The Games:
The Olympic games in Ancient Greece are extremely different from today's. They still took place every 4 years, but they always took place at Olympia, Greece. The annual games started in 776 B.C. and went until 393 A.D. Each lasted 5 days, and spectators usually slept in the open, not in tents. They were held to honor Zeus, and only males were allowed to compete/attend. Competitors couldn't wear clothing, it's only allowed in chariot races and in events that need armor. An interesting fact about Ancient Olympics: Wars held truces when the Olympics came around. This is so that every possible male can compete. The only woman allowed to watch the games were the Priestess of Demeter, or sometimes young girls. People sometimes died, the fights were very violent, barley any rules applied.
Events:
Events vary greatly from today's. They include the following:
Prizes:
Athletes did not get gold, silver, or bronze metals, they got a crown of wild olive leaves. And there wasn't even prizes for the 2nd and 3rd place winners. Each Polis offered prizes to competitors from there. Winners can have a statue of themselves placed in Olympia. And poets might even write a poem about them!
Other Games:
There is one other major event other than the Olympics, called Hereia. Heraia is the Olympics for women, and it is in honor of Hera, Zeus's wife. It was definitely smaller than the Olympics, and there were only foot races. Women who competed were not naked. They wore tunics. All of the other competitions were much smaller and honored gods like Apollo, Posidon, and Zeus.
The Olympic games in Ancient Greece are extremely different from today's. They still took place every 4 years, but they always took place at Olympia, Greece. The annual games started in 776 B.C. and went until 393 A.D. Each lasted 5 days, and spectators usually slept in the open, not in tents. They were held to honor Zeus, and only males were allowed to compete/attend. Competitors couldn't wear clothing, it's only allowed in chariot races and in events that need armor. An interesting fact about Ancient Olympics: Wars held truces when the Olympics came around. This is so that every possible male can compete. The only woman allowed to watch the games were the Priestess of Demeter, or sometimes young girls. People sometimes died, the fights were very violent, barley any rules applied.
Events:
Events vary greatly from today's. They include the following:
- 400 meter foot race
- 4,000 meter foot race
- 200 meter foot race
- Pentathlon
- Wrestling
- Boxing
- Pankration
- Foot race wearing armor
- 4- Horse chariot race
- And single-horse chariot race.
Prizes:
Athletes did not get gold, silver, or bronze metals, they got a crown of wild olive leaves. And there wasn't even prizes for the 2nd and 3rd place winners. Each Polis offered prizes to competitors from there. Winners can have a statue of themselves placed in Olympia. And poets might even write a poem about them!
Other Games:
There is one other major event other than the Olympics, called Hereia. Heraia is the Olympics for women, and it is in honor of Hera, Zeus's wife. It was definitely smaller than the Olympics, and there were only foot races. Women who competed were not naked. They wore tunics. All of the other competitions were much smaller and honored gods like Apollo, Posidon, and Zeus.