The Origins of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece

Kaitlyn Nielsen | Sports Editor

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Once every four years, people across the world come together to watch the Olympic Games. These games are a celebration of peak athleticism. The origins of the event stretch back thousands of years, all the way to Ancient Greece. The earliest recording of the games was in 776 BCE. However, these games were not a global phenomenon; they were originally religious festivals honoring Zeus. A once ritual became and evolved into an influential tradition across the world. 

While today the Olympic Games host a wide variety of events, the original games only hosted one event. The one event was the Stadion Race, which was a short type of sprint around 200 meters. However, as the games grew in popularity back in Ancient Greece, the variety also grew. These games were still vastly different from the current ones; athletes treated the competition as a devotion of honor, holding the belief that personal physical excellence was their tribute to the gods. 

A popular event noted by historians was the Pankration. This event combined both extremes of traditional wrestling and boxing into one. However, even in Ancient Greece, there were some ground rules for these brutal events; competitors could not bite each other, and they could not gouge each other's eyes out. These brutal events pushed the capacity of competitors; oftentimes, winners were determined by who remained conscious. Despite this, the pankration was a favorite among the Ancient Greeks, showing the true strength and courage it took to compete. 

Another fan favorite was Chariot racing. These competitions were filled with different dangers, and with dangers came drama. Competitors would race in teams using horses; the track was in the shape of an oval, allowing for high speeds to be achieved, but with little protection. Due to these reasons, death or injury was common, and the driver of the team faced the most serious of risks. However, winning this event was very prestigious; wealthy families would often sponsor chariots, so winning brought honor for the competitor and the family alike. 

Many Ancient Greek events have similarities to current track events. The Hoplite Race is a similar format to today's pentathlon. Obviously, there are very different circumstances for athletes. Ancient Greek competitors had to wear armor and carry a shield as they ran. The pentathlon style event also requires athletes to wrestle, jump, throw a discus, and javelin. To add to the weirdness of this event, competitors had to compete naked. The reasoning is rooted in Greek tradition in celebrating the human body and showing equality among athletes. 

Through the brutality, the Olympic Games were a reminder of unity. During the games, there was a sacred truce called Ekecheiria, which paused all conflicts across Ancient Greece. This allowed all spectators and athletes to travel safely. City-states that would normally be battling would come together in Olympia. This ideal reinforced shared culture and values in the ancient world. 

The Games today still uphold similar messaging, ones of cooperation, peaceful competitions, and pushing the limits of the human body. The Torch relay and opening ceremonies can all be traced back to those ancient traditions. Our current games feature new, streamlined sports with advanced technology and participation on a global scale. But the Ancient Greek motto still stands: to honor excellence, inspire unity, and to celebrate the power of human achievement.