1. OLYMPICS:FOR THE HONOR AND
GLORY OF ZEUS
PERSPECTIVES ON THE BEGINNINGS
AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE GAMES
IN ELIS

2. Olympics timeline
• Started in 776BC in Elis in rural area southwestern
Greece; continued every four years until AD261
when threatened by Herulian barbarian invasion;
thenafter it resumed until 393 AD when Roman
emperor Theodosius I, a fervent Christian ordered
the closing of all pagan centers
• Left abandoned, forgotten up until 1766 when British
travellers found the site;in 1875 systematic
excavation by German archaeologists started.

3. • In 1896 Baron Pierre de Coubertin, spurred by
his passion for promoting the cause of
athletics in general and the revival of olympic
games in particular, lead the first modern
international olympic games in urban Athens.

4. Reasons for the Olympic games:
1.To embellish the traditional sacrifice to the
deities of Mt Olympus with outstanding
athletic performances. Zeus greater glory
2. As war respite
3. For the honor and glory of participants and
hometown
4. Once in a lifetime spectacle of great artists,
ceremonies, greek arts, and the giant statue
of Zeus

5. FACILITIES AND AMENITIES:
Open space, then gradually a gymnasium was
built, then a hippodrome, bath houses for
athletes, headquarters for committee; a
temple for Zeus; funded by booties from
previous invasions.

6. DISTINCT HIGHLIGHTS
PARTICIPANTS: Males only; all fully naked(?);
mostly aristocrats who had time and money to
train and had advance training in wrestling and
running.
FIRST EVENT RECORDED: race(200 meter dash)
which was won by Coroebus
MOST SPECTACULAR EVENTS: Chariot race and
horse race spectacle of danger and a status
symbol for owners of horses.

7. CROWD FAVORITES: wrestling, boxing, and
Pancratium
wrestlingmild;3 falls constitute loss
boxing no rounds until one gives up or gets
KO’d
Pancratium free for all no holds barred
FIELD EVENTS: broad jump, discus throw, javelin
throw, penthatlon(3 events plus 200 meter
dash);400 meters, 4,800 meter run; dash in
armor

8. PRICE FOR VICTORS: olive wreath(death or
wreath), honor and popularity in one’s
hometown, cash bonus, pension for life after
gruelling training and competition.
VICTORY- meant everything, losing abhored;no
room for modesty, or even sportmanship; not
much on breaking or establishing records but
establishing “firsts”

9. • Mythological perspectivesbeing irrationalmore
rational--- offering the victory of great athletes to the
gods
• Politicsanother venue for war?because atheletes
from warring states are sent to compete and possibly
bring home honor and victory to their citystate.
• Man and woman status: superiority of
man;inferiority of woman
• Human perspective on VICTORY: different
considering the complex and difficult course towards
victory.