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Olympic history | |
The Ancient Olympics
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The Olympic tradition began at Olympia in ancient Greece over three
thousand years ago. It began as a religious festival which was held every four years in
honour of Zeus, the Greek king of the gods. Athletes, authors, poets, artists and
sculptors met to take part in this great festival at the temple of Zeus in Olympia. On the first day of the festival the competitors took the Olympic oath and there were processions in honour of Zeus. The games themselves began on the second day and lasted until the fourth. Events included foot racing, wrestling, boxing, horse racing, the pentathlon (running, jumping, discus, javelin and wrestling), and chariot racing. Prize-giving and feasting took place on the fifth day. Winners received a wreath of wild olives from a sacred tree, and a golden sickle. In A.D. 393 the games were abolished by the Roman emperor Theodosius and forgotten for nearly 1,500 years. |
Map of Ancient Greece |
 Zeus |
Wild olive wreath |
The Modern Olympics
Torch Relay |
In 1894, Baron Pierre De Coubertin, a French educator, had
the idea of organizing a modern, international Olympics. He thought that an international
sports competition would promote world peace. In 1984 the International Olympic Committee
was formed and the first modern olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Usually the games begin with the arrival of a runner with a lighted torch that has been carried by a chain of runners all the way from Olympia in Greece. This torch relay was to symbolise the link between the ancient and modern games. Over 160 nations are now represented at the Olympic Games. Thousands of athletes compete. According to the rules those taking part must be amateurs. There are over twenty different sports, in which competitors take part. Women have been competing in the games since 1900. The Winter Olympics began in 1924, and include such sports as skiing, skating, ice hockey, bob-sleigh and curling. |
