The Olympic Games of ancient Greece - largest sport competitions of antiquity. They were conceived as the part of the religious cult and they were carried out from 776 B.C. through 394 A.D. (in all it was carried out 293 Olympiads) in the Olympiuses, that was being considered in Greeks as the sacred place. From the Olympiuses occurred the name of games. The Olympic Games were the significant for entire ancient Greece event, which exceeded the scope of especially sport measure. Victory at the Olympiad was considered as the extremely honorable and for the athlete, and for the policy, which it presented.
With 6 century B.C. on an example of the Olympic Games began to be carried out other [obshchegrecheskie] competitions of the athletes: [Pifiyskie] games, [Istmiyskie] games and The [nemeyskie] games, also dedicated to different Ancient Greek gods. But Olympiads were most prestigious among these contests. The Olympic Games are mentioned in the works of Plutarch, Herodotus, [Pindar], Lucian, [Pavsaniya], [Simonida] and other antique authors.
At the end 19 v. the Olympic Games were revived on the initiative Pierre de [Kuberten].
There are numerous legends about the origin of the Olympic Games. They all are connected with the Ancient Greek gods and the heroes. The most known legend says, as tsar [Elidy] It [ifit], seeing that its people got tired from the infinite wars, it left for [Delfy], where the priestess of Apollo communicated to it the command of the gods: to arrange [obshchegrecheskie] athletic festivals welcome to them. After which It [ifit], [spartanskiy] legislator [Likurg] and Athenian legislator and reformer Of [kliosfen] established the procedure of such games and concluded the Holy Alliance. To Olympius, where it was necessary to carry out this festival, they declared the sacred place, and any, who will enter within its limits armed, by criminal.
According to another myth, the son of Zeus [Gerakl] it brought in to Olympius the sacred olive branch and it founded the games of athletes in the commemoration of the victory of Zeus above his fierce father by Kron.
Known also legend that [Gerakl], organizing the Olympic Games, immortalized memory about [Pelope] ([Pelopse]), which conquered in the race on the chariots of cruel tsar [Enomaya]. But the name Of [pelopa] gave [Peloponnaya] region, where was located “the capital” of the antique Olympic Games.
Religious ceremonies were the required part of the antique Olympic Games. On the steady custom, the first day of games was removed for the offerings: athletes carried out this day in credences and altars of their god- patrons. A similar rite was repeated also during the final day of the Olympic Games, when the rewards to conquerors were entrusted.
The wars ceased to the period of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece and was concluded a truce - [ekekheriya], and the representatives of the quarrelling policies carried out in the Olympiuses peaceful negotiations for the purpose to settle conflicts. On that storing in the Olympiuses in the temple Of [gery] the bronze disk Of [ifita] with the rules of the Olympic Games was recorded the corresponding point. “On the disk Of [ifita] is written the text of that armistice, which [eleytsy] declare to the period of the Olympic Games; it is written by not straight lines, but words go along the disk in the form of circle” ([Pavsaniy], the description Of [ellady]).
From Olympic Games 776 B.C. (earliest games, the reference about which downy to us, on the calculations of some specialists, the Olympic Games of steel to be carried out to 100 and the more of years are earlier) in Greeks went the counting of the special “Olympic chronology”, introduced by historian [Timeem]. Olympic holiday they observed in “sacred month”, which is begun from the first plenilune after summer solstice. It had to be repeated every 1417 days, which composed Olympiad - Greek “Olympic” year.
The begun as competitions of local importance, the Olympic Games in the course of time became the event of Pan-Hellenic scale. To the games assembled many people not only from Greece itself, but also from its city- colonies from the inland to the Black sea.
Games continued and when [Ellada] fell into the subordination to Rome (in the middle 2 V B.C.), was in consequence of which disrupted one of the basic Olympic principles, which allowed participation in the Olympic Games of exceptionally Greek citizens, and in the number of conquerors proved to be even some Roman emperors (including [Neron], “which won” jumps on the chariots, charged ten times by horses). Affected the Olympic Games the begun in 4 centuries B.C. general decline of the Greek culture: they gradually lost [byloe] value even they are, being converted from the sport contest and the significant public event into the especially entertaining measure, in which participated predominantly the athlete- professionals.
But in 394 A.D. the Olympic Games were forbidden - as “the survival of paganism” - by Roman emperor by Theodosius the I, who forcibly spread Christianity.
Olympius. It is located in the North Western part Of the [peloponesskogo] peninsula. Here was located [Altis] ([Altis]) - the legendary sacred grove of Zeus and the temple- cult complex, which was finally formed approximately into 6 century B.C. in the territory of sanctuary were arranged cult buildings, monuments, sport construction and the house, where athletes and guests lived in the period of conducting contests. Olympic sanctuary remained the focus of Greek skill up to 4 century B.C.
Soon after the prohibition of the Olympic Games all these construction was burnt on the order of emperor Theodosius BY THE II (in 426 A.D.), and century it is later finally destroyed and buried by strong earthquakes and floods of rivers.
As a result carried out in the Olympiuses at the end 19 v. of archaelogical excavations it was possible to reveal the ruins of some structures, including of sport designation, such as [palestra], [gimnasiy] and stadium. Built into 3 century B.C. [palestra] - surrounded by portico area, where were trained champions, boxers and jumpers. [Gimnasiy], built into 3-2 substances B.C., the largest construction the Olympiuses, it was used for trainings of sprinters. In [gimnasii] also was stored the list of conquerors and the list of Olympiads, the statues of athletes stood. Stadium (with length of 212,5 m with the width of 28,5 m) with the platforms and the places for the judges was built into 330-320 B.C. on it they could be placed about 45 000 spectators.
Organization of games. To the participation in the Olympic Games were allowed all [svobodnorozhdennye] Greek citizens (according to some sources, men, who knew how to speak in Greek). Slaves and the barbarians, i.e., of face of [negrecheskogo] origin, to participate in the Olympic Games did not can. “When Alexander <> wished to participate in the contests and for this arrived in to Olympius, then hellenes, participants in the contests, required his exception. These contests, they said, for the hellenes, but not for the barbarians. However, Alexander proved that he [argosets], and judge recognized his hellenic origin. He participated in the racing contest and arrived at the purpose simultaneously with the conqueror” (Herodotus. History).
The organization of the antique Olympic Games provided for control not only after the motion of games themselves, but also after training of athletes for them. Control achieved [ellanodiki], or [gellanodiki], the most authoritative citizens. In the course of 10-12 months prior to the beginning of games the athletes passed intense training, after which passed the unique examination of the commission of [ellanodikov]. After fulfilling “Olympic norm” future participants in the Olympic Games another month were prepared according to the specific routine - already under the management of [ellanodikov].
The honesty of participants was the basic principle of contests. Before beginning competitions they gave oath to observe rules. [Ellanodiki] had the right to deprive the champion of title, if it conquered by knavish way, the misbehaving himself athlete underwent also penalty and solid punishment. Before the entrance to the stadium in the Olympiuses they stood into the edification to participants in [zany] - copper statues of Zeus, poured to the money, obtained in the form of penalties from the athletes, who destroyed the rules of the competitions (Ancient Greek writer [Pavsaniy] indicates that the first six such statues they were set into the 98-[uyu] Olympiad, when [fessaliets] Of [evpol] it bribed three appearing with it champions). Furthermore, to the participation in the games were not allowed the persons, exposed in the accomplishment of crime or in the sacrilege.
Entrance to the competitions was free. But men could attend them only, to women under the fear of the capital punishment it was forbidden to appear in the Olympiuses during entire festival (according to some sources, this prohibition it was extended only to the married women). Exception was done only for the priestess of the goddess Of [demetry]: special marble throne was constructed for it on the stadium, at the most honorable place.
Program of the antique Olympic Games. The first time in the program of the Olympic Games it was only [stadiodrom] - run to one stages (192,27 m), then the number of Olympic disciplines grew. Let us note some cardinal changes in the program:
- on 14 Olympic Games (724 B.C.) in program is included [diaulos] - run to 2 stages, and 4 years later - by [dolikhodrom] (run randomly), whose distance was from 7 to 24 [stadiev];
- on 18 Olympic Games (708 B.C.) are for the first time carried out competitions in fight and [pentatlonu] (pentathlon), which included, besides the fight and [stadiodroma], leaps, and also the throwing of spear and disk;
- on 23 Olympic Games (688 B.C.) into the program of contests entered fist fight,
- on 25 Olympic Games (680 B.C.) are added races on the chariots (charged by four adult horses, this form of program it was enlarged in the course of time, into 5-4 substances B.C. they began to be carried out the race of the chariots, charged by the pair of adult horses, by young horses or by mules);
- on 33 Olympic Games (648 B.C.) in the program of games appeared upper jumps on the horses (in ser. 3 century B.C. they began also to be carried out jumps on the foals) and [pankration] - single combat, which combined the elements of fight and fist fight with the minimum limitations to “forbidden methods” and in many respects resembling modern combat without the rules.
Greek gods and mythological heroes are participating to the appearance not only Olympic Games as a whole, but also their separate disciplines. For example, it was considered that the run to one stages introduced [Gerakl] itself, which personally measured this distance in the Olympiuses (1 stages it was equal to length 600 priest Zeus's soles), and [pankration] goes back to the legendary struggle Of [tezeya] with the Minotaur.
Some of disciplines of the antique Olympic Games, familiar to us on the contemporary competitions, noticeably differ from their present analogs. Greek athletes jumped into the length not from the takeoff, but from the place - moreover with the stones (later with the dumbbells) in the hands. At the end leap athlete rejected stones sharply back: it was considered that this makes possible for it to jump further. A similar technique of leap required grow prettier coordination. The throwing of spear and disk (in the course of time instead of the rock the athletes of steel to throw iron disk) was produced from the small elevation. With this spear they threw not to the distance, but to the accuracy: athlete had to strike special target. In the fight and the boxing there was no division of participants on the weight categories, but boxer duel continued until one of the rivals recognized itself itself conquered or it occurred unable to continue struggle. there was very unique varieties, also, in racing disciplines: run in the complete armament (i.e. in the helmet, with the panel and the weapon), the run of heralds and trumpeters, alternating run and race on the chariot.
From 37 games (632 B.C.) in the contests began to participate the youths at the age of up to 20 years. At first competitions in this age category included only run and fight, in the course of time to them were added the pentathlon, fist fight and [pankration].
Besides the athletic competitions, on the Olympic Games was conducted the competition of skills, with 84- X of games (444 B.C.) become the official part of the program.
The initially Olympic Games occupied one day, then (with the expansion of program) - five days (they precisely so many continued games in the period of their bloom into 6-4 substances B.C.) and, after all, “were extended” for the entire month.
[Olimpioniki]. The conqueror of the Olympic Games obtained together with the olive garland (this tradition it was banal with 752 B.C.) and the purple tapes universal acclaim. It became one of the most respected people in its city (for inhabitants of which the victory of compatriot at the Olympiad was also enormous honor), him they frequently freed from the state duties, gave other privileges. To [olimpioniku] rendered on the native land posthumous honors. But according to introduced in 6 century B.C. practice, the triple conqueror of games could place his statue in [Altise].
To first of the known to us [olimpionikom] became [Koreb] from [Elidy], which gained victory in the run to one stages into 776 B.C.
By the most famous - and only during entire history of the ancient Olympic Games athlete, who conquered at 6 Olympiads, was “strongest among the strong”, the champion Of [milon] from [Krotona]. The native of the Greek of the city- colony Of [kroton] (south of modern Italy) and, according to some data, the student of Pythagoras, he gained his first victory at the 60th Olympiad (540 B.C.) in the competitions among the youths. From 532 B.C. through 516 B.C. he earned 5 additional Olympic titles - already among the adult athletes. In 512 B.C. [Milon], to which there was already more than 40 years, it attempted to earn its seventh title, but it yielded to younger rival. [Olimpionik] Of [milon] was also the repeated winner Of [pifiyskikh], [Istmiyskikh], [Nemeyskikh] games and many local competitions. The references about it can be found in the works Of [pavsaniya], Cicero and other authors.
Another outstanding athlete - Leonid from Rhodes - at four Olympiads contract (164 B.C. - 152 B.C.) conquered in three “racing” disciplines: in the run to one and to two stages, and also in the run with the weapon.
[Astil] from [Krotona] entered into the history of the antique Olympic Games not only as one of the record holders according to the number of victories (6 in the run to one and to two stages on the games from 488 B.C. through 480 B.C.). If at its first Olympiad Of [astil] it spoke in favor of [Kroton], then on two those following - for [Sirakuzy]. The former compatriots took vengeance upon it for the treachery: the statue of champion in [Krotone] they laid, and they converted its former house into the prison.
In the history of the Ancient Greek Olympic Games there are entire Olympic dynasties. Thus, the grandfather of champion of the fist fight Of [poseydora] from Rhodes Of [diagor], and also his native uncles [Akusilay] [Damaget] also were [olimpionikami]. [Diagor], whose exceptional durability and honesty in the boxer duels conquered to it the enormous respect for spectators and were sung in the odes [Pindara], became the eyewitness of the Olympic victories of its sons - respectively, in the boxing and [pankratione]. (On the legend, when grateful sons erected to the head to father their champion garlands and raised him on the arms, someone of the applauding spectators exclaimed: “Die, [Diagor], die! Die, because to you something is more to desire from the life!” And agitated [Diagor] here passed away on the hands in sons.)
Many [olimpioniki] were characterized by exceptional physical data. For example, to champion in the run to two stages (404 B.C.) To [lasfenu] from [Tebei] is assigned victory in the uncommon contest with the horse, and [Egey] from [Argosa], which conquered in the run to the long distances (328 B.C.), after this running, having made in the way not of united stoppage, covered distance from the Olympiuses to its home town, in order to more rapidly bring glad news to compatriots. Victory they attained also due to the unique technology. Thus, extremely hardy and mobile boxer [Melankom] from [Karii], the conqueror of the Olympic Games 49 A.D., during the duel it constantly held hands elongated forward, due to what it departed from the impacts of enemy, and itself in this case extremely rarely delivered retaliatory attacks, finally, exhausted physically and emotionally rival recognized his defeat. But B.C. in [dolikhodrome] Of [ladasa] from [Argosa] they indicated about the conqueror of Olympic Games 460 that it runs so easily that even it does not leave tracks on the earth.
