History of Physical
Education and Sport
Introduction: Cultural Components
of Civilization
Like today, ancient societies valued
Athletic ability
Physical fitness
Competition
Play
Introduction: Sport and Adaptation
Hunt for food as individuals and team
Best hunter was honored and
participated in playful activities
Desire to survive, compete for honor,
and win is part of culture and is
expressed through games and sports
Introduction: Sport and Warfare
Warfare was routine in ancient times
Formed armies, physical training programs, and
warriors
Required for military combat training:
endurance running, wrestling, and swimming
Combat sports emerged which are still popular
today
martial arts, boxing, wrestling, spear throwing
(javelin), and archery
Sumer—4000 B.C.
World's first known civilization
Located in Mesopotamia, a region lying
in present-day Iraq
“cradle of civilization”
Sumerian civilization flourished more
than 5,000 years ago
Sumeria and Sport
Lion hunting a popular sport: warriors and
aristocrats displayed courage, athletic ability
Most famous Sumerian king was Gilgamesh, who
ruled during 27th century B.C.
Honored as being excellent hunter and warrior
Sumer
Economic and political system were highly
developed
Trade, travel, entertainment, and warfare
were routine activities
Warriors engaged in activities that
developed their athletic ability and
necessitated development of physical
fitness
Ancient Egypt (3000 B.C.)
Prominent part of the history of
civilization
Array of historical artifacts
Rich history
Moses led Israelites out after 900 years of
Egyptian civilization
Ruled by pharaohs
Egypt: Tomb Relief
Early Dynastic Period (3000 - 1500 B.C.)
Artifacts show evidence of widespread sports
and games
Combat sports like boxing and wrestling
Combat sports existed because of the
constant threat of war
Archery, running, and swimming insured
one's survival in war
Competitions were held in these sports
Fishing, boating, board games also popular
Sport in Egypt
Sports were a means by which famous
Egyptian monarchs represented themselves
to their people.
Egyptian monarchs exhibited physical
strength, courage and the ability to engage
in various athletic activities.
Egypt’s queens were also portrayed as
“sports fans.”
Sport in Egypt
Egyptians and war
Superb warriors
Physical training for soldiers was harsh and
physically demanding
Bow and arrow, foot speed were primary
weapons
Archery and combat sports played a vital
role in preparation for war
Sport/Recreation in Egypt
Hunting very popular
Music, singing, and dancing
Wrestling, games of chance, and ball games
Rock tombs in Egypt: murals
Track & field, swimming, wrestling, dancing,
gymnastics, hockey and yoga-type exercises
Significant influence on Greek and Roman
medicine, science, and sports
China
Cultural history of China began about
1500 B.C.
In over 2,400 years, 10 dynasties ruled
China
Archaeological evidence reveals that
organized sports and games existed in
China B.C.
Chinese Culture (1500 B.C.-900 A.D.)
Feudal political system
Military training necessary for warlords
and emperors
Trained knights to battle on chariots
Chariots were manned with a driver,
spearman, and an archer
Chinese Culture
Military training (cont.)
Infantrymen and peasants followed the
chariots
Depended on their athletic skill and
physical fitness
Played a form of football for military
training
Chinese Culture
China: Sport & Recreation
As in Sumer and Egypt, Chinese nobility
lived luxuriously
• Enjoyed sports and recreation
• Played cards, chess, and board and table
games
Hunting was popular with both nobility as a
sport and peasants as a means of securing
food
China: Popular Sports
Boxing, 527 A.D.
Complex system of 170 movements by
1070 A.D.
Martial arts evolved from Chinese
philosophy and need for warriors
Initially a system of military training
China: Popular Sports
Martial Arts
Began to develop and reflect elements
of Chinese philosophy
Yin and yang: positive & negative
forces in the universe
Later incorporated jingluoxue
• science of attending to the main and
collateral channels found in the body
Mesoamerica
Geographical region
northern Mexico southward to Belize,
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador
Ball games were popular in antiquity,
just as they are today
Ulama: ball game beginning in 1800
B.C., continued by Mayans & Aztecs
Religious, cultural, competitive elements
Mesoamerica
Ulama: ball courts discovered dating
from 1500 B.C.
Tchlactli: magnificent ballcourts
Games had strong religious overtones
Human sacrifice: a common component
(losing and/or winning teams might be
sacrificed, to give gods the “best”)
Served ritualistic purposes
• Fertility, harvest, appease the gods
Mesoamerica
Ball court characteristics
Oblong shape, similar to letter “I”
Thick, high ornamental walls
Stone ring (tlachtemalacatl) in middle of
side wall served as goal
Ball court at Chichen Itza is the largest
discovered; reliefs show players and
ritual sacrifice
Ball Court at Chichen Itza
Mesoamerica
Use of hard rubber ball necessitated
protective equipment for players
Gloves, arm guards, knee pads, chest protector
Fast-paced, athletic ball game shares
characteristics with modern sports like
baseball, basketball, and squash
Spanish explorers took Indian athletes back
to Spain to demonstrate the ball game for the
king
Ball Court at Chichen Itza
Relief showing
ballplayer’s
equipment
ANCIENT
GREECE
Greek Sport
Historical foundations
Birth of Olympic Games (776 B.C.)
Funeral Games honored the deceased and
pleased the Gods
Climate in Greece allowed for physical
activity year round
Athens and Sparta: A Tale of Two
City-States
Greece composed of city-states
Not politically unified
Athens and Sparta most famous
Had highly contrasting cultures
Athens: center of culture and learning
Sparta: military power with warriorcitizens
Athens and Sparta: Views on Physical
Education
Physical education had prominent place
Education of mind and body was essential
Athenians were educated by their families
Beliefs were similar to our health clubs
and personal trainers today
Ancient Olympic Games
First recorded evidence of the Olympic Games:
776 B.C.
Olympic Games occurred every fourth year
(Olympiad)
Games may have originated in the hundreds of
festivals, mostly religious, held over the years
Athletic contests were a major activity in
festivals across Greece; a number of stadiums
survive
Panhellenic Games
Location
Name
Olympia
Olympic
Games
Pythian
Games
Isthmian
Games
Nemean
Games
Delphi
Corinth
Nemea
Honored
god
Zeus
Victory
wreath
Olive
Apollo
Laurel
Poseidon
Pine
Zeus
Celery
Stadium at Olympia
Stadium at Delphi
Ancient Nemean Games
Race in Armor
Ancient Olympic Games
Elaborate statues and other art forms erected
Celebrated military triumphs as well as athletic
success
Greeks believed victory (athletics, military,
etc.) was ordained by the gods
Olympia was a sacred location where victory
was rewarded
Cheating occurred at Olympic Games as well
as other athletic festivals in Greek world
Financial and material gain by victory in the Games
Ancient Olympic Games
Only males were permitted to compete and watch
Married women were not allowed to attend, on
pain of death; virgins could attend
Women who represented the priestess Demeter
could view the Games
Showed the relationship between the ancient Games
and theology
Women who owned a horse and chariot could
enter the competition—but not watch it
Daughter of Spartan king was victorious in fourth
century B.C.
Ancient Olympic Games
By 472 B.C. games were five days long
Half competitive events, half religious events
Also had non-athletic competition
Competitions in arts, philosophy, poetry, music
Spirit of the games: originally religious
Gave way to attitude of celebrity
City states lured Olympians to their city by wealth
and material possessions
Ancient Olympic Games
Olympic champions became heroic
Closest thing to a god as mortal can
become.
Given special privileges and could make
vast sums of money by continuing to win.
Received a lifetime pension
Gift from a
Champion
Charioteer
Bronze statue, gift of the winner
of the
Chariot race at the Pythian
Ancient Olympic Games
Greeks believed in developing the mind and
body
Olympics were pinnacle of this achievement
Plato, Aristotle and other famous philosophers
gathered at Olympia
Theodosius I and II: first Christian emperors of
Rome
Outlawed pagan cults in A.D. 393
Ordered destruction of pagan temples (including
temple at Olympia) in A.D. 435
Games tied to pagan religious buildings may then
have ceased at most locations; the Games may
have continued at some locations for a time
Rome
Roman Sport: Change Over Time
Early Republic: people kept physically fit and
engaged in athletic contests but were not
interested in Greek-style formal athletic
competition
Upper class developed ball games, massage,
thermae (bathing pools)
Some wealthy Romans accepted the Greek
concept of health gymnastics
Honored their gods through physical activities
• Foot races, ball playing, equestrian displays,
and wrestling
Roman Sport: Change Over Time
Late Republic/Empire era:
Less interested in personal physical fitness
Greek athleticism not valued militarily by
utilitarian Romans
Rome became a nation of spectators
• Mass entertainment, spectacle, and carnage
Games and sport did not facilitate physical
education as they did in Greece
Roman Sport and the Military
Military extremely
important
Affected views of physical
training
Youth were trained to make
obedient, disciplined
soldiers
Prestigious profession
Legions were feared
throughout ancient world
Stoic philosophy supported
military system
Women and Sport
Women’s role not nearly as documented
as men’s role
for entertainment value; not taken
seriously
Social and political system was based
on patriarchy and class stratification
Athletic competition was the domain of
Roman men
Women participated in swimming,
dancing, ball games, and thermae
Women and Sport
“Romanized” Olympic
Games had wrestling
and running contests for
women
Archaeological evidence
that women competed
as gladiators
Roman officials outlawed
participation at certain
times
Games and Spectacles
Religious holidays became elaborate festivals
53 public holidays in 173 B.C.; nearly 200 by 300 A.D.
Politicians often funded spectacles to get voter support
Spectacles took place frequently to pacify the
people
Government believed bored citizens would revolt
Included gladiatorial fights, horse and chariot races,
and various other forms of combat
Games and Spectacles: Arenas
Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum)
Engineering marvel; scented water cooled
spectators
Food and presents thrown to poor
Space for 50,000 spectators
Typical agenda:
Animal fights
Men and women thrown to the animals
Gladiator fights last and most popular
Mass combats also held
Emperor Claudius (A.D. 52) flooded Colosseum
and ordered 19,000 slaves onto ships
Flavian Amphitheater
Flavian Amphitheater
Games and Spectacles
Circus Maximus:
premier hippodrome
in Rome
Chariot races,
gladiator combats in
front of 250
thousand spectators
More Christians were
killed in the Circus
Maximus than in the
Flavian Amphitheater
Chariot Races
Games and Spectacles: Gladiators
Mostly criminals and
slaves trained to
fight
Utilitarian approach
of pacifying the
people
System dealt with
“criminals,” political
enemies
Some free men
volunteered:
auctorati
Gladiators
Four major classes:
Thracian, Samnite, Retiarius, Murmillo
Dressed as Roman enemies who fought to
the death
Most popular events in the amphitheater
Gladiators
Took an oath to be
“burnt with fire,
shackled with
chains, whipped
with rods, and killed
with steel” (p. 87)
Pompeii: bestpreserved gladiator
training schools
Sport and Christianity
Christianity’s growth profoundly impacted
sport
Roman “sport” was condemned by Christians
writers
Christians were often victims of the spectacles
Christians urged to avoid sport and games—but
they did attend and gamble on events
Extent of Christian participation in sport and
games is debated
Sport and Christianity
Christian Empire adopted popular
chariot racing from the Romans
Greek athletic festivals and Roman
spectacles ended with destruction of
Rome in 410 A.D.
Greek Reaction to Roman Sport
Many Greeks opposed the introduction
of Roman sport
Gladiatorial contests were staged in
Greece by first century A.D.
Some emperors liked the Olympic
Games and spent money to restore
Greek athletic venues like Olympia