Ancient Greece
The Olympics
776 B.C.E.- Today
http://www.penn.museum/sites/olympics/olympicintro.shtml
Essential Standards
 6.H.2 Understand the
political, economic and/or
social significance of
historical events, issues,
individuals and cultural
groups.
 6.C.1 Explain how the
behaviors and practices of
individuals and groups
influenced societies,
civilizations and regions.
Ancient Greece Boxing
Clarifying Objectives
 6.H.2.2 Compare historical and
contemporary events and issues to
understand continuity and change.
 6.C.1.2 Explain how religion
transformed various societies,
civilizations and regions (e.g., beliefs,
practices and spread of Buddhism,
Christianity, Confucianism,
Hinduism, Islam and Judaism).
 6.C.1.3 Summarize systems of social
structure within various
civilizations and societies over time
(e.g., Roman class structure, Indian
caste system and feudal, matrilineal
and patrilineal societies).
The Discus Thrower
Essential Questions
• How do the Ancient Greek
Olympics cOmpare tO tOday’s
modern Olympics?
• How did religion play a
part in the Ancient Greek
Olympic Games?
• How were women viewed in
the Social Structure of
Ancient Greece?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z36j7ty
Create a Venn Diagram
Compare and Contrast: Ancient Greece Olympics vs Modern Day Olympics
Ancient Olympic Games
Ancient Olympic Games were
held in Olympia, Greece
They honored the god Zeus
Male citizens from all over
Ancient Greece would come to
compete in the Ancient Olympic
Games
Only MEN were allowed to
participate in the games
Olympia
• Olympia was a
small city state
where the
Olympic games
were held in
Greece
• The Olympics
get their name
from this Greek
city state of
OLYMPIA
Olympia
o Olympia was important in Greek Mythology because it
was where Mount Olympus was located
o This was also where the STATUE OF ZEUZ was built which
is one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZyU--i58vE
How did the Olympics Begin??
The Olympics began in 776 B.C.E.
Olympics began as a 200 meter run
This run took place as a contest between
two Greek city states that had been
warring against each other
From All of Ancient Greece
 Athletes/Soldiers came from
all over Ancient Greece to
participate in the Ancient
Olympics
 It was a chance to bring
HONOR to your specific CITY
STATE and to the god Zeus
 You would get a chance to
compete against the best
Greeks from all CITY STATES
http://www.lsg.sch.ae/departments/history/Olympic%20website/index.htm
Religious Event
The Ancient Olympics was a religious event that
honored the god ZEUS
Athletes would stand in front of the STATUE OF ZUES
and swear citizenship to Greece in the name of Zeus
In Olympia there were many shrines & temples built to
glorify & honor Zeus
Essential Questions
• Get with a
partner and
answer…
• How did
religion play
a part in the
Ancient Greek
Olympic
Games?
http://www.ancient.eu/Olympic_Games/
MEN ONLY
To participate & to
watch you had to be
both a CITIZEN of
Greece & a MAN
Men were the only
ones allowed to
participate & to make
the trip to Olympia to
watch the games
Women in Ancient Greece Social Structure
 Woman could never be
citizens in Ancient Greece
 They did household chores
& took care of children
 They could never
participate in Democracy
by voting
 They were looked at as not
as smart as men (today we
know that is not true)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sgr8TFIFkQ
Essential Questions
o Get with a partner
and answer…
o How were women
viewed in the Social
Structure of Ancient
Greece?
Training (For the RICH ONLY)
Athletes in the
Ancient Olympic
games had to be rich
They had to pay for
all the training
themselves
They would train for
10 months out of the
year and it was
expensive
Olympia Sports Complex
• The city state of
Olympia became a
huge sporting
complex
• The buildings became
designed for each
athletic
competition
https://theolympiablog.wordpress.com/
• They had buildings
fOr…
•
wOrld’s first
Gym
•
School for
Boxers &
Wrestlers
•
Trumpeter Room
•
Hippodrome
(Chariot/Horse
Racing)
Athletic Events (War Games)
 The actual games they
played mirrored those
events that they would
perfOrm in battle…
① Race with Hoplite Armor
on
② Throw Spears for
distance & accuracy
③ Throw Rocks for
distance
④ Race horses & Chariots
Winning the Award
 Greeks who won their
events at the Olympic games
didn’t get a medal like
tOday….
① Wreath Honoring Him &
Zeus
② Palm Branch to wave
around the stadium
for a victory lap
③ Select the heiress of his
choice when he got
back to his home city
state
④ Free meals for the rest
of his life
⑤ Famous forever
Unification of Ancient Greece
The most important thing the
Olympics did for Ancient Greece was it
unified Greece
The Greek city states fought & killed
each other a lot of the time
The Olympics gave all of Greece a
chance to put down their weapons &
unite together in fun & games
It made Ancient Greece ONE
Olympic Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ztMlmavBw
Olympics Today (Modern)
• Today the Olympics
have the same
principals & ideas that
the Ancient Olympic
games had but are
much different
tOday’s Olympics…
① Held in cities all over the
world
② Include both MEN &
Women
③ Competition between
COUNTIRES of the World
④ Winners are given MEDALS
⑤ Not a RELIGIOUS event
Held all over the World
 tOday’s Olympics
have been held
all over the
world
MEN & WOMEN
• tOday’s Olympics wOuld
not be complete without
men & women
participating in the games
• Men & Women participate
in almost all of the same
events
Competing Countries
• tOday’s
Olympics
countries
compete
against other
countries
• there are…
• Over 300
Events
• 205 different
Countries
compete
 tOday’s Olympics
yOu dOn’t get a
Wreath honoring
Zeus & a palm
branch for a
victory lap you
get….
 Medal (Gold,
Silver, Bronze)
 Your countries
Flag (victory lap)
Medals
Not Religious (Unification)
tOday’s Olympics
are not a religious
event honoring
any god
Rather they exist
to unify (bring
together) the
different countries
of the world for
fun & games
Compare & Contrast
Ancient Greece Olympics
tOday’s Olympics
① Held in OLYMPIA,
Greece
① Held in many
different countries
② Religious Event
honoring Zeus
② Not a religious
event (Unification)
③ Men Only
③ Men & Women
④ Greek City States Only
④ For all countries
to compete
⑤ Winners received
WREATHS, FAME
⑤ Winners receive
Medals
Essential Questions
Get with a partner and
answer…
How do the Ancient Greek
Olympics cOmpare tO tOday’s
modern Olympics?

The modern Olympic Games come
from the ancient Olympics in
Greece. Which statement correctly
compares the ancient and modern
games?
 A) The Olympics still honor Zeus, but
now winners are awarded medals.
 B) The Olympics are still an athletic
competition, but now both women
and men participate.
 C) The Olympics are still held in
Greece, but now the modern Olympic
Games are not religious events.
 D) The Olympics still only allow
men, but now athletes from all
over the world can participate in
the modern games.
EOG Questions
Important Points
Ancient Greece Olympics
① Held in OLYMPIA,
Greece
② Religious Event
honoring Zeus
③ Men Only
④ Greek City States
Only
⑤ Winners received
WREATHS, FAME
tOday’s Olympics
① Held in many
different countries
② Not a religious
event (Unification)
③ Men & Women
④ For all countries
to compete
⑤ Winners receive
Medals
Important Points
• 6.H.2.2
(Historical &
Contemporary
Events) the
Olympics are
still held
today but are
different from
the Olympics
held in
Ancient Greece
• 6.C.1.2 (Religion)
Ancient
Olympic games
centered on
honoring Zeus
• 6.C.1.3 (Social Structure)
Ancient Greece had a
CLASS STRUCTURE based
on WEALTH. In
addition only men
were allowed to be
citizens & could
participate in
Democracy by voting