Brief history of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece. History of the Olympic Games for Children. Traditions of the Games and their symbols

“Even the gods are powerless against human glory” - these words of the great Johann Friedrich Schiller are perfectly suited to the history of the origin of the ancient Olympic Games, and here’s why...

The ancient Hellenes had many gods. Perhaps no other nation had so many.

When people encountered something incomprehensible and frightening in the outside world, they came up with a new deity for this case and it became no longer so scary. Gods existed for all occasions.

By inventing them, the Greeks made the gods similar to themselves: with the same advantages and disadvantages as ordinary people. The gods could be old and young, beautiful and ugly, good and evil, cheerful drunkards and gloomy grumps, vengeful, lame, one-eyed...
The only thing that distinguished them from people was immortality.

But soon people themselves wanted to become like the gods, and then it turned out that that they can achieve immortality only in the memory of their descendants, having accomplished some feat.

Let's say, during the war it was not at all difficult, but there anyone could become a hero and it was not difficult to get lost among many. But so that there is only one winner...

And then people came up with Olympic Games.

The history of the Olympic Games

“Life is like games: some come to compete, others to trade, and the happiest come to watch.” This is how Pythagoras of Samos determined the significance of the Olympics in the life of the ancient Greeks.

The spirit of rivalry determined the way of life of the city-states of Hellas, and forced the inhabitants of the Greek city-states to constantly wage war among themselves.

And so, according to one of the legends, Iphit, king of Elis, the same one where Olympia was located, worried about the constant hostility and disgusting wars, decided to go to the Delphic Oracle in order, according to his predictions, to protect his people from attacks and robberies. The answer was given to him: “Your people will be saved by competitive games pleasing to the gods!”

Then the smart ruler goes to his neighbor - to the king of warlike Sparta Lycurgus and tells him about the Oracle’s predictions, and the Spartan sovereign not only agrees with this prophecy, but also takes Olympia under the protection of Laconia, declaring it neutral land.

So, according to their decision, agreed with the rulers of other small fragmented states, the Olympic Games were established, dedicated to the main Olympian god Zeus.

The Greeks, at the suggestion of the historian Timeos, established a special “Olympic calendar”, which was tied to the first full moon after the summer solstice. Since then, once every four years, or every 1417 days, precisely on these dates, competitions began to be held at Olympia.

The exact date and time of the opening of the holiday in Olympia was announced long before it began.

All Greek city-states were notified, where special heralds were sent - spondophores, who announced that from the moment the Olympics began ekheriya - truce for the duration of the competition.

Typically, the Ekheria lasted two months according to the Eleatic calendar, which were called Apollonium and Parthenium. At this time, not only Olympia, but all of Elis were proclaimed a “zone of peace”, where everyone could arrive without fear for their lives, since there were almost no cases of violation of the truce, and those who dared to break this rule were punished - a huge fine and ban to participate in the Olympics.

This is how the wise Iphit of Elis was able to stop internecine wars, forcing ardent opponents to put aside their weapons and go to a peace festival to take part in competitions or watch them and feel like not individual citizens of one state, but a single people.

Were in Ancient Greece and other similar holidays: in Corinth - Isthmian, in Delphi - Pythian, and in Nemea, where Hercules fought with a stone lion - Nemean.

But the most significant for all of Hellas were, of course, the Olympic Games.

Venue of the first Games

Even the place chosen for them named Olympia, to remind of the closeness to the gods and their home - the divine Mount Olympus.

This wonderful place is located in the southwest of Greece, in the Elis region of the largest Greek peninsula - the Peloponnese.

This is the quiet green valley of the Alpheus River at the very foot of Mount Kronos, where the oak grove of Altis roars, which, after the construction of the Temple of Zeus, like the entire sanctuary of Olympia, was also dedicated to the main Olympian god.

How were the bans carried out and why?

At the very beginning of the history of the Games, the competition of athletes was not the end in itself of the Olympic festivities. They were integral part religious rites of worship of the Olympian gods and
only then did they gradually degenerate into self-sufficient sports competitions.

According to custom, the first day of the Games was dedicated to Zeus and the patron gods: sacrifices were made to them, prayers were directed to them, honesty and incorruptibility were sworn to them, sports victories were dedicated to them.

The Greeks believed that it was a great pleasure for the gods to contemplate the agility, strength and beautiful trained bodies they demonstrated.

The exact date of the first Olympics has certainly “sunk into oblivion,” but, according to some assumptions, they were held starting in 776 BC. e. The first victory at the Olympic Games dates back to this year. During excavations, a marble slab was found on which the name of the very first Olympic champion was carved - Elidian cook Koreb and the date of this victory is 776.

In total, 293 ancient Olympics were held. The Games of 393 were the final ones.

After which Emperor Theodosius the Venerable, who alone ruled the entire eastern part of the Roman Empire, which by that time included Olympia, chose Christianity as the state religion, and banned all pagan cults, including the Olympic Games.

Soon after the ban on the Olympics, all temples and athletic facilities were burned by order of Theodosius II (in 426 AD), and a hundred years later they were finally destroyed by strong earthquakes and river floods.

Types of competitions

Initially, the first thirteen competitions featured running competitions.

The length of the distances was measured in steps or stages - doesn’t it really remind everyone of the familiar word stadium? It was from the stage (step) that the name of the structure where the competition was held came.

In Olympia, the stage was 192.7 cm - it was believed that Hercules himself had such a long stride.
Then in 724 BC. e. a one-leg out and one back, or “double,” was added to the program.

In 720 running distance increased to 24 stages, and in 708 BC. e. Pentathlon competitions were added: running, long jump, discus and javelin throwing, and it all ended with wrestling.

Later the most cruel look competition - wrestling without rules, or pankration, where they competed until the enemy asked for mercy by raising his finger. Sometimes such battles even ended in the death of one of the participants.

In 680, chariot racing was added.

To become a participant in the ancient Olympic Games it was necessary:

• be a citizen of Greece, and free, and must speak Greek fluently: neither slaves nor barbarians were allowed to participate in competitions;
• to be a man: participation of women in competitions was prohibited;
• The most honorable citizens of Greece, called Hellanodics, controlled compliance with all the rules and regulations for the Olympics.

Athletes wishing to take part in the Games began to prepare a year before the start of the Olympics.
And then, a month before the start of the competition, they had to demonstrate their skills to the judges to prove their readiness for the competition.

The Hellanodics also ensured that all competitions were conducted fairly, without fraud. If the slightest shadow of suspicion of fraud fell on the winner, he was deprived of the champion title, fined a huge amount and subjected to public flogging with rods.

The money collected from the athletes who committed the fines was used to cast statues (zans) in honor of Zeus, which decorated the alley in front of the stadium.

In his book “History”, Herodotus describes such a curious incident that happened to Alexander the Great himself:

One day, the Great Alexander arrived in Olympia to take part in a running competition. The Hellenes who participated in the competition demanded that the Hellanodic judges exclude him from the list of participants, claiming that he was a barbarian, not a Greek. Then Alexander had to provide evidence of his origin. He was allowed to compete, and, according to Herodotus, he reached the finish line at the same time as the winner.

What was awarded

What did the Olympic winners receive for their efforts?

Only olive wreath, from the sacred grove of Altis, decorated with purple ribbons, and a name carved on a marble plaque, or a statue made by the best Greek sculptors, for example, Phidias, and then on the condition that they became Olympians at least 4 times.

But returning to their native cities, they turned into heroes.

They were worshiped almost like gods, showered with expensive gifts, exempted from state duties, and fed for the rest of their lives.

Renaissance: the modern Olympic Games

And, although the natural elements and inexorable time tried very hard to make Olympia with its former glory disappear from the face of the earth, they still did not succeed completely. Hasn't disappeared Ancient Olympia without a trace.

The glory of the Olympic competitions was immortalized in the works of the great Hellenes: Plato and Aristotle, Socrates, Demosthenes, Pythagoras, who not only wrote about their favorite games, but also took part in them, for example, Pythagoras and Plato participated in the most difficult competitions - fist fighting and pankration.

And after 13 centuries, thanks to their efforts, excavations of the ancient monument began. The first excavations at Olympia began in 1829 and continue to this day.

And although today it is no longer possible to restore many masterpieces, such as the sculpture of Zeus the Thunderer, made by the great Phidias from gold and ivory, which was rightfully considered in Ancient Greece one of the seven wonders of the world, descendants managed to revive the spirit of this sacred place.

And the words Olympic motto: “Citius, Altius, Fortius” “Faster, Higher, Stronger!” inspire today's Olympic champions for glorious deeds.

Thousands of pilgrims try to visit the revived Olympia, especially in those days when, just like many centuries ago, here once every four years the sacred light is lit olympic flame , symbolizing the beginning of the modern Olympics, which preserved the traditions of the great ancient athletes.

Contents of the article about the ancient Olympic Games in Greece:

1. Beginning of the Olympic Games
2. Participants in the Olympic Games in ancient Greece
3. Dawn of the Olympic Games
4. Sunset of the Olympic Games

• The tradition of holding the Olympic Games has now been revived. The first Olympic Games of our time were held in the 19th century, and at the moment they are considered the most prestigious world sports competitions.

Beginning of the Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The very first Olympic Games in ancient Greece were held in 776 BC. All subsequent games were held once every four years. From that moment on, records of the winners of the games began and the order of their conduct was established. The Olympics began every leap year, in the month of the ceremony, corresponding to the modern period of time from late June to mid-July.

History has preserved a large number of versions that justify the origin of the tradition of holding these sports competitions. Most of these versions take the form of legends, one way or another connected with the gods and heroes of Ancient Hellas. For example, the first place in the list is occupied by the legend according to which the king of Elis named Iphitus went to Delphi, where he received a message from a priestess of Apollo. The people of Elis by this time were exhausted by the constant armed rivalry of the Greek city-states, and therefore the gods ordered sports and athletic festivals.

The participants of the Olympic Games lived on the outskirts of Altis, where a month before the opening of the competition they trained in the palaestra and gymnastics. This tradition became the prototype Olympic Village, taking place in modern games. The costs of accommodation for athletes in Olympia, preparation of competitions and various religious ceremonies were borne either by the athletes themselves - participants in the games, or by the city from which they competed.

Dawn of the Olympic Games

There is a reliable historical fact that during the Olympic Games any military operations ceased. This tradition was called ekeheriya, according to which the warring parties were obliged to lay down their arms. It was also forbidden to carry out court cases, and executions were postponed until later. Violators of the ekeheria rules were punished with a fine.

Types of Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

The most important, and apparently the most popular view The sport included in the program of the ancient Olympic Games was running. There is even information that an ancient king named Endymion arranged a running competition among his sons, and the winner received a kingdom as a reward.
There were several types of running competitions. First of all, it was an analogue of the modern sprint, running at short distance- in fact, from one end of the stadium to the other. The distance was 192 meters and was called the “Olympic stage”. Athletes competed completely naked in these competitions. Distance running was the very first and only competition in the history of the Olympic Games and remained so until the thirteenth Olympics. Starting from the fourteenth, the so-called “double run” was added to the competition. The athletes had to run from one end of the stadium to the other, then run around a pole and return to the starting point. Long running was added to the program of the fifteenth Olympic Games in addition to the above running competitions. Initially it included seven stages, but in subsequent years the length of the distances changed. Runners would run a stage, run around a pole, return to the start, and turn back around another pole.

In 520 BC, during the 65th Olympiad, another type of running competition appeared - the “hoplite race”. The athletes ran two distances in full armor - they wore a helmet, leggings and a shield. In later Olympics, only the shield was left among the weapons.
Also among the types of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were martial arts. It should be noted that the death of an athlete during fights was not something special, and even a dead fighter could be declared the winner.
Starting from the 18th Olympics, wrestling was included in the program of the games. It was forbidden to strike; fighting could only be done by pushing. There were two main positions - standing and on the ground. In Greek there were many names for various techniques.

After five Olympics, fist fighting appeared among martial arts. It was forbidden to kick the enemy, make grabs or trip him. Hands were wrapped with special straps, making this type of competition one of the most dangerous. Sources that have survived to this day vividly describe the damage caused by such blows. The fighter who won without receiving a single blow from the enemy deserved special respect. If the wrestlers were tired, they were given a break to rest. If there was no way to identify the winner, then a specific number of blows was assigned, which the opponents would inflict on each other in turn, and it was impossible to defend themselves. The loser was the one who voluntarily gave up by raising his hand.
In 648 BC, during the 33rd Olympiad, the so-called “pankration” appeared. This type of martial arts included kicking and punching. Chokeholds were allowed, but eye gouging and biting were prohibited. At first it was a competition only for adult men, and then, starting from the 145th Olympics, pankration was introduced for young men.

Later, pentathlon was added to the games program. In ancient Greece, this sport was called "pentathlon". From the name you can guess that this type of sports consisted of five various types sports - they began with the long jump, then there was one-distance running, discus throwing, and javelin throwing. The fifth sport was wrestling. To date, no exact information has been preserved about how the winner was determined. It is believed that all participants were divided into pairs and competed with each other. In the end, there was only one, the last couple left. He was distinguished by his special long jump technique. The athletes jumped straight from the spot without running up, and dumbbells were used to increase the distance of the jump.
Horse racing also took place among the Olympic competitions. It is noteworthy that women participated in them, since the winner was not the riders, but the owners of animals and chariots. Over the years of the existence of the Olympic Games, horse racing has changed. At first it was quadriga racing, then, starting from the 33rd Olympics, horse racing was added to it. In 1993, two-horse chariot racing appeared. The competitions were divided into two categories - young stallions competed in one, and adult horses in the other.

How were the Olympic Games held in ancient Greece?

The start date of the event was set by a commission specially created for this purpose, which was then announced by special people called spondophores to residents of other Greek states. Athletes arrived in Olympia a month before the start of the games, during which time they had to train under the guidance of experienced coaches.
The competition was observed by Helladonic judges. In addition to the judicial function, the duties of the Helladonians included the organization of the entire Olympic festival.

Before performing in front of the people, each athlete had to prove to the judges that during the ten months before the start of the games, he had been intensively preparing for the competition. The oath was taken near the statue of Zeus.
Initially, the duration of the Olympic Games was 5 days, but later it reached a month. The first and last days of the games were dedicated to religious rituals and ceremonies.
The public learned about the sequence of a certain type of competition using a special sign. Those wishing to take part in it had to determine their order by drawing lots.

Winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were called Olympians. They became famous throughout Greece, they were greeted with honor in their homeland, since the athletes represented not only themselves at the games, but also the city-state from which they came. In the event of a three-time victory at the games, a bust was erected in Olympia in honor of such an athlete. The winner was rewarded with an olive wreath, and he also stood on a pedestal, the function of which was performed by a bronze tripod, and took palm branches in his hands. They also gave a small cash bonus as a reward, but he received the real benefits upon returning home. At home, he received many different privileges.
Milo of Croton is considered one of the most famous Olympians. He won his very first victory in wrestling in 540 BC, during the 60th Olympiad. Later, between 532 and 516, he won five times, and only at the age of 40 he lost to a younger athlete, failing to receive Olympian status for the seventh time.

A wrestler named Sostratus, originally from Sicyon, won the pankration three times. His secret was that he broke the fingers of his opponents, for which he received the nickname Thumb.
There are known cases when deceased participants became winners. For example, Arichion of Philageia was strangled during a duel, but his opponent declared defeat because he could not bear the pain of a broken toe. To the applause of the audience, the corpse of Arikhion was awarded the winner's olive wreath.
Artemidor, who arrived from Thrall, is famous for the fact that he was supposed to participate in the competitions of the youth group, but could not tolerate the insult of an adult pankrationist wrestler. After which Artemidor moved to the adult group and became a champion.

Among the famous runners we can mention the Rhodes athlete Leonidas. Over the course of four Olympics, he became a leader in various running competitions.
Astil from Crotona became a six-time Olympic champion. He is also famous for the fact that at the first competitions he represented Croton, and at the next two another city - Syracuse. In retaliation, the residents of Croton turned his home into a prison and destroyed the memorial statue.
In the history of the Olympic Games there have been entire dynasties of winners. For example, Poseidor’s grandfather named Diagoras and his uncles also became champions - Olympians.

In addition, many ancient thinkers known in our time were not hindered by their mental activity from participating in various sports competitions. For example, the famous Pythagoras was not only strong in mathematics, but in his time was better known as a champion in boxing, that is, fist fighting, and the thinker Plato broke the foundations not only in philosophy, but also in the arena, becoming a champion in pankration.

Sunset of the Olympic Games

In the second century BC. The Olympic Games began to lose their great significance, turning into competitions on a local scale. This is due to the conquest of ancient Greece by the Romans. Several factors are considered to be the reasons for the loss of former popularity. One of them is the professionalism of athletes, when the games have essentially become a collection of victories on the part of Olympians. The Romans, under whose rule Greece came, perceived sports solely as a spectacle; they were not interested in the competitive spirit of the Olympics.

Who banned the Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The end of the thousand-year history of the Olympic Games was a consequence of a change in religion. They were closely intertwined with the Greek pagan gods, so their implementation became impossible after the adoption of the Christian faith.
Researchers associate the ban on the Olympic Games with a certain Roman emperor, Theodosius. It is he who publishes in 393 AD. a set of laws prohibiting paganism, and the Olympic Games in accordance with these new legislative acts become completely prohibited. Only centuries later, in 1896, the tradition of holding Olympic sports games was revived.

Interest in harmonious developed body was observed back in Ancient Greece. Physical exercise were elevated to cult here. With their help, thousands of Greeks improved their bodies, making them proportional, flexible, fast and strong. As a result, in 776 BC, the first Olympic Games of antiquity took place at the Temple of Zeus on Mount Olympia. For more than four hundred years they remained the largest sporting competitions of the time. The cult of the body reached its peak in Sparta, after which interest in it began to undeservedly, but steadily decline. And for many centuries, until the end of the nineteenth century, harmonious, healthy body was relegated to the background.

Olympic Games- the greatest of the Hellenic national festivals. They took place in Olympia and, according to the most ancient legend, arose in the time of Kronos, in honor of the Idean Hercules. According to this legend, Rhea handed over the newborn Zeus to the Idean Dactyls (Curetes). Hercules, the eldest of the brothers, defeated everyone in the race and was awarded a wreath of wild olive for his victory. At the same time, Hercules established competitions that were to take place after 5 years, according to the number of Idean brothers who arrived in Olympia. There were also other legends about the emergence of the national holiday, which were timed to coincide with one mythical era or another. The first historical fact associated with the Olympic Games is their resumption by the king of Elis, Iphitus, and the legislator of Sparta, Lycurgus, whose names were inscribed on a disk kept in Gereon (in Olympia). From that time on (according to some sources, the year of the resumption of the games was 884, according to others - 828), the interval between two successive celebrations of the games was four years or the Olympics; but, as a chronological era, 776 BC was accepted in the history of Greece. Resuming the Olympic Games, Iphitus established a sacred truce for the duration of their celebration, which was declared by special heralds, first in Elis and then in the rest of Greece. At this time it was impossible to wage war not only in Elis, but also in other parts of Hellas. Using the same motive of the holiness of the place, the Eleans obtained agreement from the Peloponnesian regions to consider Elis a country against which military action could not be opened. Subsequently, however, the Eleans themselves attacked neighboring regions more than once.

Only purebred Hellenes who had not undergone athymia could participate in the festive competitions; the barbarians could only be spectators. An exception was made in favor of the Romans, who, as masters of the land, could change religious customs at will. Women, except for the priestess Demeter, freedmen and slaves, were not allowed to attend competitions, even as spectators, under pain of death. The number of spectators and performers was very large; many people used this time to make trade and other transactions, and poets and artists to introduce their works to the public. From different states of Greece, special deputies were sent to the holidays, who competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to maintain the honor of their city. The holiday took place on the first full moon after the summer solstice, that is, it fell on the Attic month of Hecatombeon, and lasted five days, one part of which was devoted to competitions, and the other to religious rites, with sacrifices, processions and public feasts in honor of the winners. The competition consisted of 24 divisions; in 18 adults took part, in 6 boys; All departments have never been completed at once.

To the program ancient games included: running at various distances, endurance running and in full warrior armor, Greco-Roman wrestling and pankration (fighting without rules), fist fighting, chariot racing and pentathlon (pentathlon, which included running, long jump, javelin and discus throwing, wrestling), horse racing, in which the rider had to jump to the ground and run after the horse, herald competition and trumpeters. IN fight Only the finalists participated - the two best athletes based on the results of the previous four disciplines. Of course, there were rules, but they were very liberal. Only men and only Greeks were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. But not only amateur athletes, as is usually believed. Until 472, all competitions took place on one day, and later they were distributed over all days of the holiday. The judges who observed the progress of the competition and awarded awards to the winners were appointed by lot from among the Eleans and were in charge of the organization of the entire holiday. The Hellanodics, the judges, were at first 2, then 9, and even later 10; from the 103rd Olympiad (368 BC) there were 13 of them, according to the number of Eleatic phyla, in the 104th Olympiad their number was reduced to 8, and finally from the 108th Olympiad there were 10 of them. They wore purple clothes and had special places in the stage. Before performing in front of the crowd, everyone who wanted to take part in the competition had to prove to the Hellanodics that the 10 months preceding the competition were devoted to preliminary preparation. And swear an oath to this in front of the statue of Zeus. Fathers, brothers and gymnastics teachers of those wishing to compete also had to swear that they would not be guilty of any crime. For 30 days, everyone who wanted to compete had to first show their art in front of the Greeks at the Olympic Gymnasium. The order of the competition was announced to the public by means of a white sign. Before the competition, everyone who wanted to participate in it drew lots to determine the order in which they would enter the fight, after which the herald publicly announced the name and country of the person entering the competition. In those distant times, only the winner in certain types of competitions was identified at the Olympics - Olympionik. The reward for victory was a wreath of wild olive; the winner was placed on a bronze tripod and palm branches were given to him. The winner, in addition to honor for himself personally, also glorified his state, which provided him with various benefits and privileges for this; from 540 the Eleans allowed a statue of him to be erected in Altis. Upon his return home, he was given a triumph, songs were composed in his honor and he was awarded different ways; in Athens Olympic winner had the right to live at government expense.

The Olympics exalted man, because the Olympics reflected a worldview, the cornerstone of which was the cult of perfection of spirit and body, the idealization of a harmoniously developed person - a thinker and an athlete. The Olympionist, the winner of the games, was given the honors bestowed upon the gods by his compatriots; monuments were created in their honor during his lifetime, odes of praise were composed, and feasts were held. The Olympic hero rode into his hometown in a chariot, dressed in purple, crowned with a wreath, and entered not through the usual gates, but through a gap in the wall, which was sealed that same day so that Olympic victory entered the city and never left it.

One of the poetic myths of ancient Greece tells how the Olympic stadium came into being. Around the 17th century. BC e. Hercules from Crete and his four brothers landed on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. There, near the hill with the grave of the titan Kronos, according to the legend of the son of Zeus, defeated in the fight, Hercules, in honor of his father’s victory over his grandfather, organized a running competition with his brothers. To do this, on a site at the foot of the hill, he measured a distance of 11 stages, which corresponded to 600 of his feet. improvised treadmill 192 m 27 cm long and served as the basis for the future Olympic Stadium. For three centuries, it was in this primitive arena that the games, later called the Olympic Games, were held on an irregular basis.

Gradually, the Olympics won the recognition of all states located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, and by 776 BC. e. acquired a pan-Greek character. It was from this date that the tradition of perpetuating the names of the winners began.

Eve grand opening During the games, an ancient tent city was located near the stadium on the banks of the Alpheus River. In addition to many sports fans, traders of various goods and owners of entertainment establishments also flocked here. Thus, even in ancient times, the concern for preparing for the games involved the most diverse social strata of the Greek population in organizational affairs. The Greek festival dedicated to the glorification of physical strength and the unity of a nation that worships the deified beauty of man. The Olympic Games, as their popularity grew, influenced the center of Olympia - Altis. For more than 11 centuries, pan-Greek games were held in Olympia. Similar games were held in other centers of the country, but none of them could be equal to the Olympic ones.

Statesmen, writers, poets, historians, and philosophers also participated in the Games. For example, the famous commander and statesman Alcibiades took part in chariot races and pankration competitions several times. Plutarch recalled how Alcibiades once bit an opponent during pankration. “You bite like a woman,” he exclaimed. But Alcibiades objected: “Not like a woman, but like a lion!” IN fist fights The outstanding ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras participated. The Olympic Games reached their greatest prosperity during the so-called “Golden Age” of Greece (500 - 400 BC). But gradually, with the collapse of ancient Greek society, the Olympics lost more and more of their significance.

History shows that in other cities of Hellas there was a cult of Prometheus, and in his honor Prometheus was held - competitions of runners with burning torches.

The figure of this titan remains to this day one of the most striking images in Greek mythology. The expression “Promethean fire” means the desire for high goals in the fight against evil. Wasn’t that the same meaning that the ancients intended when they lit the Olympic flame in the Altis Grove about three thousand years ago?

Once every four years, the Olympic Games are held - this is the name of sports competitions in which the best athletes from different countries peace. Each of them dreams of becoming an Olympic champion and receiving a medal as a reward - gold, silver or bronze. Almost 11 thousand athletes from more than 200 countries came to the 2016 Olympic competitions in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.

Although in these sports games It's mostly adults who participate, but some sports, as well as the history of the Olympic Games, can also be very exciting for children. And, probably, both children and adults would be interested to know when the Olympic Games appeared, how they got their name, and also what types sports exercises were at the very first competitions. In addition, we will find out how the modern Olympic Games are held and what their emblem means - five multi-colored rings.

History of the Olympic Games

The birthplace of the Olympic Games is Ancient Greece. The earliest historical records of the ancient Olympic Games were found on Greek marble columns, where the date 776 BC was engraved. However, it is known that sports competitions in Greece took place much earlier than this date. Therefore, the history of the Olympics goes back about 2800 years, which, you see, is quite a long time.

Do you know who, according to history, became one of the first Olympic champions? - This was ordinary cook Koribos from the city of Elis, whose name is still engraved on one of those marble columns.

The history of the Olympic Games is rooted in the ancient city of Olympia, where the name of this sports festival. This settlement is located in a very beautiful place - near Mount Kronos and on the banks of the Alpheus River, and it is here that from ancient times to the present day the ceremony of lighting the torch with the Olympic flame takes place, which is then passed along the relay to the city of the Olympic Games.

You can try to find this place on a world map or in an atlas and at the same time test yourself - can I find Greece first and then Olympia?

History of the Olympic Games (briefly, in 3 minutes!)

How were the Olympic Games held in ancient times?

At first, only local residents took part in sports competitions, but then everyone liked it so much that people from all over Greece and its subordinate cities began to come here, even from the Black Sea itself. People got there as best they could - some rode on horseback, some had a cart, but most people walked to the holiday. The stadiums were always crowded with spectators - everyone really wanted to see sports competitions with their own eyes.

It is also interesting that in those days when the Olympic competitions were going to be held in Ancient Greece, a truce was declared in all cities and all wars stopped for about a month. For ordinary people, it was a calm, peaceful time when they could take a break from everyday affairs and have fun.

The athletes trained for 10 months at home, and then another month in Olympia, where experienced trainers helped them prepare as best as possible for the competition. At the beginning of sports games, everyone took an oath, the participants - that they would compete fairly, and the judges - that they would judge fairly. Then the competition itself began, which lasted 5 days. The start of the Olympic Games was announced with a silver trumpet, which was blown several times, inviting everyone to gather in the stadium.

What sports were at the Olympic Games in ancient times?

These were:

• running competitions;
• struggle;
• long jump;
• javelin and discus throwing;
• hand-to-hand combat;
• Chariot racing.

The best athletes were given an award - a laurel wreath or an olive branch; the champions solemnly returned to their hometown and were considered respected people for the rest of their lives. Banquets were held in their honor, and sculptors made marble statues for them.

Unfortunately, in 394 AD, the holding of the Olympic Games was banned by the Roman emperor, who really did not like such competitions.

Modern Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games of our time took place in 1896, in the ancestral country of these games - Greece. You can even calculate how long the break was - from 394 to 1896 (it turns out 1502 years). And now, after so many years in our time, the birth of the Olympic Games became possible thanks to one famous French baron, his name was Pierre de Coubertin.

Pierre de Coubertin- founder of the modern Olympic Games.

This man really wanted to more people engaged in sports and proposed resuming the Olympic Games. Since then, sports games have been held every four years, preserving the traditions of ancient times as much as possible. But now the Olympic Games have begun to be divided into winter and summer, which alternate with each other.

Olympic Games: history, symbolism, how it all originated and how it came to winter Russia

Olympic Games – pictures

Traditions and symbolism of the Olympic Games

Olympic rings

Probably each of us has seen the emblem of the Olympics - intertwined colored rings. They were chosen for a reason - each of the five rings means one of the continents:

• blue ring - a symbol of Europe,
• black - African,
• red - America,
• yellow - Asia,
• the green ring is the symbol of Australia.

And the fact that the rings are intertwined with each other means the unity and friendship of people on all these continents, despite different skin colors.

Olympic flag

The official flag of the Olympic Games was a white flag with Olympic emblem. White is a symbol of peace during Olympic competitions, just as it was in ancient Greek times. At each Olympics, the flag is used at the opening and closing of the sports games, and then handed over to the city where the next Olympics will take place in four years.

Olympic flame

Even in ancient times, the tradition of lighting a fire during the Olympic Games arose, and it has survived to this day. The ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame is very interesting to watch; it is reminiscent of an ancient Greek theatrical performance.

It all starts in Olympia a few months before the start of the competition. For example, the flame for the Brazilian Olympic Games was lit in Greece back in April of this year.

In the Greek Olympia, eleven girls gather, dressed in long white dresses, as they used to be in Ancient Greece, then one of them takes a mirror and, with the help of the sun's rays, lights a specially prepared torch. This is the fire that will burn throughout the entire period of Olympic competition.

After the torch lights up, it is handed over to one of the best athletes, which will then carry it first through the cities of Greece, and then deliver it to the country in which the Olympic Games will be held. Then the torch relay passes through the cities of the country and finally arrives at the place where the sporting competitions will be held.

A large bowl is installed at the stadium and a fire is lit in it with the torch that arrived from distant Greece. The fire in the bowl will burn until all sports competitions are over, then it will go out, and this symbolizes the end of the Olympic Games.

Opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics

It is always a bright and colorful sight. Each country hosting the Olympic Games tries to surpass the previous one in this component, sparing neither effort nor money on the presentation. The latest achievements of science and technology are used for production, innovative technologies and development. In addition, a large number of people are involved - volunteers. The most famous people of the country are invited: artists, composers, athletes, etc.

Awards ceremony for winners and runners-up

When the first Olympic Games took place, the winners received a laurel wreath as a reward. However, modern champions are no longer awarded laurel wreaths, but medals: first place - Golden medal, second place - silver, and third - bronze.

It is very interesting to watch the competitions, but it is even more interesting to see how the champions are awarded. The winners stand on a special pedestal with three steps, according to their places, they are awarded medals and raised the flags of the countries from which these athletes came.

That’s the whole history of the Olympic Games; for children, I think, the above information will be interesting and useful. You can supplement your story with a presentation about the Olympic Games.

If yes, you might be very interested to know impressive details of the origins of the Olympic races. The history of the Olympic Games is fascinating and full of surprises. So, let's dive into the uncharted waters of the world Olympiads?

How it all began

The famous Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus originated in Ancient Greece and were held from 776 BC. e. every 4 years in the city of Olympia. Sport competitions were such a tremendous success and great importance for society that for a while OlimpiyskOuchthe races stopped the wars and ekehiriya - a sacred truce - was established.

People flocked to Olympia from everywhere to watch the competition: some traveled on foot, some on horseback, and some even sailed by ship to distant lands just to get a glimpse of the majestic Greek athletes. Entire tent settlements grew up around the city. To watch the athletes, spectators completely filled the hillsides around the Alpheus River valley.

After the solemn victory and the award ceremony (presentation of a wreath of sacred olives and a palm branch), the Olympian lived happily ever after. Holidays were held in his honor, hymns were sung, statues were made, and in Athens the winner was exempted from taxes and burdensome public duties. And the winner was always given the best seat in the theater. In some places, even the children of an Olympian enjoyed special privileges.

Interesting, what women are on Olympic competitions were not allowed in under pain of death.

The brave Hellenes competed in running, fist fighting (which Pythagoras once won), jumping, javelin throwing, and so on. However, the most dangerous were the chariot races. You won’t believe it, but the winner of equestrian competitions was considered the owner of the horses, and not the poor cab driver who risked his life to win.

There are many legends associated with the Olympic Games. One of them says that the first competitions were allegedly organized by Zeus himself in honor of the victory over his father. Whether this is true or not, it was Homer who first mentioned the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece in literature in the poem “The Iliad.”

Archaeological excavations indicate that in Olympia, 5 rectangular or horseshoe-shaped stadiums with stands for fans were built specifically for the competition.

Unfortunately, nothing is currently known about the time of the champions. It was enough to be the first to reach the finish line to gain the right to light the sacred fire. But legends tell us about Olympians who ran faster than hares, and just look at the talent of the Spartan Ladas, who left no traces on the sand while running.

Modern Olympic Games

Modern international sports competitions, known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896. The initiator was the French baron Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that it was insufficient physical training that prevented French soldiers from winning the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Young people should measure their strength on sports grounds, not on battlefields, the activist argued.

The first Olympic Games were held in Athens. To organize the competition we created International Olympic Committee, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas from Greece.

Since then, the holding of the World Olympiad has become a good tradition. With the backdrop of impressive excavations and archaeological finds, the idea of ​​Olympism spread throughout Europe. Increasingly, European states organized their own sports competitions, which were watched by the whole world.

What about winter sports?

To fill the gap in winter sports competitions, which were technically impossible to hold in the summer, The Winter Olympic Games have been held since January 25, 1924. The first were organized in a French city Chamonix. Except figure skating and hockey, athletes competed in speed skating, ski jumping, etc.

293 athletes, including 13 women, from 16 countries of the world expressed a desire to compete for championship in the competition. The first Olympic champion of the Winter Games was C. Jutrow from the USA (speed skating), but in the end the leaders of the competition were the teams of Finland and Norway. The race lasted 11 days and ended on February 4.

Attributes of the Olympic Games

Now the symbol and emblem The Olympic Games have five intertwined rings that symbolize the unification of the five continents.

Olympic motto, proposed by the Catholic monk Henri Dido: “Faster, higher, stronger.”

At the opening ceremony of each Olympics they raise flag- white cloth with the emblem (Olympic rings). Lights up throughout the Olympics Olympic fire, which is brought to the venue each time from Olympia.

Since 1968, each Olympiad has its own.

The 2016 Olympic Games are planned to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ukrainian team will present their champions to the world. By the way, the first Olympic champion of independent Ukraine was a figure skater Oksana Baiul.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are always a vibrant spectacle, which once again emphasizes the prestige and planetary importance of these global competitions.