Olympics
Greek Style
When & Where
• The first Olympics were in
the year 776 BC.
• They were first held in a
valley at the base of Mt.
Olympus.
• The original games were held
to honor the god Zeus.
• The games turned into a way
to see which polis had the
greatest warriors.
What were the games like?
• The first Olympic event recorded
was a 200 yard dash. A young
cook named Coroebus of Elis won
this event.
• There were two types of a running
events, fully armored and nude.
• Some of the other events included
spear throwing (javelin throw),
wrestling, discus, long jump,
boxing, chariot racing, and
pankration
• Very few team events.
Who could compete?
• Only men where allowed to compete in the original
games.
• Women weren’t even allowed to watch the games.
• One of the reasons was because the men competed in
the nude.
• Even though women were not allowed to compete,
there was one woman that won an event.
• HOW?
Who could this woman be?
•A Spartan
Woman of
Course.
What did she win?
• The woman won a chariot race.
• No she did not compete, in the early Olympics
not only did the athlete win, but so did the
owner of the horse.
• In fact, she didn’t even get to watch the race.
Winning!
• Victors of the events
received a crown of olive
branches.
• But more importantly, they
were regarded as heroes in
their cities.
• In most polis’, the “hero”
would be given a parade, and
a new entrance would be
made in the city’s wall.
(except for Sparta, WHY?)