform regulation on the diameter and weight of discus in the city-state sports meeting, the discus used in the Olympic Games is also not uniform. When athletes compete, they should first cover their hands with sand or mud to avoid throwing discus. Measuring throwing distance is the same as modern discus competition. Instead of measuring after each throw, mark the place where the discus falls, and finally calculate the score according to the farthest throw distance.
Javelin events in ancient Olympic Games
This javelin is a straight wooden spear, usually made of pine or olive branch. Its length is equivalent to the height of an ordinary man (about 1.73m) and its thickness is similar to that of the index finger. At first, the spear point was pointed stone, and later it was replaced by different types of spear heads made of metal. There are two kinds of competitions: long shots and accurate shots. When throwing a long distance, put a metal spear without sharp edges on the javelin to increase strength and maintain balance; When throwing, use a sharp metal spearhead and decide the final winner according to the number of targets.
Ancient Olympic chariot competition
In 680 BC, the chariot race was listed as an event in the 25th Olympic Games. Because of its huge scale, luxurious equipment and endless thrilling scenes, the competition is deeply loved by Greeks.
The chariot race was held in the arena, with a sign post at the starting point and a steering column at the end, and it was a round trip. Originally a four-horse chariot race, the mule-drawn chariot race was added to the 70th Olympic Games in 500 BC, but it was soon cancelled. Later, two horse chariot races and young horse chariot races were added one after another. The scene was very intense during the game. The contestants were naked and waving their hands, desperately urging Ma Xiangqian. When the car reaches the steering column, it will suddenly turn around. For example, poor driving skills, either the wheels hit the steering column and overturned, or the competitors were thrown out of the car by the forward momentum. Therefore, as soon as the car approaches the steering column, the trumpeter blows his horn, which on the one hand reminds the driver to pay attention to safety, on the other hand, it is also a tribute and encouragement to these brave men who venture forward.
Generally speaking, the owner will not drive the car himself, but hire someone to race for him, but once he wins, it is the owner, not the actual driver, who announces the winner.
Horse racing in ancient Olympic Games
Horse racing was listed as a competitive event in the 33rd Olympic Games in 648 BC, and was called "Olympic Horse Racing" at that time. By 7 1 in 496 BC, he joined the horse racing.
Horse racing is different from other races. Because there is no saddle and stirrup on the horse, it is quite dangerous for riders to race barefoot. So, like racing cars, riders are hired, and owners don't race in person. According to historical records, in 348 BC, King Philip of Macedonia sent someone to participate in the horse racing and speed racing in the 108 Olympic Games, and won the horse racing championship. To commemorate this great victory, Philip issued four silver coins. Just like horse racing, once a horse wins, it is the owner of the horse who announces the victory, not the actual rider.
Pioneer Competition and Bagpipe Competition of Ancient Olympic Games
Pioneers' Competition and Piper's Competition were listed as events in the 9 1 Olympic Games in 4 16 BC, and were held as opening events in the long corridor near the arena. These two competitions require athletes to have a loud voice and a large lung capacity, and of course they must master certain skills. The winner introduces the contestants and announces the results loudly at the Olympic Games, just like the announcer at today's sports meeting.
Ancient Olympic youth competition
In the 37th Olympic Games in 632 BC, a junior competition was set up, and the age of the contestants was limited to 17 ~ 20 years old. Except for some events specially designed for young athletes, most of the events are the same as adults, with basically the same form and content, but the rules and movements are less difficult than adults. The junior champion also takes the olive branch crown as a reward.
age
meeting
Additional item
776 BC
65438+ 0th meeting
Short distance running
724 BC
14 session
Run back and forth
720 BC
15 session
long-distance run
708 BC
18
Pentathlon, wrestling
688 BC
Twenty-third session
boxing
680 BC
Twenty-fifth session
Four-horse chariot race
648 BC
The thirty-third session
Mixed fighting and horse racing
632 BC
The thirty-seventh session
Junior track and wrestling
628 BC
The thirty-eighth session
Youth pentathlon
6 16 BC
465438+ 0th meeting
Juvenile boxing
520 BC
Sixty-fifth session
Armed competition
500 BC
Seventieth session
Mule-drawn chariot race
496 BC
Seventh session
Mumaishai
428 BC
88th session
Double horse-drawn chariot race
4 16 BC
965438+ Phase 0
Command a game, bagpipe competition
404 BC
The ninety-fourth session
Four ponies race.
In 288 BC
123rd session
Pony race
in 276 bc
126th session
Double pony race
200 BC
145th session
Juvenile mixed fighting