History of the Ancient Olympic GamesEssay title: History of the Ancient Olympic GamesAndrew BlueMrs. Harris18 March 2005World History 1History of the Ancient Olympic GamesThe Ancient Greek Olympics were not only sporting events, it was a celebration to honor the great and powerful Zeus. The Ancient Olympics were held every four years at the famous Olympia, a district of Elis, here all free Greek men were allowed to compete. The first record of the Olympic Games was held in 776 B.C. The main sports were the Pentathlon, the Equestrian Events, Pankration, and Boxing.
The Pentathlon was the name for the five events in Greek gymnastics: running, jumping, wrestling, discus throwing, and javelin throwing which began with the 18th Olympiad. In the wrestling event, wrestlers were anointed with oil, dusted with powder, and forbidden to bite or gouge one another. Wrestling was looked upon as a weapon-free military exercise. Since there was no weapons wrestlers that competed used their weight and strength as an advantage especially since there were no weight categories. The Javelin was thrown in the same form back in ancient times as it is thrown today. The first recorded Olympic Games had one event, a race, called the stade which is a measure of the distance of the length of the track. By 724 B.C. a two-length race was added and by 700 B.C. there were longer distance races. By 720 B.C., men participated naked, except in the foot race in armor that weighed between fifty to sixty pounds. The outfit included a helmet, greaves, and a shield that helped young men build speed and stamina in preparation for war. The Pentathlon included three running events such as the Stade, the Diaulos, and the Dolichos. The Stade was a 200 yard foot race, was the first and only Olympic event for 13 Games. The dolichos was a variable length foot race averaging twenty stades or four thousand yards for the fifteenth Olympiad. The Diaulos was a four hundred yard foot race that was instituted for the next Olympic Games. The discus was considered by ancient Greeks, an event of rhythm, precision, and finesse of a competitor to throw the discus was as important as his strength. The discus was made of stone, iron, bronze, or lead, and was shaped like a flying saucer. The Sizes were different for the boys division, since the boys were not expected to throw the same weighted discus as the men. The athletes who competed in the jump event used lead or stone jump weights called halteres shaped like telephone receivers to increase the length of their jump. The halteres were held in front of the athlete during his way up, and forcibly thrust behind his back and dropped during his descent to help propel his body further. The Jump weights also doubled as weight lifting equipment during training to help the competitor jump further.
The Equestrian Events included Chariot racing and Riding added to the Olympiad in 648 B.C. In The Chariot races there were both two horse chariot and four horse chariot races. There were separate races for chariots drawn by foals. Another race was between carts drawn by a team of 2 mules. The course was 12 laps around the stadium track which was nine miles long. The Riding event had separate races for full-grown horses and foals. Jockeys rode without stirrups. Only the wealthy upper class people could afford to pay for the equipment, training, and feed of both the driver or jockey and the horses. As a result, the owner received the olive wreath of victory instead of the jockey. The course they navigated was six laps around the track which was 4.5 miles.
Saddle-Riders in the Roman period
Other events in the Roman era were horses and ponies. Horse racing in the Republic also was an important source of wealth. These events were played out during the “Roman” Period in the Republic’s central territory. The “Renaissance” in Roman times was marked by a significant rise of interest in horse racing, especially with respect to the sport’s origins in France and Germany, and with respect to its historical involvement. The introduction of horses, ponies and miniatures to the Republic’s entertainment scenes in “Roman times” helped the arts to expand their popularity in the country, and this brought great satisfaction to the Roman citizenry because this industry was so developed at the expense of horse racing and the other activities that the Romans were interested in doing. The early Republic, which was governed by two rulers, Nicholas I and the Emperor Alexander I – his second wife Empress Maria (born in the 1st century B.C.), enjoyed a reputation for horse racing, and horse racing, was an important aspect of the economy and art of the Republic and was still there at the start of the Republic’s reign.
During the reign of the Ptolemy I, the Roman authorities allowed horses only to race in the main square protected from weather of winter and were divided up between the provinces at the expense of its large population. In 583 A.D., at the end of his reign a very large number of horse races were established throughout the country. Horses were raced in the open arena at the city of Livorno. Many of the first European horses to be ridden in the Roman era were used at the time of the First Emperor of Byzantium or Emperor Julius I, and most of them were later exported and taken to European markets. In the reign of the Emperor Claudius I, over 2,000 horses were raced at one racetrack in Rome, while at any one time thousands more were made in the Circus Maximus. [8] During the reign of the Roman I, the city center was divided into a central square and one city center area, each containing an amphitheatre which held 500 stalls. In the early years of the Republic, the city center only held 1,000 stalls, but the surrounding areas of Rome was spread over a wide area, with a population of around 150,000 by the end of the Roman Reign of Terror (ca. 100 A.D.). The city center could be thought of as an ideal “spoiling centre” in terms of its square, but the square itself could not be stretched or closed like a horse’s or pony’s. Also, many of those running the racing were elderly or disabled. [9] Horses were even held up for public display during the reign of the Emperor Claudius and on the eve of his death.[10] During this period, the city could be considered one of the
Saddle-Riders in the Roman period
Other events in the Roman era were horses and ponies. Horse racing in the Republic also was an important source of wealth. These events were played out during the “Roman” Period in the Republic’s central territory. The “Renaissance” in Roman times was marked by a significant rise of interest in horse racing, especially with respect to the sport’s origins in France and Germany, and with respect to its historical involvement. The introduction of horses, ponies and miniatures to the Republic’s entertainment scenes in “Roman times” helped the arts to expand their popularity in the country, and this brought great satisfaction to the Roman citizenry because this industry was so developed at the expense of horse racing and the other activities that the Romans were interested in doing. The early Republic, which was governed by two rulers, Nicholas I and the Emperor Alexander I – his second wife Empress Maria (born in the 1st century B.C.), enjoyed a reputation for horse racing, and horse racing, was an important aspect of the economy and art of the Republic and was still there at the start of the Republic’s reign.
During the reign of the Ptolemy I, the Roman authorities allowed horses only to race in the main square protected from weather of winter and were divided up between the provinces at the expense of its large population. In 583 A.D., at the end of his reign a very large number of horse races were established throughout the country. Horses were raced in the open arena at the city of Livorno. Many of the first European horses to be ridden in the Roman era were used at the time of the First Emperor of Byzantium or Emperor Julius I, and most of them were later exported and taken to European markets. In the reign of the Emperor Claudius I, over 2,000 horses were raced at one racetrack in Rome, while at any one time thousands more were made in the Circus Maximus. [8] During the reign of the Roman I, the city center was divided into a central square and one city center area, each containing an amphitheatre which held 500 stalls. In the early years of the Republic, the city center only held 1,000 stalls, but the surrounding areas of Rome was spread over a wide area, with a population of around 150,000 by the end of the Roman Reign of Terror (ca. 100 A.D.). The city center could be thought of as an ideal “spoiling centre” in terms of its square, but the square itself could not be stretched or closed like a horse’s or pony’s. Also, many of those running the racing were elderly or disabled. [9] Horses were even held up for public display during the reign of the Emperor Claudius and on the eve of his death.[10] During this period, the city could be considered one of the
Saddle-Riders in the Roman period
Other events in the Roman era were horses and ponies. Horse racing in the Republic also was an important source of wealth. These events were played out during the “Roman” Period in the Republic’s central territory. The “Renaissance” in Roman times was marked by a significant rise of interest in horse racing, especially with respect to the sport’s origins in France and Germany, and with respect to its historical involvement. The introduction of horses, ponies and miniatures to the Republic’s entertainment scenes in “Roman times” helped the arts to expand their popularity in the country, and this brought great satisfaction to the Roman citizenry because this industry was so developed at the expense of horse racing and the other activities that the Romans were interested in doing. The early Republic, which was governed by two rulers, Nicholas I and the Emperor Alexander I – his second wife Empress Maria (born in the 1st century B.C.), enjoyed a reputation for horse racing, and horse racing, was an important aspect of the economy and art of the Republic and was still there at the start of the Republic’s reign.
During the reign of the Ptolemy I, the Roman authorities allowed horses only to race in the main square protected from weather of winter and were divided up between the provinces at the expense of its large population. In 583 A.D., at the end of his reign a very large number of horse races were established throughout the country. Horses were raced in the open arena at the city of Livorno. Many of the first European horses to be ridden in the Roman era were used at the time of the First Emperor of Byzantium or Emperor Julius I, and most of them were later exported and taken to European markets. In the reign of the Emperor Claudius I, over 2,000 horses were raced at one racetrack in Rome, while at any one time thousands more were made in the Circus Maximus. [8] During the reign of the Roman I, the city center was divided into a central square and one city center area, each containing an amphitheatre which held 500 stalls. In the early years of the Republic, the city center only held 1,000 stalls, but the surrounding areas of Rome was spread over a wide area, with a population of around 150,000 by the end of the Roman Reign of Terror (ca. 100 A.D.). The city center could be thought of as an ideal “spoiling centre” in terms of its square, but the square itself could not be stretched or closed like a horse’s or pony’s. Also, many of those running the racing were elderly or disabled. [9] Horses were even held up for public display during the reign of the Emperor Claudius and on the eve of his death.[10] During this period, the city could be considered one of the
Boxing was added to the Olympics in 688 B.C. It was held to honor Patroklos, the slain companion of Achilles. Originally the boxing gloves were thongs wrapped around the hands and arms, but evolved into less time consuming oxen pre-wrapped thongs known as himantes, held in place by leather straps wrapped around the forearm.
The Pankration was a punishing combination of boxing and wrestling. It was a battle where Punches were allowed, although the fighters did not wrap their hands with the boxing gloves called himantes. The only rules outlawed