The practice of warfare in the ancient world inspired many Olympic events.

393 by the Emperor Theodosius, a Christian who saw the worship of Zeus throughout the games as a pagan abomination. They continued without interruption once every four years for almost 1,200 years. They likely developed from the practice of holding funeral games to honor fallen warriors and local heroes, though some myths made the Greek demigod Heracles the founder of the games. at the site of Olympia in the Western Peloponnese. The first recorded Olympics was held in 776 B.C.

History of the Olympics Prowess in Battle and Sport (There were no prizes for second or third place.)ĭespite a clear thread of continuity between the ancient and modern games, the profound influence of warfare and religion on the original Olympics created a spectacle that in many ways would be unrecognizable to modern audiences. Athletes competed au naturel, examined the entrails of sacrificed animals to see if they prophesied victory, and were rewarded only for winning an event. It’s hard to imagine a modern Olympics featuring the sacrifice of 100 oxen, or the public whipping of athletes caught cheating, or a race in full body armor.

Then as now, Olympic contenders often spent years training with expert coaches, and victors were showered with praise and wealth.īut other elements of the ancient games would seem very strange to spectators today. Many aspects of the ancient Olympic Games would be perfectly familiar to fans at the upcoming games in Rio de Janeiro: elite international competition, cheering crowds in the tens of thousands, events like sprints, wrestling, discus, and javelin.

Olympia odyssey one-piece