The ancient
Olympic Games: A history
PART III
Events (continued) –
Boxing - Boxing is considered one
of the most ancient games and was very popular during the Homeric years, where
we see many references made by Homer in his Odyssey. The athletes would cover
their hands with leather, leaving only the fingers free. They had to follow
strict regulations regarding the safety of their opponent and they were not
allowed to deliver fatal blows. According to the regulations, he who would
cause his opponent severe injuries would be considered the loser and the other
athlete would be the winner. There was no time set for the game and it would
end when one of the athletes went down or raised his right hand index finger,
acknowledging defeat.
The Pagration – The pagration was the
toughest atholpedia because it combined boxing and wrestling together. In 648
BC at the 33rd Olympiad, they established the pagration for men and
later for children. The athletes competed naked and their bodies were covered
with oil and sand. These games were divided into two parts, the upper and the
lower. In the upper, the athletes competed only standing and usually this
happened during practices or friendly matches. In the lower, the athletes
competed even when they fell to the ground. The game was very difficult and
often presented tough scenes. The winner was he who would force his opponent to
raise his right hand index finger and thus declare a defeat.
The Chariot Races - The chariot races took place in a racetrack
southeast of the Olympia stadium in a space between the stadium and the Alfios
River. Because the riverbed changed direction, the current had destroyed
everything and we have nothing left today from this racetrack. The first
chariot race was established in 680 BC (Tethrippon, led by four horses). Other
chariot races were established in subsequent years, like Apini (500 BC),
Synoris (408 BC) and several others. It is worthy of mention that even though
women were not allowed to attend the games, they were allowed to take place in
them by sending their horses. The daughter of the King of Sparta Kyniska is the
first woman ever to have won a chariot race and to be crowned with the wreath
of victory.
The Announcers and the
Trumpeters –
This unique competition was held the first day of the games in front of the
altar that was the entrance of the stadium. In this game, the victor was he who
could be heard from the longest distance. The winner trumpeter would play his
trumpet in order to get the attention of the spectators and the winner
announcer would call the names of the champions during the coronation of the
winners.
The Judges
The responsibility of the preparation, bylaws and other details
of the games were left in the capable hands of judges, a very important
authority of the city of Ilis, who were selected months before the games. The
Judges were dressed in a red robe and were crowned with bay leaves. In the beginning,
there was only one Judge, but later, during the 50th Olympiad, there
were two and eventually nine judges. Three were responsible for chariot races,
three for the pentathlon, and the rest for the other games. One of their many
responsibilities was to supervise the athletes a month before the inception of
the games and to assure that the best contestants were selected.
Epilogue
In this brief passing through the ancient Olympiads, we have
the feeling that we pulled from the past all those wonderful and skillful
athletes that became the beacons of a bygone era – people with all the virtues
and vices of humans, who nonetheless, set a world example for generations to
follow.
Returning to the present from this retrospection to the
magnificent world of light, we reflect on the importance of the Olympic Games
and their impact in today’s world, a world that, bearing all the ravishes of
ugly wars, needs now more than ever to be re-baptized in light and the divine
breath of truce.
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