Jonathan Pedrosa September 27, 2021 KNES 381: History of Sport, Games and Culture The Real Olympics - Study Guide 1. How popular were the Ancient Olympic Games? ● The Ancient Greeks Olympic Games were very popular at its peak. The Olympics attracted tens of thousands of people from different Greek colonies by land and water, scattered across the Mediterranean and Black Sea and in countries known today as Russia and Spain. ● All people within society, from the rich to the poor, traveled through the heat of the summer to Olympia, the sacred location for the games. 2. Why were the Games eventually banned by the Roman Emperor Theodosius in A.D. 394? ● The Greek empire collapsed and the Roman Empire was very religious. A Christian order had forbidden the use of pagan structures like the statue of Zeus in Olympia. ● A church had taken over the site in which the statue of Zeus before had occupied. 3. Is there any connection between the modern Olympics and the ancient Games? ● There are events in modern Olympics that are still played from the ancient Games with some modifications. Some events like the javelin throw, long jump, and disc throw are just a few. The way these games are played have been modified over time but still have a connection to the original games. ● When the Germans took over the Olympics, one of the things they did was the lighting of the sacred flame. That tradition is still present in today’s Olympics. ● The Olympics is still considered the most prestigious athletic festival in the world to this day. It attracts a numerous amount of people from all around to come watch and participate in the festival. 4. In what ways did the ancient Greeks connect the Olympic Games to their religious views? ● Olympia is where the Olympics are held and in the heart of Olympia lies the temple of Zeus. Here, he was worshipped. ● The Olympic Games were a religious festival for the Greeks. It was in honor of Zeus. It was a sacred, religious event that happened every four years. ● A black ram was sacrificed, with its blood pouring onto the Earth, during the second full moon after the summer solstice. It meant for the start of the games. This study source was downloaded by 100000853161227 from CourseHero.com on 12-25-2023 00:25:23 GMT -06:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/122159219/KNES-381-The-Real-Olympics-Worksheetdocx/ ● 100 oxen were sacrificed the night of the festival in celebration of the winners. ● Greek athletes competed naked, the uniform of the Gods. 5. How did the Greeks treat the victorious athlete? ● Winners of the Olympics were seen as the closest to being a god without actually being a god. ● “Greater-than-human figure” ● Victorious athletes were honored by the people of society. They were given gifts and treated as if they were a god. 6. What did the Greeks do to prepare their bodies for the Olympic Games? ● Competitors performed rigorous exercises to help prepare for the games. They started with lighter loads then went to heavier loads as they got stronger. ● They trained long and hard. ● The Greeks did everything themselves, whereas today we have so many devices to help us with their labor. They did not, which is why they were so fit. All they did was physical activity. 7. ● ● ● ● Did the ancient Greeks have a concept for the noble loser? There was no such thing as a noble loser in ancient Greece. There was only honor and shame when it came to the Olympics. An athlete giving all his effort was not enough unless he came out on top. Losers were shamed when coming back home, even their own mothers were embarrassed. ● Winning was all that mattered. If you did not win, what you did not interest anyone. 8. What does the film reveal about the combat sports at the Olympics? ● Combat sports in the Olympics were brutal. Athletes would brawl it out for hours with no breaks during the hot summer. ● In combat sports, athletes are separated by weight classes to make the fights fair. That was not the case for Greek Olympics. Contestants would fight any opponent no matter their size. ● Fights were fought until one had fallen and their was one clear winner. ● In boxing, there were no restrictions. Fighters threw punches however and wherever they wanted. Same goes for wrestling. 9. What conditions did the crowds face? ● Crowds had to spectate the games under the beaming sun in the summer with no shade and had no seats to sit on. ● Alytai, the police, were the security during the festival and ready to take down any spectator or athlete who came out of line. This study source was downloaded by 100000853161227 from CourseHero.com on 12-25-2023 00:25:23 GMT -06:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/122159219/KNES-381-The-Real-Olympics-Worksheetdocx/ 10. How were women treated in relation to the Olympic Games? ● When the Olympics were revived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, his vision was to not only make it the games for the elite but also very exclusive. It would be a festival for the male elite only. Women were not invited to participate in the revived Olympics. ● Eventually, women's events became a reality at the Pairs Olympics of 1900 with the hosts being cities of Europe and the U.S. This study source was downloaded by 100000853161227 from CourseHero.com on 12-25-2023 00:25:23 GMT -06:00 https://www.coursehero.com/file/122159219/KNES-381-The-Real-Olympics-Worksheetdocx/ Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
