The Olympic Games
A brief history of the ancient
games
Legendary Origin
• Origin is unknown
• Myth and legends
Hercules
• The oldest myth which concerns the
beginning of the Olympic Games is that of
Idaios Daktylos Herakles. (Hercules) He
staged games in Olympia in honour of
Zeus, because the latter had helped him
conquer Elis when he went to war against
Augeas.
The myth of Hercules
-Greek Hero
-won a race at Olympia
-decreed it should be
re-enacted every four
years
The myth of Zeus
-Greek God
-initiated games after
defeating the
Titan Cronus
-Titans-elder Gods
defeated by younger
Gods
The myth of Pelops
• Pelops- King of
Olympia
-Hero
-Murdered by his father
and body parts served
to the Gods at a
banquet
-No more than funeral
ceremony to Pelops
The myth of King Iphitos
-King of Elis
-tries to save his people
in 9th Century
-consults Pythia Oracle
at Delphi
-instructs him to hold
games in honor of the
Gods
Why the name Olympics?
Regardless of the mythology all events take
place on or at the foot of Mount Olympus
-mountain where Greek gods were said to
have lived
Significance of the Olympic Games
• Whatever the origin, the games were held
to be one of the two central rituals in
Ancient Greece.
-Olympic games
-Eleusinian Mysteries
The “real” history of the
Olympic Games
-First started in Olympia, Greece in 786BC
-Held in a sanctuary site for the Greek gods,
near Elis and Pisa
Sanctuary of Zeus
• One of the Seven Wonders of the World
Olympics (cont.)
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Held every four years
One race only- foot race of 190 meters
Commemorates the feat of Hercules
Known as the Stadion Race- term
stadium is derived from this word
The Early Olympics
• Greek tradition of athletic nudity was
practiced beginning in 720 BC
Panhellenic Games
• Olympics were the most important of the
four separate games held every two or
four years
• Organized so that one of the games was
held every year
• Pythian games
• Nemean games
• Ithmian games
Importance of the Games
• Religious ceremonies to the Gods
• Created rivalry and pride among
City/States
• Ekecheiria was observed
– Truce among fighting cities
• Armies were forbidden in Olympia
• Wars were suspended
• Legal disputes and the death penalty forbidden
Events of the Ancient Olympics
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The stadion (foot race) 786 BC-190 M
The diaulos (foot race) 724 BC- 400M
The dlicos (foot race) 720 BC- 5KM
The hopliodromos (foot race in armor)
520 BC- 400M-800M
New Events Added to the Olympics
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Boxing
Wrestling
Pankration
Chariot racing
Pentathlon- wrestling, stadion, long jump,
javelin, and discus
*long jump, javelin, and discus originally
were only in the pentathlon
Extended games
• Olympics were extended to a five day
festival
• Day 1- sacrifices to Zeus
• Day 2- chariot/horse racing, and the
pentathlon
• Day 3- boys’ events
• Day 4- classic field events
• Day 5- more sacrifices and a banquet for
the victors
The Romans take over the
Olympics
• Games are opened to foreigners
• Professionalism and corruption gradually
enter games
• In 1 AD the Roman Emperor Nero
competes in the games
What was won?
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A crown of olive branches
Pride and Honor
Celebrity
Meat from sacrificed oxen or cow
The end of the Ancient Olympic
Tradition
• Christian Emperor Theodosius abolishes
the games- 393 BC
Heraea Games
• Games for Women
• Held in Honor of Goddess Hera
• First held in the 6th Century AD
The Myth of the “Sixteen Women”
• Games held in gratitude for her marriage
to Pelops (Olympic Mythology)
• Perhaps held prior to Olympics
• Myth: Sixteen female peacemakers and
athletes dressed like men, gathered to run
a single race
– 5/6 the length of their male counterparts
What do the Heraea Games tell us
about the role of women?
• Women were second class citizens initially
• Not allowed to watch Olympic or any of the
Hellenic Games
• Risked death of they were caught viewing
the games
– Thrown from the cliffs of Mt. Typaion
Heraea Games (Cont.)
• The mere fact that
women are competing
in athletics indicates
that roles began to
change around 6th
Century BC.
Sparta
• Spartan Society was different
• Encouraged women to be athletes
• Felt female athletes mating with Spartan
males would produce a better warrior
• Encouraged boys to watch women train
and compete (even in the nude) thinking it
might lead to marriage
The Modern Olympics
• Revived by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896
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The Pierre de Coubertin medal (True Spirit of Sportsmanship medal)
– is a special medal given by the International Olympic Committee to those
athletes who demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events.
Why were the Olympics revived?
• “To ennoble and
strengthen sport.”
-
-Pierre de Coubertin
Where did the first modern
Olympics take place?
• Athens, Greece
• In 1896
• To commemorate the
first Olympics
What was the purpose of the
modern games?
• “To improve the human
race and strengthen
understanding of all
people.”
Citius, altius, fortius!
• Olympic motto-
swifter,
faster,
stronger
Symbols of the games
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The Olympic Oath
"In the name of all competitors, I promise
that we shall take part in these
Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by
the rules that govern them, in the
true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory
of sport and the honor of our teams."
Opening Ceremonies
• The parade of nations
– Carrying the flag greatest honor for athlete
• The lighting of the Olympic flame
– Officially begins the games
• The releasing of birds (Doves)
– Symbolic of peace
The Winter Olympics
• The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was
held in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
• The original sports were alpine and crosscountry skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic
combined, ski jumping and speed skating.
In 1992 the governing body for the Olympic Games,
the International Olympic Committee (IOC), decided
to place the Summer and Winter Games on separate
four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years.
Winter Games (cont’d)
• The Winter Games have evolved
since their inception. Sports have
been added:
• luge, short track speed skating,
and freestyle skiing (permanent
sports)
• Others, such as, bandy, and skijoring,
were demonstration sports,
Sports and Diplomacy
• Diplomacy - chief instrument of foreign
policy
- the way in which nations
negotiate without using
force; military or otherwise
Sports and diplomacy
• Throughout history, sports have played an
important role in social, political, and
economic lives of people and nations
• Sports are more than just the social role
we have been studying to this point
Sports as diplomatic tools
• Ancient Greece- Olympics
• Declared truces during the games
Understanding between nations
has occurred due to sport
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Ping Pong Diplomacy- China/USA
Wrestling diplomacy- Iran/USA
Harlem Globetrotters
Baseball Diplomacy
Ping Pong Diplomacy
• 1949- China becomes The People’s
Republic of China
- U.S. does not recognize the new
government
-U.S. and China fight against each
other in Korean War (1950’s)
-U.S. China fight against each
other in Vietnam War (1960’s-1970’s)
Ping Pong Diplomacy
(Continued)
• 1971- China invites U.S. to play an
exhibition in table tennis
-President Nixon becomes first
U.S. president to visit Communist
China (1972)
Wrestling Diplomacy
1979- Iranian students take American
embassy in Tehran and hold 52
Americans hostage for nearly a year
1998- American wrestlers invited to Iran
- Not very successful
- Tension remains still today
Harlem Globetrotters
• 1951- Globe trotters travel to Berlin as
American ambassadors to curb
Cold War tensions
-despite efforts Cold War lingers on
for 57 more years
-”Trotters” have travelled to every
continent spreading goodwill.
Baseball Diplomacy
• 1934- Major league stars including
Babe Ruth travel to Japan
- U.S. uses Moe Berg to spy on
Japan while catching on the tour
Baseball Diplomacy
(Continued)
• MLB has numerous Latin players
-often return home to promote baseball
and teach skills
Japanese Players in MLB
• More Japanese players as well as other
Asian players from South Korea and
Taiwan are playing baseball in America
Using sport to foster patriotism and
national unity
• 1936- Hitler tries to prove to rest of the
world that the Aryan race and Germany
are the master race
(Aryan- blond haired, blue eyed master race)
Plan derailed by Jesse Owens and other AfricanAmerican athletes
Patriotism & Unity
(continued)
• 1980- Soviets refuse to boycott
Lake Placid Olympics in light of
American boycott of Moscow
Moscow Games
(Invasion of Afghanistan)
- felt they would show superiority of
Communism through World Champion
hockey team
(Continued)
• Once again Americans spoil plan of
another adversary (Soviets)
Modern Olympics
• U.S. and Soviet boycotts emphasize that
the Olympics has become an even greater
diplomatic tool (Soviets 1984- L.A.)
• Bolstering an image, achieving national
goals, and extending spheres of influence
are often behind the reality of the modern
era Olympic Games
International Relations
• Often took place via non-governmental
organizations and activities
• Each had a special focus including sports
• 1985- “Sports America” sends coaches
and athletes to developing nations
-Muhammad Ali in Africa
U.S. foreign policy
• Message sent by many people – not just
those in the diplomatic core
(Apartheid- white minority controlled the
black majority as a rule in
South Africa)
Arthur Ashe
• 1969- Ashe refused a visa by South Africa
because he was black
-Appears before U.N. to ask nations
to boycott tennis, and ultimately all
international competition, in and with
South Africa, until apartheid ends
- ends in 1992 with a South African
Olympic team of mixed race
U.S. Policy
(continued)
• For several decades the U.S. has actively
sought to influence both its allies and its
adversaries through:
– Cultural outreach
– Sports
Peaceful Contacts
• As a tool of diplomacy, sports can be used
to create peaceful contacts between
nations and exert influence
• 2005- NFL sends aid to Tsunami victims