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 33^rd 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 50^th 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.

 All the previous times, when a new Olympiad began in all the furthest corners of the planet,when the divine flame began its long trip from its cradle, we Greeks felt proud for something of ours that became a worldly event.