May 26, 2014

                    Coming soon.

    We wish to thank all our readers, supporters and
      all those who work tirelessly to advocate for 
      the immortal    HELLENIC CULTURE.
      
     Please, follow us , in the next few days we are going
     to discuss the monumtental importance and influence
     of the Greek language which has the longest documen-
     ted History of any Indo-European language, spanning
     34 centuries of written records.
     
     It is without a doubt the cradle of the Western Wolrd
     and its canon of ancient literature includes works of 
     monumental value and influence.
                                                                 Evi Martyn
                                                           Founder of the Hellenic Culture
                                                                                                                          Advocacy


                                                                

     
                  The quote of the month

           " Friendship is a single soul dwelling
                          in two bodies "
                                                  "Aristotle "

           

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.

The ancient Olympic Games: A history

PART II

      Participants

Athletes who participated in the games had to be Greeks from all the various regions including the lower part of Italy (Sicily, Great Greece) and the colonies of North Africa and the Greek cities of Asia Minor.

        Events

Even though in the beginning of the Olympic Games, running was the only athlopedia to capture the attention of the spectators and organizers, other games were soon added. Between 724 and 200 BC, they added in chronological order, diavlos, dolichos, the pentathlon, wrestling, boxing, the chariot race (tethrippo), the pangration (a combination of wrestling and boxing), running and wrestling of children, pentathlon of children, boxing of children, running in full uniform and armor, the chariot race on four wheel carriage (apini), the pangration of children and many others.

              Run of the Stadium

Originally, this meant a run of 600 feet and it was done in a limited space and in later years from this particular athlopedia “stadium” they named Stadium the area where all the games were executed. The prototype stadium was 214 meters long and 32 meters wide. The athletes stood in a flat area and approached the starting point, which was marked by standing stones. The judges sat right across from the white marbled altar and the spectators sat on the ground. This game was the most significant run for speed. Ideally the participating athletes had to be light, not very tall so they would have a good balance, muscular, symmetrical lines, straight legs, chest not too wide (like other athletes) and arms a little longer than normal, but muscular and lean. This proto-type is according to Philostratos.

              Diavlos- This athlopedia was a run for speed equivalent to the run of 400 meters today. This game was officially established during the 14^th Olympiad. Originally they were allowing only young men to compete, but eventually, on the 37^th Olympiad, they allowed also children. Considering that the stadium was only 192.27 meters long and diavlos were about 385.5 meters, athletes had to run the entire stadium, first forward and upon reaching the end, turning and running back to the starting point.

              Dolichos - This was a run of endurance and it is approximately equivalent to the five kilometers today. Its beginning, dates back to the days where messengers in Greece were running to announce important news from city to city. The athletes of this game were subjected to special diet and various stringent exercises in preparation.

              Armored Running – In this game, the athletes were running in full uniform and armor. The run was originally done in four stadiums but eventually they did it in two. This was a spectacular athlopedia and that explains the reason we have so many depictions of it on ancient urns. It required a tall runner, with a perfectly muscular body and balance coupled with agility.

              The Pentathlon – The most probable theory is that the pentathlon was invented in 708 BC during the 18^th Olympiad. Pentathlon, as the word reveals, is a Greek word meaning five (penta) athlopedias (Athlon). The combination of the five games included jump, discus, run, javelin and wrestling, in that order. The experts felt that it was very difficult for the athletes to perform in two games of the lower extremes (run and jump) one after the other, so they were separated by the discus and the javelin. Wrestling, which is another very demanding sport, was set apart and left for last.

In Part III, we will continue the focus on the balance of events held and The Judges.

             

      

                               THE QUOTE OF THE MONTH


                     " I know one thing that 
                        I don't know anything"
                                                     - Sokrates -

           Please, follow us for the PART TWO of the ORIGINAL OLYMPICS - HISTORY-

                                                 

         TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

 

    We, the advocates of the HELLENIC CULTURE, wish

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                                                       Evi Martyn

                                                       Founder

 

        Keep checking for Part 2 of the ORIGINAL OLYMPICS

 

 

 

 
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