Ancient Greece
The Olympics
776 B.C.E.- Today
Essential Standards
• 6.H.2 Understand the political, economic
and/or social significance of historical events,
issues, individuals and cultural groups.
• 6.C.1Explain how the behaviors and practices
of individuals and groups influenced
societies, civilizations and regions.
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).
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?
Create a Venn Diagram
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
• Olympia was important
in Greek Mythology
because it was where
Mount Olympus was
located
• This was also where the
STATUE OF ZEUZ was
built which is one of the
7 wonders of the
Ancient World
• http://www.youtube.co
m/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
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?
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/w
atch?v=8sgr8TFIFkQ
Essential Questions
• Get with a partner and answer…
• 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
• They had buildings for…
①
②
③
④
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
• Greek 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.co
m/watch?v=K8ztMlmav
Bw
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
• In 2014 the Winter
Olympics will be held in
Sochi, Russia
• In 2016 the Summer
Olympics will be held in
Rio De Janeiro, Argentina
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…
① Over 300 Events
② 205 different Countries
compete
Medals
• Today’s Olympics you
don’t get a Wreath
honoring Zeus & a palm
branch for a victory lap
you get….
① Medal (Gold, Silver,
Bronze)
② Your countries Flag
(victory lap)
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
① Held in OLYMPIA, Greece
Today’s Olympics
① Held in many different
countries
② Religious Event honoring Zeus
③ Men Only
② Not a religious event
(Unification)
④ Greek City States Only
③ Men & Women
⑤ Winners received WREATHS,
FAME
④ For all countries to compete
⑤ Winners receive Medals
Essential Questions
• Get with a partner and answer…
• How do the Ancient Greek Olympics compare
to Today’s modern Olympics?
EOG Questions
• 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.
Important Points
Ancient Greece Olympics
① Held in OLYMPIA, Greece
Today’s Olympics
① Held in many different
countries
② Religious Event honoring Zeus
③ Men Only
② Not a religious event
(Unification)
④ Greek City States Only
③ Men & Women
⑤ Winners received WREATHS,
FAME
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