Three views on the ancient Olympic Games.

In the long history of human development, apart from the ancient social and cultural phenomenon of religion, the Olympic movement can be said to be the oldest social and cultural phenomenon. From the recorded history, the origin of the Olympic Movement can be traced back to 776 BC. But before that, the ancient Olympic Games may have existed for centuries. The Olympic Games, referred to as the "Olympic Games" for short, is a world-wide comprehensive games sponsored by the International Olympic Committee.

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece and got its name because it was held in the Olympic Games. Legend has it that the ancient Olympic Games was founded by Zeus, the king of the gods. The 1 th ancient Olympic Games was held in 776 BC and 293 times in 394 AD. The sports meeting is held every 14 17 days, that is, every four years. Later, people called this cycle the Olympic cycle. With the rise of modern sports, the Greek people hope to restore the ancient Olympic Games. 1859―― 1889, Greece hosted four Olympic Games and made a preliminary attempt. From 1883, Frenchman Coubertin devoted himself to the revival of the ancient Olympic Games. Through the efforts of several generations, the International Olympic Committee was established on June 23rd, 1894. The first Olympic Charter formulated by Coubertin emphasized the amateurism of the Olympic movement, stipulating that only the winners were awarded honorary awards at the Olympic Games, and no money or other material rewards were given to athletes in any form. 1893 ―― 15 On April 6th, the first Olympic Games was held in Athens.

The ancient Olympic Games were basically held every four years, and this cycle was called "Olympiad". According to this cycle, from 776 BC to 394 AD, * * * should be held for 293 sessions; But in fact the number of meetings is much less. However, according to the ancient Olympic Games, one Olympic Games is one, whether it is held or not.

In the early days of the ancient Olympic Games, there were not many events, so the first 22 sessions only lasted for one day. Later, with the increase of incidents, it was extended to two days. From the 37th session, the juvenile competition was added, and the time was extended to 5 days. The first day is the opening ceremony, where sacrifices and oaths are held, the second, third and fourth days are the specific contents of the competition, and the fifth day is the closing ceremony, where prizes are awarded and sacrificial activities are held.

At present, the Olympic Games include track and field, swimming (including diving, water polo and synchronized swimming), shooting, weightlifting, cycling, archery, basketball, volleyball, football, handball, hockey, gymnastics (including rhythmic gymnastics), fencing, international wrestling (freestyle and classical), boxing, judo, rowing and kayaking.

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The Origin and Development of Ancient Olympic Games

From the recorded history, the origin of the Olympic Movement can be traced back to 776 BC. But before that, the ancient Olympic Games may have existed for centuries. Ancient Greece was a mythical kingdom. Beautiful fairy tales and bizarre folk stories cast a mysterious color on the origin of the ancient Olympic Games. Legend: The ancient Olympic Games was a regular sports activity to worship Zeus. Another legend is related to Hercules, the son of Zeus. Heracles is known as "Hercules" because of its great strength. He finished the task that ordinary people couldn't finish in Elis city-state, and cleaned the king's cowshed full of cow dung in less than half a day, but the king didn't want to honor his promise of giving away 300 cows, so Herakler drove the king away in a fit of pique. To celebrate his victory, he held a sports meeting at the Olympic Games.

The origin of the Olympic Games is actually closely related to the social situation in ancient Greece. In the 9th-8th century BC, the Greek clan society gradually disintegrated, the slave society of city-state system gradually formed, and more than 200 city-states were established. City-states are fragmented, there is no unified monarch, and wars between city-states continue. In order to cope with the war, every city-state actively trains its own soldiers. The children of the Spartan city-state were raised by the state from the age of seven, engaged in sports and military training, and lived a military life. War needs soldiers, soldiers need strong bodies, and sports is a powerful means to train soldiers who can fight. Every state in Greece has built a training ground for people to exercise, which once became one of the symbols of the ancient Greek city-state. In ancient Greece, the training ground was usually a large rectangular venue with cloisters around it. There is a runway in the training ground, stands around the runway, and there is no roof in the training ground. Competitive practice is conducted in the open air. The ancient Greeks believed that sunbathing was a sign of health, and white skin meant that the body was not strong. It is also an honor for citizens to practice medicine in ancient Greece. In ancient Greece, people advocated sports, so almost every Greek free citizen would go to the gym to exercise, especially those nobles. They think that only those who go to the gym for training are educated people, otherwise they will be classified as people with low skills and low background. The war promoted the development of Greek sports, and the events of the ancient Olympic Games also had obvious military brand. The people are disgusted with the continuous war and generally long for a peaceful environment to recuperate. Later, the King of Sparta and the King of Elis signed the "Holy Truce Month" treaty. As a result, the military training and sports competitions to prepare for the troops have gradually become games of peace and friendship.

The ancient Olympic Games were basically held every four years, and this cycle was called "Olympiad". According to this cycle, from 776 BC to 394 AD, 1 168, * * * should be held for 293 sessions; But in fact the number of meetings is much less. However, according to the ancient Olympic Games, one Olympic Games is one, whether it is held or not. In the early days of the ancient Olympic Games, there were not many events, so the first 22 sessions only lasted for one day. Later, with the increase of incidents, it was extended to two days. From the 37th session, the junior competition was added, and the time was extended to 5 days. The first day is the opening ceremony, with sacrificial ceremonies and swearing-in ceremonies, the second, third and fourth days are the specific contents of the competition, and the fifth day is the closing ceremony, with awards and sacrificial activities.

The first Olympic Games were held in the village of Olympia, Arz Qushen. Later, a rectangular stadium was built in the northeast corner of Qushen, surrounded by stands built according to natural terrain. The runway of the sports ground is 32 meters wide and can be used by 20 players at the same time, with a length of 192 meters. The starting line is paved with stone strips and engraved with two parallel small grooves for athletes to use when starting. The ancient Olympic Games was not only a competitive meeting, but also a national festival of the ancient Greeks for more than 1000 years. After the announcement of the "Holy Truce", thousands of people flocked to Olympia, where representatives of the city-states took part in sacrificial activities and parades. Political envoys conclude treaties; Artists exhibit their works; Scholars and teachers discuss academics; The speaker made a speech; Businessmen display and sell goods; People wear the most luxurious clothes, bring the most exotic jewels and show off their wealth to each other. Excellent players sent by the city-states fought bravely in the arena. They walked into the arena naked and showed their superhuman strength, strong and handsome figure and good education to the gods and the audience. The grand occasion of the Olympic Games goes far beyond the scope of competitive competition. It is an important part of Greek religion, politics, economy and culture, and has played a role in promoting political exchanges, promoting trade development, prospering Greek culture and integrating national feelings. It brings all the Greek people together in a peaceful atmosphere, and its rich content and spectacular scenes form the biggest festival in Greece.

In the fifth century BC, the slave society in ancient Greece entered its heyday, but soon after, the internal war divided and social contradictions intensified. At the end of 5th century BC, the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War led to the decline of slavery in Greece, which was also the turning point of the ancient Olympic Games from prosperity to decline. The war made the economy depressed, the social atmosphere low, and sports lost its original meaning and gradually became a means for people to pursue wealth. In the sports meeting, there appeared the unhealthy tendency of engaging in malpractices for personal gain at the expense of others, and the lofty ideal of the Olympic movement was distorted.

In the second century BC, Rome conquered Greece, and the world-famous ancient Olympic Games went into decline. At the end of the 4th century AD, the Roman emperor Theodosius I, who ruled Greece, declared Christianity as the state religion, so he regarded the ancient Olympic Games dedicated to Zeus as a pagan activity. In order to maintain the Roman rule over Greece and consolidate the position of Christianity, in 394 AD, Theodosius I ordered the termination of the ancient Olympic Games, which lasted for165,438+069, and disappeared from the scene.

1892165438+1On October 25th, Coubertin delivered a speech entitled "Reviving the Olympics" at the 3rd anniversary meeting of the French Sports Federation, and he formally put forward the initiative of establishing the modern Olympic Games for the first time. 1April 894 16 Paris International Sports Conference was successfully held. On June 23rd, the General Assembly passed a resolution to establish the International Olympic Committee. The meeting stipulated French as the official language of the International Olympic Committee, following the tradition of the ancient Olympic Games, and holding sports meetings every four years. The first Olympic Games was originally planned to be held in Paris on 1890. Later, it was thought that Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, and it was more significant to hold it in Greece than in Paris. The General Assembly decided to change the first session to 1896. In view of the ruins of Olympia, the venue of the classical games, the venue was changed to Athens, the capital of Greece.

Competition rules of ancient Olympic Games

In 56 1 year BC, the ancient Greek philosopher Zhuo Ross drafted the competition regulations of the ancient Olympic Games, and the relevant provisions in the regulations have always been the rules that the Olympic Games must abide by.

1. The organizers of competitive competitions are specifically responsible for local officials and religious leaders, representatives of slave owners and nobles, who have the right to decide the qualifications of athletes and spectators.

2. The arbitration committee of the competition consists of full-time priests of Zeus Temple and elected judges.

Anyone who bribes the referee or misbehaves in the game will be fined heavily.

4. Competitive competition can only be played between individuals, not between groups.

Participants must be Greek, spotless in politics, morality, religion and law, and their identity must be proved by the referee.

6. Women can't participate in and visit the competition, and offenders will be executed.

Coaches, athletes and referees of ancient Olympic Games

Coach:

The coaches of the ancient Olympic Games were all selected from veterans who were loyal to the polis and had rich combat experience. Most of them won the first prize in large-scale competitions, and they have a high level in cultural knowledge, moral cultivation, medical care, nutrition and hygiene, training methods and psychology, so they are deeply respected and trusted by people.

Many coaches widely apply the theories of ancient Greek famous doctors and health experts to sports training to help athletes recover their physical strength as soon as possible after intensive training and competition, so as to improve their quality and create excellent results.

Coaches should also strive to train athletes to be calm, calm and good at controlling themselves in order to cope with various situations on the field. Its training and management are extremely strict.

Athletes:

The ancient Olympic Games has a very distinctive national and religious color, so there are strict regulations on the identity of athletes:

1. must be a pure Greek; 2. Must be a free man; 3. It must be a man.

Athletes should also hold an oath ceremony in front of the statue of Zeus. They promised not to win by illegal means and not to violate the Olympic rules. After passing a series of exams, their names were written on a board and hung in the most conspicuous place in Olympia. From then on, they can't quit the future competition for any reason, but they can only fight for the championship at all costs.

Referee:

The judges of the ancient Olympic Games enjoyed great honor and power. They have the following responsibilities:

1. Before the Olympic Games, go to Iriz to learn the rules of the game in advance; 2. Qualification examination of athletes according to regulations; 3. Supervise the training of athletes and explain sports ethics; 4. Issue a "Holy Truce" order to Greek city-states; 5. Lead the athletes to take the oath; 6. Organize the competition, decide the winner and execute the punishment.

The first referee of the ancient Olympic Games was the French king Ipetos of Del, who was succeeded by Iriz. In the first 200 years of the Olympic Games, there was only one referee. In 580 BC, it was changed to two referees. In 480 BC, the number of referees increased to nine, and a clear division of labor began to appear: three were in charge of five events, three were in charge of racing and three were in charge of other competitions. In 384 BC, the number of referees was officially determined to be ten, and it will not increase or decrease. The referee will hold a solemn oath ceremony in front of the statue of Zeus, and they promise not to accept bribes and perform their referee duties aboveboard. In the Olympic Games, if you are dissatisfied with the referee's decision, you can appeal. If it is really a misjudgment, the referee will impose a heavy penalty, but the penalty cannot be overturned.

Winner:

The winners of the ancient Olympic Games were highly respected and worshipped by all Greek people. The title of champion not only brought great honor to the winner himself, but also brought great honor to his parents and his polis. In the eyes of the Greeks, the person who won the Olympic champion was Zeus' favorite soldier and the best citizen of Greece. The podium of the ancient Olympic Games is located in front of the statue of Zeus. For the winner, laurel is made of wild olive leaves, and the preparation procedure is very grand. The winners stood on the podium made of gold and ivory to receive their awards. Wearing laurel wreaths, crimson dresses and holding palm branches, the judges announced the winners' names, personal history, parents' names, the names of their city-states and the projects they won in this sports meeting to the public in a high-pitched and solemn voice, and presented the winners with a palm leaf. Then the winners were surrounded by the audience to participate in various celebrations, and thousands of homing pigeons soared in the sky, spreading the fame and achievements of the Olympic winners to all directions. The olive crown became the highest prize in the ancient Olympic Games, and it was the highest honor to win it. Winners who return to their hometown should be given a grand welcome, and the city-state government should also give them generous treatment, such as exempting all taxes, being funded by the state for life, and retaining the best position of the theater. So all the athletes participating in the Olympic Games think that the purpose of the competition is to win the championship.

In order to permanently commemorate the winner, the Olympic Games also decided to give a statue to the winner who won three times in the Olympia Temple area. Many artists who won sculptures were the most outstanding and greatest sculptors in ancient Greece.

The ancient Greeks regarded some winners who were particularly fit as gods. When people are sick, they all seek help, and the worship of winners reaches its peak.

Brief introduction of ancient Olympic Games events

run

1, sprint

Sprint is the only original event in the ancient Olympic Games. The running distance is about192m. The competition is divided into preliminaries and finals, and athletes draw lots to decide the number of groups and the starting position.

Step 2 run in the middle

Middle-long distance running was listed as an official event for the first time at the 14 ancient Olympic Games in 724 BC. The length of the middle race is two runways (384 meters). At the turning back of the finish line, there is a turning stone pillar. The competitor bypassed the stone pillar and ran back just visible, similar to running back and forth.

3, long-distance running

In the 15 ancient Olympic Games in 720 BC, long-distance running was listed as an official event. I just ran back and forth many times on the runway and ran 24 runways (4,608 meters) long.

4. Armed competition

This event was listed as an official event at the 65th ancient Olympic Games in 520 BC. The early contestants wore armor, helmets and hats, leather and knee pads on their legs, and a shield in their left hand. In the 4th century BC, they became naked and held shields. When starting, you should kneel on one leg and run back and forth twice at a distance of 4 runways (768 meters). Armed race is the closing ceremony of the ancient Olympic Games with spectacular scenes and fierce competition.

In the above competitions, the athletes all ran barefoot, and the running posture was basically the same as today.

autumn

Wrestling is a favorite sport of ancient Greeks and a compulsory course in schools at all levels. At the 18 ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC, wrestling was listed as one of the five major sports, and it was also listed as a separate event.

Before the game, draw lots to decide the opponent. In the game, as long as the shoulders, chest, knees and other parts touch the ground, it is judged as losing one point, and losing three points is judged as failure. The winner will draw lots and continue the game until there is only one person left on the field. This is the final winner.

Pentathlon

This event was designated as a competition event at the 18 ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC. Its five events include running, long jump, discus throwing, javelin throwing and wrestling.

1. race

Like a solo sprint, the distance is 192 meters.

2. Long jump

There are two kinds of long jump: discrete fixed long jump and run-up long jump. Run-up long jump technique is very different from modern technique. Athletes must hold 1.5 ~ 4.5 kilograms of stone or metal dumbbells. The ancient Greeks thought that this could accurately grasp the swing range of the two arms, increase the thrust, increase the distance of the long jump, keep the balance of the body, and make the feet land smoothly. According to the regulations at that time, the result was invalid.

The long jump competition is accompanied by flute, the purpose of which is to stimulate the athletes' emotions, master the run-up rhythm and calculate the time.

Throwing discus

The contestants first cover their hands with sand or mud, then swing the cake back and forth and throw it out in the first step or the first three steps. At that time, the diameter and weight of discus were very different, and there was no uniform specification. Due to the lack of protective measures, casualties occur from time to time.

4. Javelin

There are two kinds of throwing accuracy and throwing distance. The length of the gun is about1.6m, and the thickness is the same as that of the index finger. Spears with sharp edges are used for throwing, and spears without sharp edges are used for throwing far. A thin thong is wound around the middle and front of the javelin, and the tail end of the thong forms a circle. When throwing, the index finger and middle finger are inserted into the holster. The ancient Greeks thought it would help to keep the direction of flight and throw it further.

wrestling

It's not exactly the same as wrestling alone Only one match in each group will determine the outcome, and some dangerous actions in individual wrestling are also prohibited.

punching

In 688 BC, boxing was listed as a competition in the 23rd ancient Olympic Games. No grouping, no grading by weight, draw lots to decide opponents, and there is no time limit until one of them is knocked unconscious or raises his right hand to indicate failure. The winner will draw lots again until there is one person left.

tempering tank

Mixed martial arts is a competitive event that combines wrestling and boxing. It was first listed as an event in the 33rd ancient Olympic Games in 648 BC.

Different from wrestling, mixed martial arts competition is not just about throwing the opponent down, but hitting the opponent with various actions within the scope permitted by the rules until the opponent loses his resistance or admits defeat. The methods allowed by the rules are: tripping, blocking your nose, pulling your ears, snapping your fingers, pinching your neck (not strangling your neck) and so on. Some people will take some dangerous actions in order to win, so injuries, disabilities and bloodshed often occur in the game.

racing car

In 680 BC, it was listed as an event in the 25th ancient Olympic Games. The race is divided into four horse races and two horse races, which are held at the racecourse with a length of 800 meters and a width of 320 meters. Chariots travel about 10 km, and each car is painted with different colors, which is gorgeous and magnificent. The car race is very fierce. The athlete nudged the horse forward. Accidents such as rollover often happen, and less than half of the people finish the race.

Marseilles

In 648 BC, it was listed as an event in the 33rd ancient Olympic Games. Horses have no saddles and stirrups, and they all compete by the skills of competitors. Some contestants fell off their horses and were injured or even killed on the spot.

The owners of chariots and horses are often the richest slave owners. They want to win the championship, but they are afraid of being injured and killed. Therefore, slaves are often asked to drive and ride horses on their behalf. If they win, the olive crown will be worn on the owner's head, and the real competitors can only get a meager reward from the owner.

Other competitions

Since the 37th ancient Olympic Games in 632 BC, juvenile sports such as juvenile running, wrestling, boxing, etc. , has gradually emerged, their rules and requirements are lower than those of adults.

Since the 96th Ancient Olympic Games in 396 BC, the Herald Competition and the Piper Competition have also been included in the official events and regarded as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Since 444 BC, art competitions have appeared in the ancient Olympic Games. Many famous scholars, historians, poets, playwrights and artists have participated in the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games not only promoted the development of sports, but also promoted cultural exchanges.

In a word, in the history of Olympic Games 1000 years, there are more than 10 major sports events, most of which are related to the military. Therefore, the competition is very antagonistic and competitive, and some events even have casualties. However, through these competitions, the Olympic Games embodies courage, strength and bodybuilding, and embodies the lofty ideals and pursuits of the ancient Greeks, thus leaving a valuable sports legacy for future generations.

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