The first Olympic Games occurred in the Greek Peloponnese and were one of four Panhellenic competitions that united all the Greek city-states. Held in the sacred sanctuary of Olympia, the games were initially dedicated to the honour of the god Zeus. However, with the growth of Greek power and conflict, the nature of the games changed as they became competitions celebrating the attributes essential to Greek warfare — strength, endurance and the drive to win.

The First Olympics

There are two Greek myths regarding the foundation of the ancient Olympics. The first states the games were based around king Pelop’s victory against Oenomaus in a chariot race. However, the alternative myth claims Heracles founded the games.

Historically, 776 BC has been established as the beginning of the games, based on the surviving lists of victors. By the 5th century BC, the Olympics were well established, lasting for five days and held every four years, a cycle known as an Olympiad.

Although victories ceased to be recorded in 217AD, it was not until 393AD that Emperor Theodosius abolished the games.

Ancient Greek Religion and the Olympian Games

The games were held in the sacred sanctuary of Olympia, close to the city of Elis in the western Peloponnese. They were one of the four Panhellenic contests of ancient Greece, the others being the Pythian, Nemean and Isthmian games.

The Olympic Games were held in either August or September in honour of the god Zeus. They began with a procession from Elis to the sacred precinct of Zeus, the Altis. Here, a religious ceremony opened the proceedings with a sacrifice made to the king of the gods before the athletes and officials solemnly swore to abide by the rules of the games.

Then the games began. They consisted not only of athletics contests but also artistic performances, all dedicated to the honour of Zeus. The games’ main emphasis remained religious until the 5th century BC when they became more of a source of entertainment and competition between the elite of the Greek states. Although Zeus was still honoured, by this time, the religious ceremonies ceased to be the focal point, often occurring after equestrian events rather than opening the contest.

Athletic Contests in Classical Greece

The ethos of the ancient Olympics was very different to the modern games. The aim was to win — with skill and at any cost for the honour of the individual and that of their city. The events emphasised combat and warfare rather than team events and records. This was because the skills on show were practical ones employed in wartime rather than mere displays of sporting prowess.

To modern eyes, the games would not have been sportsmanlike. Although the rules of some events disallowed gouging and biting, competitors were routinely permitted to break fingers, kick opponents in the stomach, and dislocate limbs.

Greek Olympic Sports 

The original Olympic sport was a 200m sprint called the stadion, which gave its name to the venue for track events. Between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, the range of events broadened — many of which are part of the modern games. They included:

• Chariot racing and horseracing
• The pentathlon
• Wrestling
• Boxing

Other events were to remain unique to the ancient Olympics:

• The Pankration. This was a violent hybrid of boxing and wrestling where competitors were allowed to kick, twist and strangle their opponents to win.
• The diaulos and the dolichos. Both were foot races, with the dolichos requiring the completion of twelve laps.
• The race in arms. Introduced in the 6th century BC, this race above others emphasises the warlike nature of the games. It involved a foot race in full armour and specifically related to ancient Greek military training exercises.

Men and Women at the Greek Olympics

The Olympics consisted of separate events for men and boys. Women could not compete at Zeus’s games but did have their own separate contest at Olympia, the Heraea, dedicated to the goddess Hera.

Married women were forbidden to watch the male games on pain of death. But, curiously, unmarried girls were allowed to watch the men compete — possibly because the games were viewed as a good place to make a marriage.

Resources

Hornblower, S and Spawforth, A (eds) The Oxford Classical Dictionary (3rd ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press

Yalouris, A & N, (1995) Olympia: Guide to the Museum and the Sanctuary. Ekdotike Athenon s.a: Athens