What games were played in ancient Greece. The first Olympic Games - history and interesting facts
The emergence and development of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece
1. Olympia.
2. The birth of the Olympic Games.
3. Run. First Olympic Games.
4. Wrestling and pentathlon.
5. Fist fight.
6. Horse riding.
7.
8. Rule #1
9. Rule #2
10. Rule #3
11. Rule #4
12. Rule #5
13. Rule #6
14. Rule #7
15. Rule #8
16. Rule #9
17. These people compete not for money, but for valor.
18. Olympic service.
19. Honorary guests of Olympia.
20.
21. Sunset of the Olympics.
22. Conclusion.
23. Bibliography.
The emergence and development of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece.
"There is no other star more noble than the Sun,
The star that gives so much warmth and shine in the desert!
So we glorify those that are nobler than all the Games - the Olympic Games!
Olympia.
West of Corinth, the ancient historical region of Elis opens, opposite which the island of Zakynthos flaunts in the Ionian Sea. And if we follow south along the coast, past the unremarkable city of Theia, and there to the mouth of the sacred river Alpheus, 120 stadia (almost 24 km) up the riverbed we will find ancient Olympia. Before the formation of Olympia, the city of Pisa stood nearby. The ancient sanctuary of the Pisates and its oracle were known to many Hellenes. Pisa derived income from the stay of pilgrims, in addition to receiving trade duties from each ship entering the sea harbor. The city was in disarray, the residents acquired more property, the treasuries became richer, and the guests spread their enthusiastic impressions throughout Greece. This could not but whet the appetite of the neighbors. Aliens from mysterious Crete invaded the flowering valley of the Pisates. The Dorians were led by Hercules Dactyl, glorified in later Greek myths as a national hero. At first the Pisates defeated the army of Hercules. But in 1104 BC. The Heraclides, descendants of Hercules, united with the Aetolians and conquered the Pisates. They took away everything they valued: fertile lands, a sanctuary with an oracle, and even personal freedom. And since the valley in Dorian is ELIS, they called the area around Elis, and its inhabitants, accordingly, Eleans. And in order to finally confirm their influence in Elis, the Eleans founded a new city next to Pisa, giving it the divine name - Olympia. The name came by itself: Olympus is a mountain known to the Greeks (350 km from Olympia) in Thessaly (northern Greece), where Zeus and other gods lived. For information, in Greece and Asia Minor, where the ancient Greeks also settled, there are seven peaks with the same name. The most famous, of course, is in Thessaly. But in Elis, next to ancient Pisa, there is a sacred mountain with the name Olympus. There are still debates about “who is more significant” from the point of view of mythology. The Eleans hoped that the gods would like Elis and move to Olympia.
The birth of the Olympic Games.
The list of contenders for the title of “discoverer” of Olympia as the capital of “Panhellenic athletic competitions” includes three: the king of Elis Iphitus, the legendary Hercules and Pelops. Let's start with the fact that in 1897, on the Greek island of Paros, from the Cyclades archipelago, archaeologists excavated an agora - a city market square. Among the rubble they found a piece of stone stele. The stela contained a record of very important events, political and cultic, for the period from 336 to 29 AD. BC. The second piece of the stele was discovered not far from Paros in the city of Smyrna, it contained records for the period from 1581 to 354 BC. Scientists called the stele “Parian calendar”. The “Parian Calendar” convincingly testifies that the first athletic competitions in Olympia were held by King Pelops, 50 years after the Deucalion Flood (Biblical Flood of 1529 BC). Consequently: 1529-50=1479 , that is, in 1479 BC.
Only in 1300 did Hercules come to the Peloponnese, defeat the Elean army, capture King Augeas and kill him.
Consequently, Olympia Hercules is “younger” than the one arranged by Pelops by 179 years.
Before Hercules, the games were held by the kings: Pelops, Amitaon, Pelias, Neleus, and then Augeas, whom Hercules killed. All these kings were descendants of Pelops. According to his behest, they held athletic competitions in Olympia - once every 4 years, and this was successful at first. Hercules changed the ancient rules and organized celebrations in Olympia in honor of Zeus, which lasted 5 days - according to the number of brothers (who were with him during the invasion of Elis), from the eleventh to the fifteenth of the month after the solar equinox. Hercules announced to the Eleans that henceforth such sacred celebrations would be celebrated 1 time at 5 years old - also according to the number of brothers.
“He was just as beautiful in spirit. He hasn't had time yet.
And four will see the five-year-old games of Elis..." (Ovid. Metamorphoses)
There is information that at the first Olympics organized by Hercules, Zeus himself, having changed his appearance, became Hercules’ rival in the fight, and their duel continued until the judges decided so: none of the rivals should be recognized as the winner because of the equality of strength and courage.” When the father revealed himself to his son, the audience applauded.
Much time later, the king of Elis, Iphitus, after visiting the temple of Apollo in Delphi, where the oracle conveyed to him the will of God: to unite the Greek tribes around Olympia under the auspices of Zeus. Met with Lycurgus, king of Sparta, and Cleosthenes, ruler of Pisatis. "Great Three" by 776 BC formed a set of laws, rules and regulations related to the holding of the sacred Games in Olympia. For this significant reason, apparently, this date is considered to be the birthday of the 1st Olympiad.
Run. First Olympic Games.
“They have become orderly; Pelid pointed out to them a distant spot.
Their running first began from the line; and the first ones further
Ajax sped away quickly; but behind him is the famous Odysseus"
(Homer. Iliad)
Running was the earliest and practically the only type of ancient “athletics” competition, differing in 6 categories:
1st Olympiad (776 BC)– “simple running”, track length – 1 stage (192m). The winner is Korebus of Elis.
14th Olympiad (724)) - “long-distance running” (dolichos), - participants ran from 7 to 24 stages, depending on the applications. The race in 24 stages was called delicodrome. In the “simple race” the runner Hypenus from Pisaea won, and in the delichos the Spartan Acanthus won.
15th Olympics (720g)– “double run”, or “dialos” (there and back), - 1200 “feet of Hercules” (385m)
Then there were attempts to add variety to the Olympic Games with new types of running competitions. Yes, on 65th Olympics the “hoplite run” appeared - each athlete ran the distance in 2 stages in the full combat weapons of a Greek warrior - a hoplite. Then there were the original races at the 4th stage - “kalpa”, or “next to the horse”.
There were many winners: So Olympian Agey, having won the competition during the day, ran home to Argos (100 km) in the evening, told his fellow countrymen the good news and returned to Olympia at night to participate in the next running competition.
There was also the famous runner Lad, who was personally adored by Alexander the Great. The Eleanian Gorg won at Olympia six times in a row in different races. A runner from the island of Rhodes, Leonid participated in four Olympics, time after time, always defeating his opponents, and received 12 prizes for winning six types of running. The Eleanian Tisander ran almost 20 km in an hour. In the “hoplite race”, the Lycian Hermogenes from Xanthus became an Olympian eight times at three Olympics. The Thracian Polite from Keram proved to all of Greece that he had no equal in any running competition. At one Olympics, he took part in all races, from the shortest to the longest, and won.
Wrestling and pentathlon.
“He said,” and immediately the great Telemonides stood up;
The hero Odysseus, the clever inventor of tricks, also stood up.
Having girded their loins, the fighters go out into the middle.”
(Homer. Iliad)
From the 18th Olympiad (708 BC) Wrestling and pentathlon (pentathlon) were added to the schedule of agons (competitions). The Greek pentathlon consisted of a single stage race, long jump, "classical" wrestling and discus throwing (javelin or javelin with a loop). The disk was metal or in the form of a processed stone slab weighing 5.5 kg. Long jumps were performed using the original method: standing and holding dumbbells. In this form, if you believe the records, incredible achievements have been recorded at 29th Olympics, the Spartan Khion jumped 16 meters, Chlomid - 16.3 meters, and Faill - 16.7 meters. The Athenian Phlegius threw his stone disk across the Alpheus River for training, which is 50 meters away.
Greek wrestling came to Greece from Egypt. Greek wrestlers trained in the open air or indoors, where the dirt floor was generously watered to the point of liquid and slippery mud - it was safer to fall into the mud than to get injured on hard ground. And it was easy to slip out of an opponent’s embrace, thereby gaining valuable wrestling experience. At official meetings, the fight took place on trampled sand, and also: sand, sticking to a sweaty or oiled body, made it easier for opponents to use techniques. In "simple wrestling" they fought only with their hands: the fight was considered over if the wrestler touched the ground with any part of the body. But for final victory it was necessary to defeat the enemy three times. There was no time limit on the duration of the wrestling match.
Among wrestlers, Pulidamantus from Athens gained special fame. There was also Milo of Croton, son of Diotima. His famous training with a small calf raised eyebrows. The training consisted of young Milo growing up, and the calf also grew up. When the calf became a bull, Milo matured and carried his bull on his shoulders. This caused amazement.
Six times in a row he was awarded wreaths of honor at all the Panhellenic Games, except the Eleatic Games, and for the seventh time he won at Olympia! Milo was rightfully considered the strongest man in Greece. Of the wrestlers, the democrat from Athens and the “all-arounder” Theagenes, a native of Thasos, were also especially distinguished.
Fist fight.
“The sound of fists hits jaws; their sweat on the body.
It flows in streams; when suddenly the mighty Epeos rose up,
The enemy, who looked back sharply, burst into the face - and he could not
Stand more; broken, strong members collapsed.
(Homer. Iliad)
On 23rd Olympiad in 668 BC., appears the new kind agona - fist fight. Athletes received the most injuries during fist fights and wrestling. This type of competition appeared “by the will of Zeus” when he first organized celebrations in Olympia with the participation of the gods: “then Apollo competed with the god of war Ares and defeated him.”
Fighting meetings were held with virtually no rules, and they took place on an open earthen or sand-covered area without fences. There was no classification based on the weight and age of opponents, and sometimes the slow-moving giant would thrash the air over the head of some nimble, undersized fellow for the amusement of the audience.
Strong blows to the face were considered commonplace, they were especially “valued” by judges and spectators, and if an opponent suddenly fell, it was not forbidden to finish him off: blows rained down until he or the coach asked for mercy. In our understanding, there were no rounds at all, and the time of the battle was not limited. It was customary for athletes to protect their heads, especially in the qualifying rounds, with special bronze helmets, and they wore long, elbow-length, rawhide leather gloves greased with bovine fat on their hands.
The first Olympian in fist fighting was the fighter Onomast from Smyrna. It is worth recalling the legendary Greek fighter, the young Glaucus of Karystos, son of Demilus. As already in Olympia at the qualifying competition, Glaucus, who did not know the rules and had no fighting experience, began to receive noticeable blows and painful bruises from an opponent who did not look very strong. Glaucus's father, Demilus, was surprised and very upset when he saw how his son was beaten with impunity. Out of chagrin, he exclaimed:
Why don't you hit?
“Do I need to hit him already?” the son was surprised now. “I might accidentally hit him!” Glaucus won eight victories in different games.
Horse riding.
“Get ready for the games, each of the Achaean warriors,
Who is reliable only in fast horses and his chariot.”
(Homer.Iliad)
On 25th Olympics a running of chariots drawn by four horses appears. Modern science suggests that the famous racehorses, which won more than once at Olympia, were brought to Greece from distant Mauritania, in North-West Africa, that is, from beyond the Atlas Mountains. For racing horse competitions in Olympia there was a special structure - a hippodrome.
At the start, the horses were led behind a starting barrier, each side of which was almost 120 meters: this made it possible to install up to 40 chariots in one starting line! The Olympic distance for horse racing was then 770 meters, with 12 roundabouts around turning posts called metas. Equestrian competitions in Ancient Greece have long enjoyed special, if not cult, attention. Due to the high cost of maintaining a horse farm, participation in the Olympic Games was available to only a few. The first racing teams were a copy of a conventional two-wheeled fighting cart: low-slung, the body open at the back, drawn by a pair or four horses. Such a chariot could accommodate two or even more participants. The Quadriga, a four-horse team, occupied the most honorable place at the Olympia Games. The ancients considered the inventor of the Greek quadriga to be the legendary king of the Athenians, Erechveus, the son of Hephaestus; after his death, Zeus turned him into the constellation Auriga.
The first winner was Pagondas of Thebes. The Athenian Alcmaeon, son of Megacles, to whom Pindar dedicated his Pythian Ode:
Sovereign Athens-
The best start
We raise with chants
Equestrian family of Alcmaeonids
Which fatherland, which home
Shall I name it better in Hellenic rumor?
So Alcmaeon won with four horses in 47th Olympiad (592 BC). Demaratus, king of Sparta from 510 to 491 BC, was the only Spartan king “who brought his people the glory of victory at Olympia with four horses,” writes Herodotus. Athenian aristocrat Miltiades, son of Cypselus, in 560 BC. won the chariot race. The Athenian Cimon, son of Stesagoras, won three times in 532, 528 and 524 BC.
Not only the Spartan king won horse races in Olympia, but also the Syracusan king Hiero! (476 BC). Pindar dedicated the “Olympic Ode” to him and his horse Pherenicus:
Take it off the nail
Dorian lyre
If sweet care slipped into your soul
Joy for Pis and Ferenice
Who, rushing at Alpheus,
Without touching the whip,
Communicated to the victory of his master -
King of Syracuse, lover of horse racing.
Herodotus also calls the king of Macedon, Alexander I, who reached his goal at the same time as the winner.
Guarding the laws of Zeus. Hellanodics.
Above the judges at the Olympic Games was the chief judge and main organizer of the Games - agonophetes (from the Greek agon - competition). The kings of Elis were always Agonothetes, since Olympia was located on its territory. History has preserved the name of the first agonothet - King Iphit. Only on 50th Olympics The dictatorship of one judge ended, and two chief judges began to lead the Games. But still, both were elected from among their citizens, the Eleans. Only now they were elected by secret ballot by free people, and were not appointed by order of the tsar. Since changes have occurred in the Games schedule over time - some types of competitions have been added - the workload on the judges has increased. And then there were already 9 of them: 6 judges watched the athletes, they were called “athletes,” and 3 watched the equestrian competitions at the hippodrome. On 95th Olympics 1 more person joined the judging team, and 103rd Eleatic Games There were 12 agonothetes - from each of the 12 Eleatic phyla (civil communities). At the next Olympics there were already 8 of them, and by 108th Games– 10. Since then, this number of judges has not changed for quite a long time.
The text of the laws of Ifit was engraved on a copper tablet called "Ratra". There were these conditions:
The judge is obliged to fine any violator of the rules established for competition participants by 10 min (1 min - 500g of silver).
-if the judge did not collect a fine from the culprit, then he paid the fine himself - 20 min.
Failure to comply with the laws of Ratra was perceived, first of all, as an insult to Zeus and the organizers of the sacred Olympic Games. The Olympic code of sacred laws and rules contained many important provisions and requirements, the implementation of which was observed by the Hellenes for thousands of years. Of all the diversity, it is necessary to highlight nine main ones:
Rule #1
“Barbarians, slaves, criminals currently sentenced or already stained by past crimes, sacrileges and violators of state tax laws are not allowed to play.”
In 420 BC. Alcibiades, a talented Athenian commander and friend of Socrates, was denied participation in the Games at Olympia: he was accused of violent acts against citizens of Greek cities. Alcibiades had to convince the judges with compelling arguments. Only then was he allowed to participate in the Games. The success of the Athenian commander at this Olympics exceeded all his expectations: the chariots belonging to him took the first three places of honor.
There is a known case when the Macedonian king Alexander I, son of Amyntas, was not allowed to participate in chariot competitions. Herodotus writes: “When Alexander wished to take part in the competition and arrived in Olympia for this, the Hellenes, the participants in the competition, demanded his exclusion. This competition, they said, is for the Hellenes, not for the barbarians. Alexander proved that he was an Argive, and the judges recognized his Hellenic origin.” The ancestor of this Alexander in the seventh generation was Perdiccas, who fled from Argos to Macedonia and took the throne there.
Rule #2
“Competitors are required to register in advance, go through the qualifying competition and take an oath to Zeus”
5 days before the start of the competition, all participants moved to Olympia, where the judges carried out a more stringent selection in the preliminary rounds. A visit to the majestic Bouleuterion building, where the Olympic Council of Judges was located, was a must. In front of the statue of Zeus bearing the name “Gorky” (Oath Keeper), the participants, their coaches and judges took a solemn oath that “ through their fault, no crimes against customs, rules and laws will occur at the competitions" Each athlete promised Zeus the Oathkeeper that “he will not violate the conditions of fair competition and will remain faithful to the Olympic rules the rest of the time, even in training.”
Rule No. 3
“Athletes who are late for the games are not allowed to compete, no matter what good reason they have.”
On 218th Olympics fist fighter Apollonius from Alexandria of Egypt was late for the start of the Games. Apollonius swore by all the gods that it was not his fault. The judges, having heard Apollonius’ oath, believed him, especially since he was considered a noble fighter, and allowed him to compete. It turned out that Apollonius had deceived him and was seduced by the offer to make good money along the way by fighting in fist fights for money. So Apollonius not only deceived the judges, but also broke his own oath given to Zeus! He was publicly called a “blasphemer” and the title of Olympian was taken away from him, giving the honorary wreath to his rival named Heraclides.
Rule No. 4
“Women are prohibited from appearing at the Games and in Altis for the duration of the festivities.”
The Hellenes forbade their women not only to participate in athletic competitions, but even to appear within Olympia for the entire duration of the Games (except, of course, for the main priestess of the temple of Hera, who was present at the Games). For a long time nothing changed regarding women. But sometimes they managed to become Olympians. The first was Kiniska, the beloved daughter of King Archidamos of Lacedaemon (7th century BC). Since childhood, she had been fond of horse racing and dreamed of taking part in Olympia. The loving father, using the influence of Sparta on Elis, somehow overcame the existing ban. As a result, the king's daughter not only took part in the Olympic chariot race, but also, to the great shame of men, became the first female Olympian.
Rule #5
"Athletes are required to compete in the nude"
This is where it came from: In 720 BC. a certain Orsippus, participating in a “short run,” loosened his loincloth. He did not stop to try to “put on his clothes” again, and, moreover, he was ahead of his rivals. After a meeting with the main agonophete, Orsippus was nevertheless recognized as the winner, presented with an honorary wreath, and declared an Olympian.
On the same day, another similar event happened: another athlete, Acanthus, who took part in a long track race, suddenly threw off his loincloth halfway - apparently, now on purpose, and then ran naked. It seemed to Akant that the god Wind himself was helping him at that moment, he ran so fast. He was ahead of everyone who had previously managed to get ahead, and, like Orsippus, received the title of Olympian. Since then, in male competitions, nudity of participants has become the generally accepted norm!
Rule No. 6
“It was forbidden to intentionally kill an opponent or inflict crippling blows on him when this is not necessary - this is prohibited under the threat of heavy fines or even deprivation of the honorary title of Olympian.”
At Olympia, it sometimes happened that, in the excitement of competition, one participant accidentally killed his opponent. In ordinary life, killing a citizen would inevitably result in a death sentence or, at best, expulsion from the country forever. The Olympic Code made it possible for an athlete to atone for manslaughter, and for this a special cleansing sacrifice had to be performed.
Rule No. 7
“It was forbidden to offer the opponent money for defeat or concessions in the competition, as well as to bribe or even try to bribe the judges.”
The first case of bribery of opponents was discovered during the 98th Olympics. Then the fist fighter Eupolus from Thessaly was convicted of such an unfavorable act. Later, at the 112th Olympiad, Callippus of Athens was convicted of a similar sin. Also at the 178th Olympiad, Evdel took money from Philostratus from Rhodes. For this, large fines were imposed and statues of the perpetrators were made and placed at the foot of Mount Kronos for educational purposes.
Rule No. 8
“Every participant has the right to appeal to the Olympic Senate with a protest against any decision of the judges at his own peril and at his own expense.”
Yes, there was such a need, since not only the athletes at the Games were caught by the judges for “showdowns,” but the refereeing was often noted as unfair. The case of the runner from Elis Eupolemus has reached us. One of his rivals, Leontes, filed a complaint with the Council against two of the three judges, saying that “Eupolemus got the victory by unfair means.” As a result of the stormy proceedings of the complaint and disputes between the judges and the plaintiff, with analysis of the evidence, Eupolemus was nevertheless deprived of the title of Olympian.
Rule No. 9
“All violators of Olympic laws and judicial decisions are severely punished with large fines, and the city that delegated such an athlete is obliged to bear joint responsibility for paying fines together with its violating athlete.”
For example, on 74th Olympics in the final fist fight of two fighters – “all-rounders” – Theagenes from Thasos and Euthymus from the Italian Locrs met. Theagenes won, but in pankratia the vigilant judge noted that “Theagenes showed himself to be malicious and envious against Euthymus.” For this, the judge fined Theagenes one talent “in favor of Zeus, and the same amount in favor of Euthymus - for causing harm to him”! On 201st Olympics An extraordinary event also occurred when the pankratiast Sarapion from Alexandria of Egypt, having familiarized himself with the list of his future rivals (and they were all eminent), really feared for his life and refused further fight! Simply put, he escaped from Olympia! Having learned about such an unheroic act, the judges fined the coward in absentia, excluding him from the list of participants in the Games “forever”! We won’t say what awaited Sarapion at home!
These people compete not for money, but for valor!
Each Olympian received the most honorable prize for any Greek - a wreath woven from olive branches that grew in the sacred grove of Altis in Olympia. The wreaths were woven by virgins from the Temple of Hera. But it was not always so. At the first Olympics organized by Hercules, the prize was a wreath of apple tree branches. Hercules brought an olive from the Hyperboreans. Therefore, the olive was first grown in Elis, in the Peloponnese, where Olympia is located, and from there it began its triumphal march across Greek soil. 
Herodotus tells an interesting story: when the Persians were fighting with the Greeks, the following conversation took place between Tigranes, son of Artabanus, and Mardonius. “When the Persian asked what reward was given to those competing for victory, they answered: The winner usually receives a wreath of olive branches as a reward.” Then Tigranes, son of Artabanus, expressed a very noble opinion, which the king interpreted as cowardice. Precisely, having heard that the Hellenes’ reward for winning a competition was a wreath, not money, he could not resist and said this in front of the whole assembly: Alas, Mardonius! Who are you leading us into battle against? After all, these people compete not for money, but for valor!”
Olympic service.
“What is Olympia? - Crowd, market, acrobats, entertainment, thieves"
Olympia greeted its guests with majestic temples and the coolness of the sacred grove of Altis, sacrificial altars and other religious buildings. In the very center of the city there was a carefully guarded sacred hearth: the “eternal flame” from Olympus burned in it day and night, and nearby the official authorities held ceremonial receptions for the winners of the Games, Olympians. For these purposes, there was a “Chamber of Feasts” - in fact, an open space surrounded by a palisade of low but graceful columns. Here, at the end of the festive events, luxurious feasts were held, music competitions for the authors and performers of epic dramas were held - entire musical and poetic performances.
In the western part of Altis there was a magnificent gallery with 44 columns, clearly visible from all sides. The portico of the goddess Echo was also located here, attracting curious pilgrims and guests with an unusual sound effect: softly spoken words were repeated many times, seven or more times, as if they were lost and could not find a way out.
Granite echo, Pan's girlfriend, you see, buddy.
Say the word and, having heard it instantly, leave.
(Lucian)
Beyond the Pelopeion (the monumental pentagonal sanctuary of the Elean king Pelops), the road led to the altar of Zeus, which was unusually large - 18 meters. Even a cursory glance from an idle passer-by was enough to notice on the streets and courtyards of Holy Olympia carefully cultivated islands of green shrubs and the piercing brightness of flowering lawns and front gardens. Groves of ancient olives, rows of huge white-trunked plane trees and cypress trees browned from the heat seemed to invite townspeople and guests to find soothing coolness in their shade.
The organizers of the Games accommodated all important guests in the Leonidaion, a multi-bed municipal hotel built in the 4th century BC. The less honored guests of Olympia, numerous pilgrims and athletes, competition participants and spectators, found temporary shelter as best they could: in guest houses and taverns, rented rooms and corners in the houses of Olympia residents, settled in the center and on the outskirts, and even in nearby settlements.
Noisy fairs were held everywhere, spontaneous markets arose, and bustling life was in full swing in the shopping arcades. The weather was favorable, there was no need to talk about safety - no one was afraid of anyone except thieves.
Honorary guests of Olympia.
In Olympia it was not a big problem to meet a famous philosopher, orator or politician. Olympia remembers the brilliant speeches of the sages, Socrates and Diogenes, from here began the triumphal procession of the principled Athenian orator Demosthenes, the aspiring historian Herodotus and the fashionable poet Simonides. Here the Greek people listened with excitement to the speeches of Plato, Empedocles and Sophocles, and even Pythagoras himself, who visited 62nd Olympic Games. Young Aristippus met the aspiring philosopher Isomachus at the Games, and in 392 BC. the famous sophist Gorgias addressed the people with a passionate appeal, offering to unite against hostile Persia. Four years later, at the next games, his calls were repeated by the orator from Athens Lysias, and then by his fellow countryman Isocrates, a publicist and democratic orator. One day, at the next Games, Themistocles, the national hero of Athens, a daring politician and an experienced military leader, appeared among the spectators at the stadium. Also at Olympia was one of the later Greek writers, poets and satirists, Lucian, he wrote: “But the Olympic Games are over, the most beautiful of all that I have seen; and I saw them for the fourth time already.”
The attitude of philosophers to physical development.
In the literature devoted to physical education, one can find that philosophers put physical education in first place. This is a deep misconception. Even the philosopher Pythagoras “advised athletes to fight, but not to win, for a person must take on the work, but not incur it, defeating envy.” We see the thoughts of the Cynic Diogenes regarding the competition from the following passage:
- Someone said: “I defeated many men at the Games.”
-Diogenes replied: “No, many slaves (an athlete is a slave to his vice - vanity), and it’s my business to defeat husbands.
The satirist Lucian laughed at the runners, saying: “Let his house be plundered, let his children and wife suddenly appear - he will not see or notice anything... Even having reached his goal, he still does not stop running.”
The later philosopher Seneca, who combined the Epicurean school and Stoic philosophy in his philosophy, wrote in his letter to Lucilius: “Exercising so that your arms become stronger, your shoulders wider, your sides stronger, this, Lucilius, is a stupid activity and unworthy of an educated person. No matter how much fat you manage to accumulate and muscle gain, you will still not be equal in weight or strength to a fattened bull. In addition, the burden of flesh, growing, oppresses the spirit and deprives it of mobility. Therefore, in whatever way you can, oppress the body and make room for the spirit.
Many unpleasant things await those who zealously take care of the body: firstly, tedious exercises exhaust the mind and make it incapable of attention and pursuit of more subtle objects; secondly, rich food deprives him of sophistication.”
And of course, “Divine” Plato writes in “The Republic”: “The point here, I think is this - however, you decide: I don’t think that when a person’s body is in order, it causes good things with its own good qualities.” state of mind; In my opinion, on the contrary, a good state of mind with its good qualities determines the best state of the body. »
Christian theologian and writer Tertulian argued: “Gymnastics is the work of Satan.”
Philosophers put first place the improvement of internal qualities; a person, according to the thoughts of philosophers, should be virtuous and rich inside. If you have this, then you can exercise your body.
Sunset of the Olympics.
The Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were held without interruption for 1160 years. The inhabitants of Hellas gathered 290 times for their Olympic holidays. The last time this happened was in 393 AD. And a year later, in 394, due to the increasing spread of Christianity, the Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic holidays. Another 32 years later, Theodosius II issued a decree on the destruction of all pagan temples, and the Olympic sanctuary ceased to exist. Yes, and Christians after the words of the Apostle Paul: “ Exercise yourself in piety, for bodily exercise is of little use, but piety is useful for everything, having the promises of the present and future life. This word is true and worthy of all acceptance.
/1 Tim 4:7-9/»
had little interest in physical education. What the legionnaires did not have time to break and take away was eventually destroyed by earthquakes and floods. For more than twelve centuries, Olympia seemed to disappear from the face of the earth.
Conclusion.
...If we leave alone the shadow of the restless Emperor Theodosius and the Christian Church, regarding the ungrateful disappearance of Olympism from human memory, we will give another version, a guess: the Panhellenic Olympic Games were ruined by their excessive commercialization! You don’t have to go far to find the facts that this happened...
Athletes who previously performed selflessly at Olympia for an honorary wreath of olive tree branches, starting from the 1st century BC. They were already demanding significant fees and other benefits from their fellow countrymen for their efforts. Moreover, not only for victory, but even for participation! For this reason, small Greek cities, and these were the majority, were financially unable to send home-grown athletes to the Games. But such policies as Athens, Thebes, Corinth or Syracuse, boasting of exorbitant wealth and luxury, could even afford to attract, in other words, “buy” the most famous athletes from other cities (now they would be called “legionnaires”). For apostasy from “registration”, huge rewards and, accordingly, citizenship rights were given, which was extremely valued in the ancient world. Such cases caused many Greeks a legitimate feeling of grief, injustice and great irritation. But with the advent of overt material interest in the results of the Games, healthy competition between the participants disappeared, giving way to a fierce struggle for winning places by any means, including unauthorized ones.
When a reassessment of moral values took place in the ancient world, even the authorities of Olympia did not remain aloof from commercial activities. They understood that every 4 years (!) people came to them for the Games 50 000 people - if you count religious pilgrims, participants and spectators. All of them brought unimaginable income to the city, leaving generous gifts and huge sums in the form of cash donations in the temple treasuries. So it turns out that the authorities of Olympia really cared about income for their own treasury, sometimes neglecting the purity of athletic competitions!
And all this time the gods of Olympus calmly looked at the earth...
This is precisely the outcome that Pierre de Coubertin feared when he conceived the modern Olympic movement! Actually, this is what we are seeing with our own eyes.
Bibliography.
1. Pochinkin A.V. - Story physical culture and sports in questions and answers with brief comments. (2008)
2. Ilyakhov A.G. - dedicated to Zeus. Secrets of the ancient Olympics (2006)
3. Stolbov V.V.; Finogenova L.A.; Melnikov N.Yu. - History of physical culture and sports. (2000)
4. Plato - Collected Works, volume III, part 1 (2007)
5. Lucian - Works, volume II (2001)
6. Herodotus - History (2006)
7. Diogenes Laertius - About the life, teachings and sayings of famous philosophers. (1979)
8. Fedorov N.A. Miroshenkova V.I. - Ancient literature. Greece (2002)
9. Ovid - Metamorphoses (2000)
10. Homer - Iliad. Odyssey (2005)
11. Seneca – Letters to Lucilius. Tragedies. (1986)
The content of the article
OLYMPIC GAMES OF ANCIENT GREECE- the largest sports competitions of antiquity. They originated as part of a religious cult and were carried out from 776 BC. to 394 AD (a total of 293 Olympics were held) in Olympia, which was considered a sacred place by the Greeks. The name of the Games comes from Olympia. The Olympic Games were a significant event for all of Ancient Greece, going beyond the scope of a purely sporting event. Victory at the Olympics was considered extremely honorable both for the athlete and for the polis that he represented.
From the 6th century BC. following the example of the Olympic Games, other pan-Greek athletic competitions began to be held: the Pythian Games, the Isthmian Games and the Nemean Games, also dedicated to various ancient Greek gods. But the Olympics were the most prestigious among these competitions. The Olympic Games are mentioned in the works of Plutarch, Herodotus, Pindar, Lucian, Pausanias, Simonides and other ancient authors.
At the end of the 19th century. The Olympic Games were revived on the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin.
The Olympic Games from inception to decline.
There are many legends about the origins of the Olympic Games. All of them are associated with ancient Greek gods and heroes.
The most famous legend says how the king of Elis, Iphit, seeing that his people were tired of endless wars, went to Delphi, where the priestess of Apollo conveyed to him the command of the gods: to organize pan-Greek athletic festivals that suited them. After which Iphitus, the Spartan legislator Lycurgus and the Athenian legislator and reformer Cliosthenes established the procedure for holding such games and entered into a sacred alliance. Olympia, where this festival was to be held, was declared a sacred place, and anyone who entered its boundaries armed was declared a criminal.
According to another myth, Zeus's son Hercules brought the sacred olive branch to Olympia and instituted athletic games to commemorate Zeus' victory over his ferocious father Cronus.
There is also a known legend that Hercules, having organized the Olympic Games, perpetuated the memory of Pelops (Pelops), who won the chariot race of the cruel king Oenomaus. And the name Pelops was given to the Peloponnese region, where the “capital” of the ancient Olympic Games was located.
Religious ceremonies were an obligatory part of the ancient Olympic Games. According to established custom, the first day of the Games was set aside for sacrifices: athletes spent this day at the altars and altars of their patron gods. A similar ritual was repeated on the final day of the Olympic Games, when awards were presented to the winners.
During the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, wars stopped and a truce was concluded - ekeheria, and representatives of the warring policies held peace negotiations in Olympia in order to resolve conflicts. On the bronze disk of Iphitus with the rules of the Olympic Games kept in Olympia in the Temple of Hera, the corresponding point was written. “On the disk of Iphitus is written the text of the truce that the Eleans declare for the duration of the Olympic Games; it is not written in straight lines, but the words go along a disk in the form of a circle" (Pausanias, Description of Hellas).
From the Olympic Games 776 BC (the earliest Games, the mention of which has reached us - according to some experts, the Olympic Games began to be held more than 100 years earlier) the Greeks were counting a special “Olympic chronology” introduced by the historian Timaeus. The Olympic holiday was celebrated in the “holy month”, beginning with the first full moon after the summer solstice. It was to be repeated every 1417 days that made up the Olympiad – the Greek “Olympic” year.
Beginning as a local competition, the Olympic Games eventually became a pan-Hellenic event. Many people came to the Games not only from Greece itself, but also from its colony cities from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.
The games continued even when Hellas fell under the control of Rome (in the middle of the 2nd century BC), as a result of which one of the fundamental Olympic principles was violated, which allowed only Greek citizens to participate in the Olympic Games, and even some Roman emperors (including Nero, who “won” a chariot race drawn by ten horses). Affected the Olympic Games and began in the 4th century BC. the general decline of Greek culture: they gradually lost their former meaning and essence, turning from a sports competition and a significant social event into a purely entertaining event, in which mainly professional athletes participated.
And in 394 AD. The Olympic Games were banned - as a “relic of paganism” - by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, who forcibly introduced Christianity.
Olympia.
Located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Here was Altis (Altis) - the legendary sacred grove of Zeus and a temple and cult complex, which was finally formed around the 6th century. BC. On the territory of the sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, sports facilities and houses where athletes and guests lived during the competitions. The Olympic sanctuary remained the focus of Greek art until the 4th century. BC.
Soon after the ban on the Olympic Games, all these structures were burned by order of Emperor Theodosius II (in 426 AD), and a century later they were finally destroyed and buried by strong earthquakes and river floods.
As a result of those held in Olympia at the end of the 19th century. Archaeological excavations were able to discover the ruins of some buildings, including those for sports purposes, such as the palaestra, gymnasium and stadium. Built in the 3rd century. BC. palaestra - an area surrounded by a portico where wrestlers, boxers and jumpers trained. Gymnasium, built in the 3rd–2nd centuries. BC, is the largest building in Olympia, it was used for training sprinters. The gymnasium also housed a list of winners and a list of the Olympics, and there were statues of athletes. The stadium (212.5 m long and 28.5 m wide) with stands and seats for judges was built in 330–320 BC. It could accommodate about 45,000 spectators.
Organization of Games.
All freeborn Greek citizens (according to some sources, men who could speak Greek) were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. Slaves and barbarians, i.e. persons of non-Greek origin could not participate in the Olympic Games. “When Alexander wished to take part in the competition and came to Olympia for this, the Hellenes, the participants in the competition, demanded his exclusion. These competitions, they said, were for the Hellenes, not for the barbarians. Alexander proved that he was an Argive, and the judges recognized his Hellenic origin. He took part in a running race and reached the goal at the same time as the winner” (Herodotus. Story).
The organization of the ancient Olympic Games included control not only over the course of the Games themselves, but also over the preparation of athletes for them. Control was exercised by the Hellanodics, or Hellanodics, the most authoritative citizens. For 10–12 months before the start of the Games, athletes underwent intensive training, after which they passed a kind of exam by the Hellanodic Commission. After fulfilling the “Olympic standard”, future participants in the Olympic Games trained for another month according to a special program - already under the guidance of the Hellanodics.
The fundamental principle of the competition was the honesty of the participants. Before the start of the competition, they swore an oath to abide by the rules. The Hellanodics had the right to deprive the champion of the title if he won by fraud; the guilty athlete was also subject to a fine and corporal punishment. In front of the entrance to the stadium at Olympia, there were zanas for the edification of participants - copper statues of Zeus, cast with money received in the form of fines from athletes who violated the rules of the competition (the ancient Greek writer Pausanias indicates that the first six such statues were erected in the 98th Olympiad, when The Thessalian Eupolus bribed three fighters who competed with him). In addition, persons convicted of committing a crime or sacrilege were not allowed to participate in the Games.
Entry to the competition was free. But only men could attend them; women, under penalty of death, were forbidden to appear in Olympia during the entire festival (according to some sources, this ban applied only to married women). An exception was made only for the priestess of the goddess Demeter: a special marble throne was built for her in the stadium, in the most honorable place.
Program of the ancient Olympic Games.
At first, the program of the Olympic Games included only a stadium - running one stage (192.27 m), then the number of Olympic disciplines increased. Let's note some fundamental changes in the program:
- at the 14th Olympic Games (724 BC), the program included diaulos - a 2nd stage run, and 4 years later - a dolichodrome (endurance run), the distance of which ranged from 7 to 24 stages;
– at the 18th Olympic Games (708 BC), wrestling and pentathlon (pentathlon) competitions were held for the first time, which included, in addition to wrestling and the stadium, jumping, as well as javelin and discus throwing;
– at the 23rd Olympic Games (688 BC), fist fighting was included in the competition program,
– at the 25th Olympic Games (680 BC) chariot races (drawn by four adult horses) were added, over time this type of program expanded, in the 5th–4th centuries BC chariot races drawn by a pair of adult horses began to be held , young horses or mules);
– at the 33rd Olympic Games (648 BC), horse racing appeared in the program of the Games (in the mid-3rd century BC, foal racing also began to be held) and pankration, a martial arts that combined elements of wrestling and fist fighting with minimal restrictions on “prohibited techniques” and in many ways reminiscent of modern martial arts.
Greek gods and mythological heroes were involved in the emergence of not only the Olympic Games as a whole, but also their individual disciplines. For example, it was believed that running one stage was introduced by Hercules himself, who personally measured this distance in Olympia (1 stage was equal to the length of 600 feet of the priest Zeus), and pankration dates back to the legendary battle of Theseus with the Minotaur.
Some of the disciplines of the ancient Olympic Games, familiar to us from modern competitions, differ markedly from their modern counterparts. Greek athletes did not perform long jumps from a running start, but from a standing position - moreover, with stones (later with dumbbells) in their hands. At the end of the jump, the athlete threw the stones sharply back: it was believed that this allowed him to jump further. This jumping technique required good coordination. Throwing a javelin and a discus (over time, instead of a stone one, athletes began to throw an iron discus) was carried out from a small elevation. In this case, the javelin was thrown not for distance, but for accuracy: the athlete had to hit a special target. In wrestling and boxing there was no division of participants into weight categories, and a boxing match continued until one of the opponents admitted defeat or was unable to continue the fight. There were very unique varieties of running disciplines: running in full armor (that is, in a helmet, with a shield and weapons), running of heralds and trumpeters, alternating running and chariot racing.
From the 37th Games (632 BC), young men under the age of 20 began to participate in the competitions. At first, competitions in this age category included only running and wrestling; over time, pentathlon, fist fighting and pankration were added to them.
In addition to athletic competitions, an art competition was also held at the Olympic Games, which became an official part of the program from the 84th Games (444 BC).
Initially, the Olympic Games took one day, then (with the expansion of the program) - five days (this is how long the Games lasted in their heyday in the 6th-4th centuries BC) and, in the end, “stretched” for a whole month.
Olympionists.
The winner of the Olympic Games received universal recognition along with an olive wreath (this tradition dates back to 752 BC) and purple ribbons. He became one of the most respected people in his city (for whose residents the victory of a fellow countryman at the Olympics was also a great honor), he was often exempted from government duties and given other privileges. The Olympian was also given posthumous honors in his homeland. And according to the one introduced in the 6th century. BC. in practice, the three-time winner of the Games could erect his statue in Altis.
The first Olympian known to us was Korebus from Elis, who won the race over one stage in 776 BC.
The most famous - and the only athlete in the entire history of the ancient Olympic Games who won 6 Olympics - was the “strongest among the strong,” the wrestler Milo from Croton. A native of the Greek colonial city of Croton (southern modern Italy) and, according to some sources, a student of Pythagoras, he won his first victory at the 60th Olympiad (540 BC) in competitions among youths. From 532 BC to 516 BC he won 5 more Olympic titles - already among adult athletes. In 512 BC Milon, who was already over 40 years old, tried to win his seventh title, but lost to a younger opponent. Olympian Milo was also a repeated winner of the Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean Games and many local competitions. Mentions of it can be found in the works of Pausanias, Cicero and other authors.
Another outstanding athlete, Leonidas from Rhodes, won in three “running” disciplines at four Olympics in a row (164 BC - 152 BC): running one and two stages, as well as running with weapons.
Astilus from Croton entered the history of the ancient Olympic Games not only as one of the record holders for the number of victories (6 - in running one and two stages at the Games from 488 BC to 480 BC). If at his first Olympics Astil competed for Croton, then at the next two - for Syracuse. Former fellow countrymen took revenge on him for his betrayal: the statue of the champion in Croton was demolished, and his former house turned into a prison.
In the history of the ancient Greek Olympic Games there are entire Olympic dynasties. Thus, the grandfather of the champion in fist fighting, Poseidor of Rhodes, Diagoras, as well as his uncles Akusilaus and Damagetes, were also Olympians. Diagoras, whose exceptional stamina and honesty in boxing matches won him great respect from spectators and was sung in the odes of Pindar, witnessed the Olympic victories of his sons - in boxing and pankration, respectively. (According to legend, when the grateful sons placed their champion wreaths on their father’s head and lifted him onto their shoulders, one of the applauding spectators exclaimed: “Die, Diagoras, die! Die, because you have nothing more to want from life!” And the excited Diagoras died immediately in the arms of his sons.)
Many Olympians were distinguished by exceptional physical properties. For example, the champion in the two-furlong race (404 BC) Lasthenes of Tebeia is credited with winning an unusual competition with a horse, and Aegeus of Argos, who won the long-distance race (328 BC), then ran , without making a single stop along the way, he covered the distance from Olympia to his hometown in order to quickly bring the good news to his fellow countrymen. Victory was also achieved thanks to a unique technique. Thus, the extremely durable and agile boxer Melankom from Cariya, winner of the Olympic Games of 49 AD, during the fight constantly kept his arms extended forward, due to which he avoided the enemy’s blows, while he himself extremely rarely struck back - in in the end, the physically and emotionally exhausted opponent admitted defeat. And about the winner of the Olympic Games 460 BC. in the dolichodrome of Ladas from Argos they said that he runs so easily that he does not even leave traces on the ground.
Among the participants and winners of the Olympic Games were such famous scientists and thinkers as Demosthenes, Democritus, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Hippocrates. Moreover, they competed not only in the fine arts. For example, Pythagoras was a champion in fist fighting, and Plato was a champion in pankration.
Maria Ishchenko
Sports, often understood by the Greeks as competitions, had such social significance that the earliest precisely dated records date back to 776 BC. e. contain no memories of the battle or political event, and the name of the first winner of the Olympic Games. It was in 776 BC. and the first Olympic Games were held.
Sport was one of the fundamental components of education for the Greeks. However, sporting competitions also had important religious significance; competitions were held at funerals significant people and were one of the ways to honor the deceased. It is very likely that the games began to be held in memory of the heroes whose death was mourned by everyone, like the death of Oenomaus at Olympia. In the historical era, the funerary significance of the competitions faded away, their entertainment came to the fore, and now they were organized to please the gods. Over time, some of the cult venues for competitions, in particular Olympia, for political and religious reasons began to acquire great importance, so we had to allow residents of neighboring cities and then adjacent regions to participate in the competition.
The games acquired such importance that wars even stopped during their holding. The number of people attending the games is evidenced by the size of the Olympic Stadium - its stands could accommodate up to 40 thousand spectators, and 20 people could run on the treadmill at the same time.
The competition lasted five days, of which part of the time was devoted directly to sports competitions, and the other part was devoted to sacrifices, feasts and other religious rituals.
Only Hellenic citizens could participate in the competition. Non-citizens and barbarians could only be spectators. However, after joining Rome, an exception was made for the Romans, which, however, is not surprising. Women, even as spectators, were not allowed to attend the festive competitions.
The first, and initially the only, type of competition in the Olympic Games was running - they ran a distance of 192 meters (one Olympic stage). Starting from the 14th game, a new competition appeared - the double run. In this competition, the runners already ran two stages - 384 m. Later, a long run appeared (from 15 games) over a distance of 7 to 24 stages.
Starting from the 65th Olympiad, hoplite running was included in the competition - runners competed in the full equipment of a heavily armed infantryman. By the way, this is the only type of competition in the Olympic Games in which athletes covered their nakedness.
In addition to running, athletes competed in fist fighting (added at the 23rd Olympics), pankration, or hand-to-hand combat (added at the 33rd Olympics), wrestling (added at the 18th Olympics) and pentathlon, or pentathlon (added at the 18th Olympics ).
An important part of the competition was horse racing. The quadriga races were especially popular (since the 25th Olympic Games). The winners were the owners of the horses, not the drivers. This sport was only available to high society- the richest Greeks and representatives of royal families who were able to keep horses.
The reward for the winner of the games was a wreath made of wild olive and, naturally, universal veneration among their fellow tribesmen - poems were written in their honor, even statues were erected.
In 394, the Olympic Games, as pagan, were banned by the Christian Emperor Theodosius. For many centuries, humanity forgot about these grandiose competitions, sports facilities fell into disrepair or were destroyed.
The Olympic Games received a new life in the 19th century - since 1896, the Summer Olympic Games were organized by enthusiasts. They were held every four years. Beginning in 1924, the Winter Olympic Games were established, which, starting in 1994, began to be held with a two-year shift relative to the time of the summer games.
Release date: 2000
Genre: city building simulator
Zeus: Lord of Olympus is a quest in which you are invited to travel and become a city planner in ancient Greece - the country of Hercules and Achilles, Homer and Aesop, Aristotle and Archimedes. You are given the opportunity to become the head of a metropolis, like the legendary Athena or the valiant Sparta. As in any other game of this genre, the player must build a city on an empty plot of land and with a certain set of available resources.
You have to build temples and grow olives, call on heroes to help conquer foreign countries, fight monsters and make sacrifices in the name of the gods. Your path in the game “Zeus: Lord of Olympus” will be long and difficult, but the reward for this is truly great - a memory for centuries, living in the hearts of people.
Age of Mythology and Age of Mythology: The Titans
Release date: 2003
Genre: real time strategy
Age of Mythologies is a strategy game that takes the player to ancient times, when heroes fought mythological monsters. The game is based on the myths and legends of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and the Scandinavian Vikings. To achieve the best results and quickly defeat the enemy, players can choose not only the historical path of development of these three great civilizations (Greeks, Egyptians and Scandinavians), but also available mythical creatures, such as minotaurs, centaurs, phoenixes and Valkyries.
Like many other RTS games, the game is based on building cities, using resources, creating armies and destroying enemy armies and cities. The player must lead his tribe through several “eras”: archaic, classical, heroic and mythical eras. To go to each new era you need to pay a certain amount of resources in the main building - the city center. With the transition to the next era, new combat units and buildings are unlocked.
Will Rock
Release date: 2003
Will Rock is a computer game in the first-person shooter genre. A massive landslide opened the gates to Lost Olympus, the mythological empire of the ancient Greeks. Local students quickly recruit an American archaeologist named Willford Rockwell, along with Dr. Headstrong and his daughter Emma, to open the door to Lost Olympus... The unsuspecting company agreed. They did not know that these students belonged to a cult that sought to revive the ancient gods.
The game has 10 levels to play in single or co-op mode. Many reviewers noted the huge number of enemies on them. At some points in the game, the player may be attacked from different directions by different enemies at the same time. Almost all enemies (with the exception of flying ones) always appear suddenly. This happens very noisily and suddenly, which can easily frighten and confuse. The game has a lot of doors leading from one stage of the level to another, sometimes you have to navigate underwater.
Release date: 2004
Legion III: Gates of Troy turn-based historical strategy from the developers of “History of Empires” and “Legion”, dedicated to the Trojan War. Five aspects of gameplay: trade, diplomacy, research, construction and combat. Nine game scenarios: Trojan War, Ionian Revolt, "Hot Gate", Greek Colonization, Prehistory, Great Campaign involving Rome and Persia, etc. Five difficulty levels. 19 heroes of the Trojan War as generals, including Paris, Achilles and Menelaus. 62 types of combat units, 8 classes of troops. The outcome of battles is determined by the chosen tactics, experience and balance of forces.
Random and historical events. More than 100 nations, 19 ethnic groups. More than 150 types of buildings, 9 types of resources. Improved artificial intelligence enemy. Improved interface: two display scales of the main game map. An updated diplomacy system, the possibility of vassalizing another state through diplomacy. More than 60 types of diplomatic missions. Territory - Ancient Greece and Asia Minor, duration of action - 1500-400. BC.
Battle for Troy
Release date: 2004
Genre: real time strategy
Troy- the game is dedicated to a mythical event described by Homer many years before our era. dedicated to the events of the semi-mythical Trojan War. Battle for Troy will give you the opportunity to take part in the assault on the famous city of Asia Minor, undertaken in the name of the liberation of the Spartan princess Helen.
The game includes two campaigns for the Trojans and Spartans, each with 8 missions. 9 types of antique units with the ability to upgrade units (over time, everyone gains experience and becomes more effective fighters.
Alexander: The Heroes Hour
Release date: 2005
Genre: real-time strategy, action, RPG
Alexander: Age of Heroes is a game that is an amazing mixture of real-time strategy and tactical action RPG. You have to be transported to Ancient Greece and participate in the heroic deeds of the great Alexander the Great. Walk with a squad of your heroes through the stunningly rendered three-dimensional landscapes of Greece, communicating with the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Persians...
Improve the skills of your fighters and complete exciting missions, fight in the epic battles of Greece and small skirmishes on the walls of ancient cities. 4 nations: Greece, Persia, Egypt and India. Control your naval and ground forces. See up to 8,000 combat units on screen in all their 3D glory. The game is replete with additional missions and great content.
God of War series
Release date: 2005-2013
Genre: slasher, third-person action
Attention, the game is only for PS consoles, but you can find repacks for PC
Gods of war- a series of console games, the action of which is based on its own variation ancient greek mythology. The main character of all games in the series is Kratos, a Spartan general who challenged the gods. Kratos' main weapon is the Blades of Chaos, which can be used for a variety of various types attacks are two wide short swords with jagged edges, on long chains embedded in the forearms of the main character.
In addition to hand-to-hand combat, the game contains simple puzzles that involve moving boxes, using levers, and so on. The game has platforming elements due to the fact that Kratos can cling to depressions and ledges, as well as use the Swords of Chaos as a grappling hook, allowing him to cross large gaps. Most of the game's opponents are borrowed from Greek mythology, including Medusa the Gorgon, Minotaur, Hydra and others.
Titan Quest
Release date: 2006
Genre: action, RPG, hack and slash
Titan Quest- a game in the “Hack and Slash” genre. The setting is the mythical world of Ancient Greece and Egypt. We are promised a detailed recreation of all the sights of the ancient world. In addition, players will have to fight with such legendary monsters as cyclops, centaurs and similar creatures. The game also features a multiplayer mode, in which the heroes, wandering around the map, sort things out not only with monsters, but also with each other. The game is also included in the list.
The player, making his way through the barriers of the ancient world, must find a way to re-imprison the titans. Traveling through legendary sites such as the Parthenon, the Labyrinth of Knossos, the Great Pyramids and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the hero will battle hordes of monsters and mythical beasts. An extensive class system guarantees an almost endless number of options for developing your character. Numerous skills and abilities can be combined in many ways and will never become completely useless.
Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War
Release date: 2006
Genre: real time strategy
RiseandFall: War of Civilizations- an impressive historical strategy in which players will witness the confrontation between four great ancient civilizations (Greece, Rome, Egypt and Persia) during their military heyday. Using authentically recreated ancient weapons and embodying the tactics of his victory, the player will have to rewrite great history humanity.
The direct character control mode will allow you to take control of one of the great heroes of antiquity (Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Caesar, etc.) at the decisive moment and take part in the battle yourself. Excellent detail of damage and behavior of combat units turns every battle into a spectacular show: war elephants cut down trees and scatter enemy soldiers, and a rammed ship breaks and goes to the bottom.
Loki: Heroes of Mythology
Release date: 2007
Genre: RPG, slasher
Loki: Heroes of Mythology- the game is not entirely about Greece, the plot, atmosphere, locations and enemies are taken from the Aztec, Egyptian, Greek, and Scandinavian mythologies. The player can choose one of four characters, each symbolizing one of the mythologies; depending on the chosen hero, the order of passing the game levels differs. As the story progresses, the player will take part in such mythological and historical events as the fall of Troy, the conquest of America, Ragnarok and will meet the mythical heroes Achilles, Thor and real people: Cortes, Akhenaten.
Single player mode allows you to immerse yourself in adventure by choosing one of four heroes. With this hero you have to go through four chapters of the game. The game has three difficulty levels. Levels are randomly generated, so you won't have to go through the same path multiple times. Moreover, if you want to find out the ending of the whole story, your hero must fight the final battle, and for this he must have enough experience, he must have a full set of skills and be dressed in the best equipment that you can find.
Asterix at the Olympic Games
Release date: 2007
Genre: arcade
Asterix at the Olympic Games is an arcade computer game created based on the comedy film of the same name. This game is about the journey of Asterix and Obelix to Greece. Their travels will lead their friends to the Olympic Games, where they will have to compete with the best athletes of the Roman Empire. The brave Gauls will take part in many sports competitions in order to defeat Brutus, the Roman champion and notorious scoundrel, in the finals.
Julius Caesar - the eternal headache of Asterix - will interfere with his friends in every possible way and will do everything possible to ensure that the heroes are defeated. Wipe Caesar's nose! Prove that the Gauls can also be Olympic champions! Sparkling humor in the style of Asterix and Obelix! Great animation of game characters.
Rise of the Argonauts
Release date: 2008
Genre: RPG, action, adventure
Argonauts: The Golden Fleece- based on the myth of the search for the Golden Fleece by Jason and the Argonauts. The young ruler of Iolcus, Jason, announced the upcoming wedding. Only at the ceremony the bride was killed by a poisoned arrow! Beside himself with grief, Jason decided to go on a journey, which had never been equal in the world, and get the Golden Fleece. With the help of a magical artifact, he hopes to return his beloved from the dark kingdom of shadows.
The entire game consists of a lot of dialogue and battles against enemies. You can use a sword, spear and heavy mace as weapons. Each of them has its own special purpose. For each fight, you need to choose the most effective weapon and change its choice depending on the situation. It is also possible to buy and upgrade the hero’s skills and abilities. There are four skill trees in the game: Ares, Hermes, Apollo and Athena. Points for purchasing skills are given for completing tasks. Dive into the heart of brutal battles, following the familiar plot of the myths of Ancient Greece!
Numen: Contest of Heroes
Release date: 2010
Genre: action, RPG
Numen: Time heroes is an action RPG set in mythical Greece. You will start the game as young guy or a girl (depending on your choice) living on the island of Leros with her sister. After a while, the sister dies from a scorpion sting, and main character takes her to Mount Parnassus to bury her. During the ceremony, a messenger of the gods contacts him with a request to become a follower of one of them. After several years of training, you have to go in search of a powerful artifact, the Sickle of Kronos.
In the game you will find an interesting game world, a fascinating plot, an exciting combat system and much more. At the beginning of the game, you need to choose one of the three classes presented: warrior, hunter and mage, and then decide on a patron god (three gods for each class). A lot will depend on your choice - the character’s talents, his abilities, and even the style of the game itself, quests and secret locations.
Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece
Release date: 2012
Casual tower defense strategy in a fantasy setting. The game world is ancient Greece, the development of which reached steam engines and creating robots. The player must build long defensive lines to prevent enemy vehicles from passing through.
The game features a good choice defensive structures, towers, traps and catapults, which can be improved and upgraded. The player must rationally build a line of defense, otherwise the enemy will be able to enter the city. The project has several game modes, bonus missions, and a choice of difficulty level.
Sparta: War of the Empire
Release date: 2016
Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator
Browser-based multiplayer strategy, distributed according to the free-to-play model. The project was carried out in the historical setting of ancient Greece. The player acts as a leader small town, which needs to be developed, defended and created in it a powerful army to seize territories and increase their own influence.
PLAY
At the very beginning of the gameplay, the player must complete training tasks, for which starting capital will be awarded. Then, when a small city is obtained, the player can invest in development and improvements. Further actions will depend on the decision of the player himself - either he gathers an army and captures neighbors, or studies trade and becomes a peaceful power of traders and manufacturers, which is in an alliance with warlike cities.
Groups of athletes also came from the territories bordering the country. Gradually, the Olympic Games took a special place in the culture and traditions of the Greeks, and centuries later, the legends about the world of Olympians did not fade away.
The birth of the games took place in Olympia
The settlement of Olympia is located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. From the legendary city it is approximately 300 km to Athens and 130 km to Sparta. Around is the sacred grove of Zeus, known far beyond the borders of Greece. Olympia was formed in the 6th century. BC, the following have always been located here:
- A cultural complex consisting of temples.
- Religious buildings.
- Monuments.
- Sports objects.
- The so-called “Olympic Village” is the houses in which athletes and visiting spectators lived during the competition.
During the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, Olympia was burned because this ruler banned the games. This was around the middle of the 1st century. BC. A century later, the remains of Olympia were buried for a long time under a layer of sand and silt. An earthquake occurred and the ancient city was plunged into darkness. Over time, it was covered with more and more layers of soil, deposited as a result of river floods.
Olympia saw the light again only in the 19th century. Archaeologists have discovered its ruins in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The researchers saw a palaestra (a training area surrounded by a side), a stadium, and a gymnasium (a structure for sprint training). The largest of the finds is the gymnasium. This is the most massive structure in Olympia. In addition to the gyms, there were displays of sports awards, statues of the most outstanding strongmen, magazines with lists of leaders, information about the dates and features of the Olympics. The huge stadium was built around 325 century. BC. It could accommodate about 50 thousand spectators.
It is known that on the territory of the sports village there was a hippodrome, a colonnaded courtyard with running tracks, arenas for throwing all kinds of projectiles, and complexes for wrestlers. There were also baths, showers, and changing rooms.
The fame of the wonderful center of sports achievements - Olympia - spread to all corners of first Greece and then the world. Poets wrote poems about it, singers sang, and numerous speakers spoke about it. “There is no other star more noble than the sun...”, wrote the ancient Greek poet Pindar in an ode dedicated to Olympia.
Games are one of the most exciting events
These largest and most popular competitions began their intensive development around 770 BC. Up to 400 BC Almost 300 Olympics were organized. Researchers associate the origin of games with the activities in the territory ancient state religious custom. According to the cult, people appeased the gods by showing them their strength and dexterity. Hundreds of thousands of athletes and fans came to the Olympics. Leadership in the games gave great honor to the winner.
Over time, the authorities of other cities and towns in Greece wanted to hold similar games on their territory. So, the games appeared:
- Isthmian.
- Pythian.
- Nemean.
But the Olympic ones have become the most popular. Scientists find references to them in the works of the most famous poets of Greece: Plutarch, Simonides, Pausanias, Herodotus, etc. In their works they are associated with mythical gods, to whom the competition was dedicated: Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes. The cult of Hercules, known for his 12 labors, was revered. The games were also dedicated to the ruling kings: Pelops, Lycurgus, Iphitus.
Modern ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame
The Olympic Games began with a cult ceremony. On the first day of the Olympics, all athletes did not train intensively, but spent time at sacrificial altars. The ritual was repeated on the closing day of the competition, in addition to presenting awards to the winners.
While the Olympic Games continued, any wars in the country stopped and conflicts subsided. The warring parties used the time of the competition to negotiate and conclude long-term truces.
The Olympic year lasted approximately 4 standard years. The cycle of competitions was repeated every 1400 days in the summer. This chain was not interrupted even during the subjugation to the Romans (200 BC). But at this time, the main principle of the games was violated, and only Greeks began to be allowed to participate. It is known that Nero and a number of other Roman emperors became the winner of the competition. Over time, residents of other countries were also allowed to participate in the competition.
How were the games played?
Only those athletes who were indigenous residents of the country and were free participated. It was always men. Later, not only residents of the Peloponnese competed, but also representatives of neighboring territories. Women (except for the priestess of the goddess Demeter) did not even have the right to appear in competitions. In addition to them, people who committed minor illegal acts, not to mention criminals, were not allowed to play.
We started preparing for the games about a year in advance. Athletes included in the lists of participants trained under the supervision of the most respected and experienced athletes. Even before the start of the competition, a month before, the candidates passed the final exam (Olympic standard) in physical training. Afterwards, they prepared even more intensively for sports battles. Everyone took an oath to follow the principles of honesty and show integrity during the competition. Offending athletes were flogged.
Initially, the competition program included only short-distance running. At the start there were devices for runners to accelerate better. They pushed off from marble slabs, while their hands received support in special recesses.
Later competitions consisted of: running over different distances, wrestling, pentathlon, fist tournaments, chariot racing, pankration (a type of martial arts), running in military equipment, horse racing. Leonidas from Rhodes (12 victories), Hermogenes from Xaif (10), Astylos from Croton (7) had more than one olive branch, which was crowned in the temple of Zeus.
The Olympic Games were highly dependent on the standard of living and cultural component of Greece. If the country fell into decline, the competitions were not as violent as always, but were not cancelled. During the years of prosperity of Greece, the competitions became bright, eventful and new records. Gradually, the Olympic Games acquired a touch of pathos and were more of an entertaining nature. In the 4th century. AD many of the traditions have been lost. It is also important that free games existed in parallel with the slave system. The greatest sporting event influenced the pedagogy, economy, and military activities of the country. The games not only revealed the strongest, but also united entire states. After being forgotten, this majestic competition was revived in the 19th century.
