THE ANCIENT

OLYMPIC GAMES

For twelve centuries, the sacred Games in Olympia were a spectacle of blood, sweat, and glory. These ancient contests, held in honor of the gods, captivated spectators with displays of strength, endurance, and skill. Today, the modern Olympics carry forward this legacy, uniting athletes from all over the world.

The announcement

Heralds travelled to all major Greek cities around the Mediterranean to announce the dates of the Games, along with the sacred truce. Hostilities were banned during the period around the Games to ensure safe passage for those travelling to and from Olympia.

During this period, war among Greek city-states is forbidden, criminal trials are suspended, and the execution of capital punishment is prohibited. During the herald’s stay, sumptuous banquets were held.

A blue sky with a cloud behind mountains and hills of Greece, Mediterranean forests appear here and there, with some cypresses, olive trees, and holm oaks. In the foreground, a branch of a flowering almond tree, a circular Greek pavilion on a hill. A herald dressed in a purple tunic and carrying a scepter, crowned with laurel leaves, is seen descending mounted on a mule, with children and adults rushing out to greet him excitedly.

The dates were meticulously planned. Astronomical calculations ensured that the third day of the Games coincided with the second moon following the summer harvest. This meant the Games were typically held between August and September.

If the same calculations were used this year, the Olympics would begin on August 17 and end on August 21.

A calendar showing the months of July, July, and August of the year 2024, highlighting that the summer solstice begins on June 21, and the full moons that occur after the solstice. The full moon on August 19 marks the third day of the Olympics. Therefore, the Olympics would start on August 17 and end on August 21.

Once the herald departed, the city began a frantic search among its young male athletes, with the aim of selecting the most outstanding to represent them at the prestigious summer festival in Olympia. For several months, athletes would dedicate themselves to their training with an increased passion and discipline, fueled by the hope of being chosen to represent their city.

Three groups of two men fighting with each other. They are wrestling naked. Next to the central group, a trainer dressed in a brown tunic and holding a Y-shaped staff observes the fight intently.

Finally, the decisive day arrives and judges reveal the names of the athletes selected to represent the city in the upcoming Games.

About two months before the start of the Games, and depending on the distance that separates their city from Olympia, a delegation including athletes and trainers heads towards Elis. This city, host of the Games, is located not far from the venue of Olympia.

An illustration depicting a procession of people descending down the slope of a hill at night. They are carrying a cart and some livestock, holding torches, and making their way towards Olympia.

According to Olympic rules, athletes are required to stay in Elis for approximately six weeks before the start of the Games. During this time, they will undergo rigorous training under the guidance of their personal trainers, as well as trainers designated by the Olympic council.

These “official” trainers will ensure that the selected athletes are worthy representatives.

A man dressed in blue robes strikes the back of a naked athlete with a elderwood staff.

THE SACRED SITE OF OLYMPIA

The games are held at the site of Olympia, very close to the city of Elis. Other cities in Greece held games but the ancient Olympics were the most famous and prestigious.

A map showing major cities in Greece that held Ancient Olympics, including Olympia, Athens, Elis and Delphi.

Nestled in a verdant valley nourished by the Alpheios and Kladeos rivers and encircled by rolling hills lies the sacred site of Olympia. It was once home to an array of buildings, grand temples, and various venues dedicated to the celebration of athletic competition.

While the current dimensions of the site are well-documented, the precise expanse of ancient Olympia remains elusive due to the transformative effects of earthquakes, floods, and other natural events over the centuries.

An illustrated map of the site of Olympia, showing the Hill of Kronos, a valley watered by two rivers - the Kladeos to the right and the Alpheios flowing from the left towards the bottom of the illustration. In the center of the valley, there are typical classical Greek buildings and temples with ochre and reddish-colored roofs. There is a surrounding forest. A hippodrome, an athletics track, and a meadow with spectator camps complete the scene.

THE OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

Three days prior to the Olympics, athletes, along with authorities, musicians, and coaches, march from Elis to Olympia. Then, following two days of intense preparation, the five-day festival can commence.

DAY 1

Contestants and their families begin the day with a procession to Altis for oaths, sacrifices, and offerings.

A statue of the god Zeus stands on a pedestal, holding three thunderbolts in his right hand. Below him, two priests are offering a sacrificial piglet. In the foreground, young people dressed in classical Greek attire stand with their backs to the viewer, observing the scene.

Participants affirm their Greek heritage and adherence to Olympic rules before proceeding to the Council Chamber for animal sacrifices and loyalty oaths to Zeus.

DAY 2 AND 4

Only during the second and fourth day were the sporting competitions held, with the equestrian races being the first event of the Olympic festival.

Chariot races

The hippodrome was the largest monument at the Olympia site, but there are no remains. It is assumed that the medieval floods of the Alfeios River were responsible for its destruction.

The graphic shows the ancient hippodrome, a U-shape stadium structure used for hosting chariot races in Ancient Olympics. It is believed that the terraces could accommodate more than 30,000 spectators

The aphesis, an interesting start system for the chariots in the race, was apparently designed to prevent the chariots from colliding with each other right after starting, and to allow a rolling start as they enter the racetrack at the same time, providing a more balanced start for all participants.

A graphic showing the Aphesis starting system. The chariots are placed spaced apart from each other in different positions on a V-shaped base, like a formation of geese in the sky. The chariots depart in reverse order, with the chariots furthest from the apex being the first to leave, and so on, until the last chariots to depart are those at the tip of the V.

Horse races were very competitive and often a violent spectacle that could end with the charioteers or horses dead.

A man on a two-wheeled racing chariot, urging on four dark gray horses. In the background, another chariot attempts to overtake him, the two chariots racing at high speed.

Foot races

The races consisted of three categories.

Three diagrams showing the different running race distances at the Olympic Games: The S tadion - This race comprised one lap around the stadium, which was 193 meters. The Diaulos - This race was two laps around the stadium, covering a distance of 386 meters.The Dolichos - This race consisted of 20 laps around the stadium, totaling a distance of 4,632 meters.

The track start was marked by a narrow strip of stone slabs with parallel grooves and vertical poles that divided each runner called “balbis”. The athletes had to stand with their arms extended horizontally, in a posture very different from what we are used to seeing in running competitions today.

A graphic illustration showing the start of the Hýplēx race. Four naked runners are positioned on a starting line made of a stone strip called the balbis. The runners must stand upright with both arms extended in front of them. Stakes separate each athlete's position, and horizontal bars adjusted between the stakes define the starting area.

When an athlete made a false start, they were physically punished by the judges. This punishment was also applied in other competitions for any irregularity committed by the participants. The athletes competed completely naked.

Four nude runners are shown approaching the finish line, where the balbis - a stone strip on the ground - can be seen marking the end of the race.

It was up to the judges to award the prize to the winner based on a series of well-executed movements, in a way similar to how Artistic Gymnastics is judged today.

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Hoplitodromos

The final competition of the fourth day was another foot race. This time the runners wore armor, including a helmet, shield, and bronze greaves, a considerable weight.

Three naked runners are shown, but they are wearing Greco-Roman style helmets, circular shields, and bronze greaves on their lower legs.

Halma

This long jump event has some similarities to the current sport. However, the athletes carried a stone or metal weight in each hand that they released when making the jump. It is unknown whether the weights were used to assist in the jump or intended to add an additional level of difficulty for the athlete.

The diagram depicts the phases of the long jump in ancient Greece. In the first panel, an athlete is shown in profile, holding stone weights in his hands, preparing to jump. The second panel shows the athlete taking off and jumping, while the third panel shows him landing and releasing the weights.

The bottom part of the diagram shows the shape of a haltere, the weighted implement used in the long jump. It has an irregular shape with a hole for the thumb to grip it securely.

Javelin throw

This throwing event used leather strips tied to the central part of the javelin, helping the athlete to throw the javelin with greater speed and force.

The illustration depicts a nude human figure with their right arm extended, holding a javelin and preparing to throw it. The detail shows the use of the ankyle - cords attached to the shaft of the javelin that allowed the thrower to launch the spear farther.

Discus

In this discus event, the athlete did not spin around before throwing. Instead, he swung the arm holding the discus back and forth before finally throwing as far as possible.

A nude athlete is depicted with a discus held in their extended right arm, pulled back. A purple arrow indicates the motion of the arm swinging forward to release the discus. In the background, two musicians in classical Greek attire can be seen playing the flute.

Both the design and the weight of the disc did not have a standard measure. They could be made of stone or bronze and their weight was around 2-2.5kg.

Orthia Pale (Upright wrestling)

This was a standing or vertical fight, which consisted of knocking the opponent onto their back, hip, or shoulder. The winner was the one who managed to do this three times.

Two nude wrestlers are depicted facing each other in profile, with their heads nearly touching. They are standing upright and embracing, with arrows indicating the intended movements and motions as they try to take down their opponent. The additional detail is that the two nude wrestlers have a sheen or glistening on their bodies, indicating they have olive oil applied to their skin.

Kato Pale (‘rolling’ or ‘ground’ wrestling)

In this mode, the athletes fought in a crouched position until one of them acknowledged defeat, a gesture performed by raising their hand with the index finger extended.

The illustration depicts two athletes engaged in a wrestling match, grappling and grasping each other. One wrestler has hold of the other's neck and torso, while the other is attempting to defend himself. Both wrestlers are shown in a crouched position.

An annotation explains that the wrestling competitions took place in a depressed or excavated area within the stadium.

There were certain prohibitions in wrestling: biting, hitting, breaking fingers, grabbing the opponent's genitals, or attempting to gouge out their eyes were not allowed. A judge was in charge of punishing those who violated the rules with a rod.

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Boxing

The objective was to land blows on the opponent until they surrendered, a gesture made by raising the index finger, similar to the Kato Pale event. Striking the opponent was allowed even if they were on the ground. However, actions such as biting, kicking, or tripping the opponent were prohibited.

The illustration depicts two nude boxers standing and facing each other in profile. The boxer on the left is shown striking the boxer on the right in the face. Both fighters have their hands wrapped in leather strips called himantes.

A smaller graphic at the bottom of the illustration shows how these leather hand wraps, which could measure up to 4 meters long, were wrapped around the fighters' hands, primarily covering the knuckles. These wrapped hand coverings were the ancient Greek version of boxing gloves.

Himantes were bandages made of strips of tanned oxhide that were wrapped around the hands and wrists to protect the knuckles, leaving the fingers free. Each strip measured four meters in length. Their function was to protect the wearer's hand, not the opponent's face.

Pankration

This discipline was a mix between boxing and wrestling. No hand protections were used. It represented the most violent combat, allowing almost all types of aggression except biting or attempting to gouge the opponent's eyes. Defeat was acknowledged when one of the combatants surrendered, raising the index finger.

Two nude athletes are depicted engaged in a violent wrestling match. One of the wrestlers has raised his hand with his index finger extended, which was the signal for surrendering and admitting defeat.

Observing the wrestlers closely is a judge wearing a purple robe and carrying a staff or rod. The judge is carefully monitoring the contest.

DAY 3

This day marked the main festivity, which coincided with the full moon and was linked to religious events and rituals. No official competitions were held, although there were demonstrations of sports for young people.

A grand procession took place inside the Altis culminating at the altar of Zeus with the sacrifice of 100 oxen. Part of the sacrificed animals was offered to Zeus and burned in a fire.

The altar of Zeus reached a considerable height due to the accumulated ashes of the pyres over the years.

The illustration depicts an isometric view of a raised, cone-shaped structure. The cone is covered in layers of accumulated ash, built up over hundreds of years. At the flattened top of the cone, there is a burning fire, and a priest can be seen throwing remnants of meat into the flames as part of a sacrificial ritual.

At the base of the cone structure, there are oxen or cattle being sacrificed as part of the ritual proceedings.

With the rest of the sacrificed meat, a great banquet was organized that fed hundreds of people.

The illustration shows a nighttime setting under a full moon. In the center, there is a large campfire around which people are gathered, eating and drinking. Some men are carrying trays of food on their heads, suggesting a barbecue or feast.

DAY 5

On the final day, closing ceremonies are held to honor the victorious athletes. The awards consisted of olive branch crowns. These olive branches have been collected by a child with a golden sickle before the games begin and placed on an altar in the temple of Hera.

An illustration shows a boy using a golden sickle to cut an olive branch, with two priests accompanying him.

The winning athletes marched in procession from the temple of Hera to the temple of Zeus along with several judges. There were proclaimed winners of their categories before the imposing statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The graphic shows the Statue of Olympian Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Illustration based on the description by the historian Pausanias.

The Summer Festivals of Olympia, held continuously for 1,169 years from 776 BC to 393 AD, came to an end by order of Roman Emperor Theodosius I after proclaiming the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 AD, which required the cessation of any non-Christian celebration.

A millennium and a half later, the modern Olympic Games that we know now emerged. Much has changed and new additions to the format have been added, such as the torch relay. However, some of the sports on display today still bear a resemblance to those from thousands of years ago.

An illustrated graphic shows the ancient ruins of a structure characterized by the presence of ionic columns

Sources:

A Spectator’s guide to the Ancient Olympic Games, IOC, Welcome to the Ancient Olympic Games, OIC; Deutschen Archäologischen Institut (German Archaeological Institute); The Open University ; Pausanias, Description of Greece; École Française d’Athenes (French School of Athens); History of Ancient Olympic Games, Lynn and Gray Poole. 1963; A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics, Neil Fulkner. 2012; Ancient Greek Athletics, Stephen G. Miller. 2004; The Naked Olympics, Tony Perrottet. 2004.

Edited by

Simon Scarr and Karolos Grohmann