Modern society is spoiled by a huge variety of available entertainment and therefore attractive. It is easily carried away by new fun and just as quickly loses interest in them in pursuit of new, still unusual toys. Therefore, those pleasures that have managed to hold the attention of the windy public for a long time can be considered truly strong attractions. A striking example is sport competitions of a different nature, from team games to doubles. And the title of the main "watchman" is rightfully borne by the Olympic Games. For several millennia, these multi-species competitions have attracted the attention of not only professional athletes, but also fans of various sports trends, as well as simply fans of a colorful, memorable show.
Of course, the Olympic Games were not always as expensive and high-tech performance as they are today. But they have always been spectacular and fascinating, starting from their very appearance in the days of Antiquity. Since then, the Olympic Games have been suspended several times, they have changed their format and set of competitions, and have been adapted for athletes with disabilities. And now a regular two-year organizational system has been established. How long? History will show it. But now the whole world is looking forward to every new Olympic Games. Although few spectators, following the tense rivalry of their sports idols, guess how and why the Olympic Games appeared.
The origin of the Olympic Games
The body cult inherent in the ancient Greeks was the reason for the appearance of the first sports games on the territory of ancient city-states. But it was Olympia that gave the holiday its name, which has been entrenched for centuries. Beautiful and strong bodies were glorified from the stage, immortalized in marble and adorned sports arenas... The oldest legend says that for the first time the Games were mentioned by the Delphic oracle around the 9th century. BC e., than saved Elis and Sparta from civil strife. And already in 776 BC. the first all-Greek Olympic Games were held, established by the god-like hero Hercules himself. It was a truly large-scale event: a celebration of physical culture, religious worship and simply the affirmation of life.
Even the holy wars for the Hellenes were suspended for the duration of the Olympic Games. The seriousness of the event was arranged accordingly: the date of its holding was set by a special commission, which, through the ambassadors-spondophores, announced its decision to the inhabitants of all Greek city-states. After that their best athletes went to Olympia to train and polish their skills for a month under the guidance of experienced mentors. Then, for five days in a row, athletes competed in the following types of physical exercises: 
This set can be considered the first composition of the Olympic sports of the times of Antiquity. Their champions, the winners of the competition, received truly divine honors and, until the next Games, enjoyed special respect from their compatriots and, according to rumors, the Thunderer Zeus himself. At home, they were greeted with songs, sung in hymns and honored at banquets, making obligatory sacrifices on their behalf to the supreme gods. Their names became known to every Greek. But the competition was tough, the competition was serious, and the level of physical fitness of competitors was very high, so few people managed to keep the laurels of the winner on next year... The same unique heroes, who were three times the best of the best, were erected a monument in Olympia and equated with demigods.
A distinctive feature of the ancient Olympic Games was the participation in them not only of athletes, but also of artists. The ancient Greeks did not categorize human achievement at all and enjoyed life in all its manifestations. Therefore, the Olympic Games were accompanied by performances of poets, actors and musicians. Moreover, some of them did not refuse to show themselves in sports - for example, Pythagoras was a champion in fistfights. Artists sketched key events and images of athletes, spectators admired the combination of physical and spiritual beauty, enjoyed an abundance of delicious food and drinks. Similar to modern training, is not it? But the original Olympic Games were still far from the current level of organization. This is confirmed by the annoying cessation of their history, albeit temporary.
Banning the Olympic Games
So, cheerfully and amicably, exactly 293 ancient Olympiads were held in 1168 years. Until 394 A.D. Roman emperor Theodosius the first "Bolshoi" did not ban the Olympic Games by his decree. According to the Romans, who brought and imposed Christianity on the Greek lands, shameless and noisy sports competitions were the embodiment of a pagan, and therefore unacceptable, way of life. You could even say that they were right in their own way. After all, religious ceremonies in honor of the gods of Olympus were an integral part of the Games. Each athlete considered it his duty to spend several hours at the sacrificial altar, offering prayers and making sacrifices to divine patrons. Mass ceremonies were accompanied by the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, as well as the awarding of the winners and their triumphant return home.
The Greeks even adjusted the chronology to the conduct of their favorite sports, cultural and entertainment event, creating the so-called “ olympic calendar". According to him, the holiday was to be held in the "holy month", which begins on the first full moon after the summer solstice. The cycle was 1417 days, or the Olympics - that is, the ancient Greek "Olympic year". Of course, the warlike Romans were not going to put up with this state of affairs and free thinking in society. And although the Olympic Games still continued after Rome conquered the lands of Hellas, the pressure and oppression of Greek culture inevitably affected them, gradually leading to a complete decline.
A similar fate befell other, less significant, but similar in principle, sporting events. Their, starting from about the 6th century. BC. regularly held in honor of various gods and named after the venue: the Pythian Games, the Isthmian Games, the Nemean Games, etc. Mention of them along with the Olympic Games can be found in Herodotus, Plutarch, Lucian and some other ancient authors. But none of these competitions have gone down in history so firmly, have not influenced the development of European culture so much and have not been subsequently reinstated in rights as the Olympic Games.
Revival of the Olympic Games
Christian dogmas ruled over the European continent for more than one and a half thousand years, during which there was no question of holding the Olympic Games in their classical format. Even the Renaissance, which revived ancient values and cultural achievements, was powerless in this matter. And only at the end of the 19th century, that is, relatively recently, the restoration of the rights of the ancient Greek traditions of physical culture became possible. This event is associated with the name of Pierre de Coubertin. This 33-year-old French baron, who succeeded in his pedagogical and literary career and social activities, considered regular sports competitions an excellent opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding around the world in general and raise the national consciousness of his compatriots in particular.
In June 1894, de Coubertin spoke at an international congress at the Sorbonne with a proposal to revive the Olympic Games. The proposal was received with enthusiasm, at the same time the International Olympic Committee was created, and de Coubertin himself was appointed general secretary. And already two years later, it took place for preparation, in 1896 in Athens, the capital of the cradle of the Olympic Games, the first modern Olympic Games were held. And with great success: 241 athletes from 14 countries of the world, and the leaders of these countries, and the flattered Greek government were very pleased with the sports event. The IOC immediately established a rotation of venues for the Olympics and a 4-year gap between Games.
Therefore, the second and third Olympic Games were already held in the twentieth century, in 1900 and 1904, in Paris (France) and St. Louis (USA), respectively. Even then, their organization adhered to the Charter of the Olympic Games, approved by the International Sports Congress. Its main provisions remain unchanged today. In particular, those related to the ordinal numbering of the Games, their symbols, venue and some other technical and organizational issues. As for the Olympic sports, their list is not constant and changes from time to time, either including or excluding some individual items. But basically today these are 28 (41 disciplines) sports:
- Rowing
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Wrestling
- Freestyle wrestling
- Greco-Roman wrestling
- Cycling
- Track Cycling
- Mountain bike (Mountain bike)
- Road cycling
- Swimming
- Water polo
- Diving
- Synchronized swimming
- Volleyball
- Beach volleyball
- Handball
- Gymnastics
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Trampoline jumping
- Golf
- Rowing and canoeing
- Rowing slalom
- Judo
- Dressage
- Show jumping
- Triathlon
- Athletics
- Table tennis
- Sailing
- Rugby
- Modern pentathlon
- Archery
- Tennis
- Triathlon
- Taekwondo
- Weightlifting
- Fencing
- Football
- Field hockey
By the way, the modern pentathlon was also created on the initiative of de Coubertin. He also founded the tradition, later enshrined in the Olympic Charter, to hold demonstration competitions in 1-2 sports not recognized by the IOC. But the idea of the Baron to hold Art Contests at the Olympic Games did not take root. But the personalized Pierre de Coubertin Medal is still awarded by the International Olympic Committee for "outstanding manifestations of the Olympic sports spirit." This award is a special honor for the athlete, and many value it much higher than the Olympic gold medal.
By the way, Olympic medal was also born with the modern Olympic Games and can be considered the brainchild of de Coubertin's inexhaustible enthusiasm and ingenuity. After all, the ancient Greeks awarded their athletes not with medals at all, but with any other prizes: olive wreaths, gold coins and other jewelry. One of the kings even granted the victorious athlete his state. V modern world such waste is unthinkable, because all the principles of awarding and the system of awards of the Olympic Games since 1984 are clearly spelled out in the Olympic Charter.
Development of the Olympic Games. Paralympic and Winter Olympic Games.
The Olympic Charter is a kind of charter that contains the rules of the Olympic Games and the activities of the IOC, and also reflects the very concept and philosophy of the Olympics. At the beginning of its existence, it still allowed for corrections and amendments. In particular, since 1924, it also regulates the holding of the Winter Olympic Games, or "White Olympics", conceived as an addition to the main summer games. The first winter Olympics was held in Sweden and then regularly held in the same years as the Summer Olympics for almost a century. And only in 1994, the tradition began to separate the summer and winter Olympics from each other by a two-year interval. Today the Olympic winter Games include the following 7 winter (15 disciplines) sports:
- Biathlon
- Curling
- Skating
- Figure skating
- Short track
- Skiing
- Ski nordic
- Ski race
- Ski jumping
- Snowboard
- Freestyle
- Bobsled
- Luge
- Skeleton
- Hockey
A little earlier, in 1960, the IOC decided to hold competitions for athletes with disabilities. They are called the Paralympic Games in connection with the generalized term for diseases of the spine. But later it was reformulated in the Paralympic Games and explained by "parallelism", equality with the Olympic Games, since athletes with other diseases also began to compete. By their example, they demonstrate the moral and physical strength necessary for a fulfilling life and sports victories.
Rules and traditions of the Olympic Games
The scale and significance of the Olympic Games has surrounded them with many traditions, nuances and social myths. Each regular competition is accompanied by close attention of the world community, the media and private fans. Over the years, the Games have indeed acquired many rituals, most of which are recorded in the Charter and are strictly observed by the IOC. Here are the most significant ones:
- Olympic Games Symbol- 5 multi-colored rings fastened together, placed in two rows, implies the union of the five parts of the world. In addition to him, there is the Olympic motto "Faster, higher, stronger!"
- Opening and closing of the Olympic Games- This is a grandiose performance, which has become a kind of tacit competition between the organizers in the scale and high cost of this action. They do not spare funds for staging these ceremonies, using expensive special effects, inviting the best screenwriters, artists and world celebrities. The inviting party makes great efforts to ensure the audience's interest.
- Financing of the Olympic Games- the responsibility of the organizing committee of the host country. Moreover, the proceeds from the broadcast of the Games and other marketing activities within their framework are transferred to the IOC.
- Country, or rather the city, the holding of the next Olympic Games is determined 7 years before their date. But even 10 years before the holding, candidate cities provide the IOC with applications and presentations with evidence of their advantages. Acceptance of applications lasts for a year, then, 8 years before the finalists are called, and only then the members of the IOC, by secret ballot, appoint a new host of the Olympics. All this time the world is in a tense expectation of a decision.
- Most Olympic Games were held in the USA - 8 Olympiads. France has hosted the Olympics 5 times, and Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada - 3 times each.
- Title of champion of the Olympic Games- the most honorable in the career of any athlete. Moreover, it is given forever, "the former Olympic champions" can not be.
- Olimpic village- This is the traditional habitat of delegations from each country participating in the Olympics. It is built by the organizing committee according to the requirements of the IOC and lodges there only athletes, coaches and service personnel. Thus, it turns out a whole town, with its own infrastructure, training grounds, post offices and even beauty salons.
Young people of today devote little time to sports, not only at the professional level, but also at the amateur level. An extensive network of competitions operates to popularize sports. Today we will consider in which country the Olympic competitions originated, when they were held, the situation today.
In contact with
Ancient sports
The date of the first Olympic Games (hereinafter OG) is unknown, but preserved them - Ancient Greece... The flourishing of Hellenic statehood led to the formation of a religious and cultural holiday, which for a time united the layers of an egoistic society.
The worship of the beauty of the human body was actively cultivated, enlightened people strove to achieve perfection of forms. It is not for nothing that most marble statues from the Greek period depict the beautiful men and women of that time.
Olympia is considered the first "sports" city of Hellas, here the winners of the championships were revered as full participants fighting. In 776 BC. the celebration was revived.
The reason for the decline of the Olympic Games is the Roman expansion into the Balkans. With the spread of the Christian faith, such holidays began to be considered pagan. In 394, Emperor Theodosius I banned sports competitions.
Attention! Sports competitions provided for several weeks of neutrality - it was forbidden to declare or wage wars. Every day was considered sacred, dedicated to the gods. It is not surprising that the Olympic Games originated in the territory of Hellas.
Prerequisites for the revival of OI
The ideas of world championships never died out completely, England held tournaments and sports competitions of a local nature. The history of the Olympic Games in the 19th century is characterized by the hosting of the Olympia, the forerunner of modern competitions. The idea belongs to the Greeks: Sutsos and public figure Zappas. They made the first Olympic Games of our time possible.
Archaeologists have discovered in the country where sports competitions were born, clusters of ancient monumental structures of unknown purpose. of those years he was very interested in Antiquity.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin considered the physical training of soldiers inappropriate. In his opinion, this was the reason for the defeat in the last war with the Germans (Franco-Prussian confrontation of 1870-1871). He sought to instill in the French the desire for self-development. He believed that young people should "break lances" in sports arenas, and not through military conflicts.
Attention! Excavations in Greece were carried out by a German expedition, so Coubertin succumbed to revanchist sentiments. His expression “The German people have found the remains of Olympia. Why shouldn't France restore the fragments of its former power? ”, Often serves as a fair proof.
Baron with a great heart
is the founder modern Olympic Games. Let's devote a few words to his biography.
Little Pierre was born on January 1, 1863 in the capital of the French Empire. Youth passed through the prism of self-education, attended a number of prestigious colleges in England and America, considered sports an integral part of the development of a person as a person. He was engaged in rugby, was a judge of the first final of the French championship.
The history of the famous competitions was of interest to the then society, so Coubertin decided to hold a world-wide competition. November 1892 was remembered for his lecture at the Sorbonne University. It was dedicated to revival Olympic movement... Russian General Butovsky was imbued with Pierre's ideas, as he adhered to the same views.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appointed de Coubertin as Secretary General, subsequently - president of the organization... The work went hand in hand with a quick marriage. In 1895, Marie Rotan became a baroness. The marriage brought two children: first-born Jacques and daughter René suffered from diseases nervous system... The Coubertins family was interrupted after the death of Marie at the age of 101. She lived with the knowledge that her husband had revived the Olympics and was in a prominent position.
With the beginning, Pierre went to the front, leaving public activities. Both of his nephews died en route to victory.
As head of the IOC, Coubertin faced frequent criticism. The public was outraged by the “wrong” interpretation of the first Olympic Games, excessive professionalism. Many have argued that he abused his power in resolving issues of various kinds.
Great public figure died September 2, 1937 years in Geneva (Switzerland). His heart became part of a monument near the ruins of Greek Olympia.
Important! The Pierre de Coubertin Medal has been awarded by the IOC since the death of the Honorary President. Worthy athletes are honored with this honor for their generosity and the spirit of "Fair Play".
Revival of OI
The French baron revived the Olympic Games, but the bureaucratic machine delayed the championship. Two years later, the French Congress made a historic decision: the first Olympic Games of our time will take place on Greek soil. Among the reasons for this decision are:
- the desire to “wipe your nose” with your German neighbor;
- make a good impression on civilized countries;
- primacy in the undeveloped area;
- growing influence of France as a cultural and sports center Of the Old World.
The first Olympic Games of our time were held in the Greek city of Antiquity - Athens (1896)... Sports competitions were crowned with success, 241 athletes expressed their desire to participate. The Greek side was so pleased with the attention from the world states that they offered to hold the competition “forever” in their historical homeland. The IOC, on the other hand, decided to rotate between countries in order to change the host country every 4 years.
The first achievements were replaced by a crisis. The stream of spectators quickly dried up, as the competition was held for several months. The first Olympiad in 1906 (Athens) saved the plight.
Attention! The national team of the Russian Empire arrived in the capital of France for the first time, women were allowed to participate in the competition.
Olympian of Irish descent
James Connolly James Connolly - first Olympic champion the world. Working hard from an early age, he was fond of contact sports.
He studied at Harvard University, without demand went on a cargo ship to the shores of Greece. Subsequently he was expelled, but the first Olympiad succumbed to him.
With a score of 13 m and 71 cm, the Irishman was the strongest in the triple athletics jump. A day later he won bronze in long jump and silver in high jump.
At home, he was awaited by the restored student title, popularity and universal recognition as the first modern champion of the famous competitions.
He was awarded the title of Doctor of Science in Literature (1949). He died at the age of 88 (January 20, 1957).
Important! The Olympic Games are held under the supervision of a unique symbol - five fastened rings. They symbolize the unity of all in the movement of sports improvement. Above are blue, black and red, below are yellow and green.
The situation today
Modern competitions are the founder of the culture of health and sports. Their popularity and demand is beyond doubt, and the number of participants and spectators of the competition is growing every year.
The IOC is trying to keep up with the times, has established many traditions that have taken root over time. Sports competitions are now full of atmosphere"Ancient" traditions:
- Great performances at the opening and closing ceremonies. Everyone tries to carry them out on a grand scale, who overdo it.
- The ceremonial passage of the athletes of each participating country. The first is always the Greek national team, the rest according to the alphabetical order.
- An outstanding host athlete must take an oath of fair play for everyone.
- Lighting of a symbolic torch in the Temple of Apollo (Greece). It runs through the participating countries. Each athlete must overcome his part of the relay.
- The awarding of medals is filled with centuries-old traditions, the winner goes up to the podium, over which the national flag is raised, the national anthem is played.
- A prerequisite is the "first Olympiad" symbol. The host is developing a stylized symbol of the sports event that would reflect the national flavor.
Attention! The production of souvenirs can cover the costs of the event. Many European countries will share their experience on how to gain without losing anything.
Many are interested in when the Olympic Games will take place, we hasten to satisfy the interest of our readers.
The ceremony of lighting a symbolic torch in the temple
What year is the new championship
First Olympiad 2018 will take place in South Korea. Climatic features and rapid development made it an ideal contender for hosting the Winter Games.
Summer is hosted by Japan. The country of high technologies will provide safety and comfortable conditions for athletes from all over the world.
The football confrontation will take place on the fields of the Russian Federation. Most of the sports facilities have now been completed; work is underway to equip hotel complexes. Improving infrastructure is a priority for the Russian government.
2018 Olympics in South Korea
Perspectives
Modern ways of developing these competitions suggest:
- An increase in the number of sports disciplines.
- Propaganda healthy way life, social and charitable events.
- The introduction of advanced technologies for the convenience of holding festivals, enhancing the safety and comfort of the athletes-participants.
- Maximum distance from foreign policy intrigues.
First Olympic Games
Olympic Games 1896
Output
Pierre de Coubertin is the founder of the modern Olympic Games. His obsession has helped save millions of lives as countries fight openly in the sporting arena. Keeping peace was a priority at the end of the 19th century, and it remains so today.
“There is nothing nobler than the sun,
giving so much light and warmth. So
and people glorify those contests
There is nothing more majestic than them - the Olympic Games. "
Pindar
These words of the ancient Greek poet Pindar, written two millennia ago, have not been forgotten to this day. They are not forgotten because the Olympic Games, held at the dawn of civilization, continue to live in the memory of mankind.
There are no numbers of myths - one is more beautiful than the other! - about the origin of the Olympic Games. The gods, kings, rulers and heroes are considered the most honorable ancestors of them. One thing has been established with obvious certainty: the first Olympiad known to us since antiquity took place in 776 BC.
Each Olympic Games turned into a holiday for the people, a kind of congress for rulers and philosophers, a competition for sculptors and poets.
The days of the Olympic celebrations are the days of universal peace. For the ancient Hellenes, games were an instrument of peace, facilitating negotiations between cities, promoting mutual understanding and communication between states.
The Olympics exalted a person, for the Olympics reflected a worldview, the cornerstone of which was the cult of the perfection of spirit and body, the idealization of a harmoniously developed person - a thinker and an athlete. Compatriots paid the honor to Olympion, the winner of the Games, as the gods received, monuments were erected in their honor during his lifetime, odes of praise were composed, feasts were held. Olympic hero drove into hometown in a chariot, dressed in purple, crowned with a wreath, entered not through the usual gate, but through a gap in the wall, which was repaired on the same day so that Olympic victory entered the city and never left it.
The center of the Olympic world of antiquity was the sacred district of Zeus in Olympia - a grove along the Alpheus River at the confluence of the Kladey stream into it. In this beautiful town of Hellas, traditional Greek competitions in honor of the God of Thunder have been held almost three hundred times. The winds of the Ionian sea haunted the mighty pines and oaks at the top of the Kronos hill. At its foot is a protected area, the silence of which was broken every four years by the Olympic celebration.
Such is Olympia, the cradle of games. It is not the silent ruins that remind of its former greatness. Testimonies from ancient authors, statues and depictions on vases and coins recreate the picture of the Olympic spectacles.
Near the sacred Olympia, the town of the same name subsequently grew, surrounded by orange and olive groves.
Nowadays Olympia is a typical provincial town, living with tourists who flock to the Olympic ruins from all over the world. Everything is Olympic in it: from the names of streets and hotels to dishes in taverns and souvenirs in countless shops. It is noteworthy for its museums - archaeological and Olympic.
Olympia owes its still-preserved glory to the Olympic Games, although they were held there only once every four years and lasted a few days. In between games, a huge stadium located nearby, in a hollow near the Kronos hill, was empty. Overgrown with grass treadmill the stadium and the slopes of the hill and embankments bordering the arena, which served as a tribune for the audience. There was no clatter of hooves and the rumble of chariots drawn by horses at the nearby hippodrome. There were no athletes training in the spacious gymnasium square surrounded by standing and in the monumental building of the palaestra. No voices were heard in the Leonidion, the hotel for guests of honor.
But during the Olympic Games, life was raging here. Tens of thousands of arriving athletes and guests filled the grandiose sports facilities at that time. Their ensemble in its composition basically differed little from modern sports complexes... In those distant times at the Olympics, only the winner in certain types of competitions was revealed - the Olympionik. Speaking modern language, no one recorded the absolute achievements of the athletes. Therefore, few people were interested in the perfection of the competition venues. Everyone was more interested in the ritual side of the holiday dedicated to Zeus.
As is known, ancient greek history reflects mythology with some degree of reliability. One of the poetic myths of ancient Greece tells how the Olympic stadium came into being. If you listen to this legend, then its founder was Hercules from Crete. Around the 17th century. BC NS. He and his four brothers landed in the Peloponnesian Peninsula. There, at the hill with the grave of the titan Kronos, according to the legend of the son of Zeus, defeated in the struggle, Hercules, in honor of his father's victory over his grandfather, organized a race with his brothers in running. For this, at the site at the foot of the hill, he measured the distance of 11 stadia, which corresponded to 600 of his feet. an impromptu treadmill with a length of 192 m 27 cm and served as the basis for the future Olympic stadium... For three centuries, it was in this primitive arena that the games, later called the Olympic Games, were not regularly held.
Gradually, the Olympics won the recognition of all states located on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, and by 776 BC. NS. acquired a common Greek character. It was from this date that the tradition of perpetuating the names of the winners began.
On the eve of the grand opening of the Games, an ancient tent city was scattered near the stadium on the banks of the Alpheus River. Here, in addition to many sports fans, dealers in various goods and owners of entertainment establishments flocked. So even in ancient times, the concern for preparing for the games involved the most diverse social strata of the population of Greece in organizational matters. The Greek festival, dedicated to the glorification of the physical strength and unity of the nation, worshiping the deified beauty of man, officially lasted for five days. The Olympic Games, as their popularity grew, influenced the center of Olympia - Altis. For more than 11 centuries, Olympia has hosted pan-Greek games. Similar games were held in other centers of the country, but none of them could be equal to the Olympic ones.
One of the most beautiful legends of the past tells about the fighter and protector of the people Prometheus, who stole fire from fire from Olympus and brought it in a reed and taught mortals to use it. As the myths say, Zeus ordered Hephaestus to chain Prometheus to the Caucasian rock, pierced his chest with a spear, and a huge eagle flew every morning to peck the titan's liver, he was saved by Hercules. And not a legend, but history testifies to the fact that in other cities of Hellas there was a cult of Prometheus, and in his honor Prometheus was held - competitions of runners with burning torches.
The figure of this titan remains to this day one of the most striking images in Greek mythology... The expression “Promethean fire” means striving for lofty goals in the fight against evil. Didn't the ancients put the same meaning when they lit the Olympic flame in the Altis grove about three millennia ago?
During the summer solstice, competitors and organizers, pilgrims and fans paid homage to the gods by lighting fires on the altars of Olympia. The winner of the running competition was honored to light the fire for the sacrifice. In the reflections of this fire, there was a rivalry between athletes, a competition of artists, an agreement on peace was concluded by envoys from cities and peoples.
That is why the tradition of lighting a fire was renewed, and later also delivering it to the competition site.
Among Olympic rituals the ceremony of lighting the fire in Olympia and delivering it to the main arena of the games is painted with special emotion. This is one of the traditions of the modern Olympic movement. Millions of people can watch the thrilling journey of fire through countries, and even - sometimes - continents, with the help of television.
For the first time, the Olympic flame broke out at the Amsterdam stadium on the first day of the 1928 games. This is an indisputable fact. However, until recently, most researchers in the field Olympic history they find no confirmation that this fire was delivered, as tradition dictates, by the relay from Olympia.
The beginning of the torch relay races that brought fire from Olympia to the city summer Olympics, was laid in 1936. Since then, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games have been enriched with the thrilling spectacle of lighting a torch carried by the relay at the main Olympic stadium. The Torchbearer Run has been a ceremonial prologue to the Games for over four decades. On June 20, 1936, a fire was lit in Olympia, which then made 3,075 kilometers along the road to Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Germany. And in 1948 the torch made its first sea voyage.
In 394 A.D. NS. The Roman emperor Theodosius 1 issued a decree prohibiting the further holding of the Olympic Games. The emperor converted to Christianity and decided to eradicate anti-Christian games that glorify pagan gods. And for fifteen hundred years the games have not been played. In the following centuries, sport lost the democratic meaning that was attached to it in ancient Greece. For a long time it became the privilege of the “chosen” fraud, ceased to play the role of the most accessible means of communication between peoples.
Ancient Greek athletes competed naked. From the word "naked" ("hymnos") comes the word "gymnastics". The naked body was not considered something to be ashamed of - on the contrary, it showed how hard the athlete trained. It was a shame to have an unsportsmanlike, untrained body. Women were forbidden not only to participate, but also to observe the course of the Games. If a woman was found in the stadium, by law she had to be thrown into the abyss. Only once this rule was violated - when a woman, whose father, brother and husband were Olympic champions, trained her son herself and, driven by the desire to see the champion and him, went with him to the Games. The coaches stood on the field separately, watching their players. Our heroine changed into men's clothes and stood next to them, looking at her son with excitement. And now ... he is declared the champion! Mother broke down and ran across the field to be the first to congratulate him. On the way, her clothes fell off, and everyone saw that there was a woman in the stadium. The judges were in a difficult position. By law, the offender must be killed, but she is a daughter, sister and wife, and now also the mother of Olympic champions! She was spared, but from that day on, a new rule was introduced - now not only athletes, but also coaches must stand on the field completely naked in order to prevent such situations.
One of the types of competition was chariot races - an unusually dangerous sport, often horses got scared, chariots collided, jockeys fell under the wheels ... Sometimes only two chariots out of ten reached the start. But all the same, no matter how strong and dexterous the jockey showed, the winner's wreath was received not by him, but by the owner of the horses!
Women had their own Games - they were dedicated to the goddess Hera. They took place a month before the men's or, conversely, a month after them, in the same stadium where the women competed in running.
With the onset of the Renaissance, which restored interest in the art of Ancient Greece, they remembered the Olympic Games. At the beginning of the 19th century. Sport has received universal recognition in Europe and there has been a desire to organize something like the Olympic Games. Local games organized in Greece in 1859, 1870, 1875 and 1879 left some mark on history. Although they did not give tangible practical results in the development of the international Olympic movement, they served as an impetus for the formation of the Olympic Games of our time, which owe their revival to the French public figure, teacher, historian Pierre de Coubertin. The growth of economic and cultural communication between states, which arose at the end of the 18th century, the emergence modern species transport, paved the way for the resurgence of the Olympic Games on an international scale. That is why Pierre de Coubertin's appeal: "We need to make sport international, we need to revive the Olympic Games!", Found a proper response in many countries.
On June 23, 1894, a commission for the revival of the Olympic Games met in Paris in the Great Hall of the Sorbonne. Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee - IOC was formed, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.
By the decision of the IOC, the games of the first Olympiad were held in April 1896 in the capital of Greece at the Panathenian stadium. The energy of Coubertin and the enthusiasm of the Greeks overcame many obstacles and made it possible to fulfill the planned program of the first games of our time. Spectators enthusiastically received the colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the revived sports festival, the awarding of the winners of the competitions. The interest in the competition was so great that 80 thousand spectators could fit in the marble tribunes of the Panathenia Stadium, designed for 70 thousand seats. The success of the revival of the Olympic Games was confirmed by the public and the press of many countries, who welcomed the initiative with approval.
Legends related to the origin of the Olympic Games:
* One of the oldest is the legend of Pelops, which is mentioned by the ancient Roman poet Ovid in his "Metamorphoses" and the ancient Greek poet Pindar. Pelops, the son of Tantalus, is told in this legend, after the king of Troy, Il conquered his hometown of Sipil, left his homeland and went to the shores of Greece. In the very south of Greece, he found a peninsula and settled on it. Since then, this peninsula has been called the Peloponnese. Once Pelops saw the beautiful Hypodamia - the daughter of Enomai. Enomai was the king of Pisa, a city located in the northwest of the Peloponnese, in the valley of the Alpheus River. Pelops fell in love with the beautiful daughter of Enomai and decided to ask the king for her hand.
But it turned out to be not so easy. The fact is that the oracle predicted Enomai's death at the hands of his daughter's husband. To prevent such a fate, Enomai decided not to marry his daughter at all. But how to do that? How to refuse all applicants for the hand of the Hypodamia? Many worthy suitors woo the beautiful princess. Enomai could not refuse everyone without reason and came up with a cruel condition: he would give Hypodamia as a wife only to the one who won him in the chariot race, but if he turns out to be the winner, then the defeated one must pay with his life. In all Greece there was no equal to Enomai in the art of driving a chariot, and his horses were faster than the wind.
One after another, young people came to the palace of Enomai, not afraid to lose their lives, just to get the beautiful Hypodamia as a wife. And all of them were killed by Enomai, and in order to discourage others to come woo, he nailed the heads of the dead to the doors of the palace. But that didn't stop Pelops. He decided to outwit the cruel ruler of Pisa. Pelops secretly agreed with the charioteer Myrtil Oenomai so that he did not insert the pin holding the wheel on the axle.
Before the start of the competition, Enomai, confident, as always, in success, invited Pelops to start the race alone. The groom's chariot breaks off, and Enomai slowly makes a sacrifice to the great Thunderer Zeus, and only after that rushes in pursuit.
Now the chariot of Enomai has reached Pelops, the son of Tantalus already feels the hot breath of the horses of the king of Pisa, he turns around and sees the king swinging his spear with a triumphant laugh. But at this moment the wheels from the axes of the chariot of Ehnomai jump off, the chariot overturns, and the cruel king falls dead to the ground.
Triumphantly, Pelops returned to Pisa, took the beautiful Hippodamia as his wife, took possession of the entire kingdom of Enomai, and in honor of his victory he arranged in Olympia sports festival, which decided to repeat every four years.
* Other legends claim that in Olympia, near the grave of Cronus, the father of Zeus, a running competition took place. And as if they were organized by Zeus himself, who thus celebrated the victory over his father, which made him the ruler of the world.
* But, perhaps, the most popular in antiquity was the legend, which Pindar mentions in his songs in honor of the winners of the Olympic Games. According to this legend, the Games were founded by Hercules after the completion of his sixth feat - the cleansing of the barnyard of Avgius, king of Elis. Augeas possessed innumerable riches. His herds were especially numerous. Hercules proposed to Augius to cleanse his entire huge court in one day, if he agrees to give him a tenth of his flocks. Augeas agreed, believing that it was simply impossible to do such a job in one day. Hercules broke from two opposite sides the wall that surrounded the stockyard, and diverted the water of the Alpheus River into it. The water in one day carried away all the manure from the barnyard, and Hercules again folded the walls. When Hercules came to Augeas to demand a reward, the king did not give him anything, and even drove him out.
Hercules took terrible revenge on the king of Elis. With a large army, he invaded Elis, defeated Avgius in a bloody battle and killed him with a deadly arrow. After the victory, Hercules gathered troops and all the booty near the city of Pisa, made sacrifices to the Olympic gods and established the Olympic Games, which have since been held every four years on a sacred plain, planted by Hercules himself with olives dedicated to the goddess Pallas Athena.
There are many other versions of the appearance and creation of the Olympic Games, but all these versions, most often of mythological origin, remain versions.
* According to indisputable signs, the appearance of the Olympic Games dates back to the 9th century BC. NS. In those days, heavy wars ravaged the Greek states. Iphit, the king of Elis, a small Greek state on whose territory Olympia is located, goes to Delphi to consult with the oracle, how he, the king of a small country, can save his people from war and plunder. The Delphic oracle, whose predictions and advice were considered infallible, advised Iphit:
"We need you to found Games pleasing to the gods!"
Iphit immediately sets off to meet with his powerful neighbor - the king of Sparta Lycurgus. Obviously, Iphit was a good diplomat, since Lycurgus decides that from now on Elis should be recognized as a neutral state. And all small fragmented states, endlessly at war with each other, agree with this decision. Immediately Iphit, in order to prove his peaceful aspirations and to thank the gods, institutes "Athletic Games, which will be held in Olympia every four years." Hence their name - the Olympic Games. This happened in 884 BC. NS.
This is how the custom was established in Greece, according to which every four years, in the midst of internecine wars, everyone put their weapons aside and went to Olympia to admire the harmoniously developed athletes and glorify the gods.
The Olympic Games became a nationwide event that united the whole of Greece, while before and after them Greece was a multitude of disparate, warring states.
* After some time, the Greeks came up with the idea to establish a unified calendar of the Olympic Games. It was decided to hold the Games regularly every four goals "between harvest and grape harvest". The Olympic holiday, which consisted of numerous religious ceremonies and sports competitions, was held first for one day, then for five days, and later the duration of the holiday reached a whole month.
When the festival lasted only one day, it was usually celebrated on the eighteenth day of the "holy month" beginning on the first full moon after the summer solstice. The holiday was repeated every four years, which constituted the "Olympiad" - the Greek Olympic year.
Sport, often understood by the Greeks as competition, had such a social significance that the earliest accurately dated records dating back to 776 BC. NS. do not contain memories of a battle or political event, but 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 events also had an important religious significance; competitions were held at funerals of significant people and were one of the ways to honor the deceased. It is very likely that the games began and were held in memory of the heroes, whose death was mourned by everyone, like the death of Enomai in Olympia. In the historical era, the funerary significance of the competitions came to naught, their entertainment came to the fore, now they were arranged to please the gods. Over time, some of the cult venues for the competition, in particular Olympia, for political and religious reasons began to acquire great importance, so it was necessary to allow residents of neighboring cities to participate in competitions first, then adjacent regions.
The games became so important that during the games they even stopped wars. The size of the Olympic stadium speaks about the number of people who attended the games - its stands could accommodate up to 40 thousand spectators, and 20 people could run on the treadmill at the same time.
The competitions 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 rites.
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, incidentally, is not surprising. Women, even as spectators, were not allowed to 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 with 14 games, a new competition appeared - double running. In this competition, the runners already ran two stages - 384 m. Later, a long run (from 15 games) appeared at a distance of 7 to 24 stages.
Starting from the 65th Olympiad, the hoplite race was included in the competition - the runners competed in 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 fistfights (added at the 23rd Olympiad), pankration, or hand-to-hand combat(added at the 33rd Olympiad), wrestling (added at the 18th Olympiad) and pentathlon, or pentathlon (added at the 18th Olympiad).
Equestrian competitions were an important part of the competition. Quadriga races were especially popular (since the 25th Olympic Games). The winners were the horse owners, not the drivers. This sport was available only to high society - the richest Greeks and representatives of royal families, who were able to maintain horses.
The prize for the winner in the games was a wild olive wreath and, of course, universal veneration among fellow tribesmen - they even erected statues in their honor.
In 394, the Olympic Games, as pagan, were banned by the Christian emperor Theodosius. For many centuries, mankind has forgotten about these grandiose competitions, sports facilities fell into decay, or were destroyed.
The Olympic Games got a new life in the 19th century - since 1896 the Summer Olympic Games were organized by the efforts of enthusiasts. They were held every four years. Starting in 1924, the Winter Olympic Games were established, which, starting in 1994, began to be held two years apart from the time of the Summer Games.
Greece is truly a magical country. There the wind plays in the olive groves, the waves gently caress the shores, and the generous sun allows nature to turn green and bloom even in winter. It seems that this fertile land is saturated with some kind of extraordinary ether that helps people create beauty and eternity. Greece, ancient Hellas gave the world so many great scientists, architects, poets, thinkers! There is nothing surprising, therefore, in the fact that it was there that the very first Olympics in the world took place.
Olympian gods and ancient Hellenes
Ancient Hellas was a pagan country. The people there worshiped various gods, the most powerful of which was Zeus. He and his "colleagues" in the heavenly pantheon lived on Mount Olympus and were called Olympians. The Greeks built temples for them, arranged ritual ceremonies and even sacrifices. Zeus was especially revered. At the time of the first Olympics, Hellas often fought. It was necessary to repel the attacks of the invaders, and to seize new lands ourselves. And internecine clashes constantly occurred, because Hellas was divided into dozens of regions. Each of them considered itself a small state with its own rules and ambitions. The people in those years were very much appreciated physical strength, agility and endurance, because without them it was difficult to survive in fights. Therefore, men were extremely proud of their muscular bodies and wore clothes that did not hide their biceps. In Hellas, there was even a certain cult of a strong and healthy body. It was the thirteenth century BC ...
How the Olympic Games were born
The history of the first Olympics is rich in myths and legends. The most popular of them is the pro and king Iphit. He was a brave Argonaut and a good king who wanted his people to prosper. Around 885-884 BC, a plague swept across Hellas, claiming thousands of lives. And then there was endless civil strife. Ifit decided to go to Delphi to see the oracle. He wanted to know how to achieve peace in Hellas at least for a short time... The oracle advised to occupy the warlike Hellenes with competitions pleasing to the gods. During their holding, no one had to take up arms, and the competitions themselves had to be held honestly and openly. Iphit rushed to Sparta to the local king Lycurgus. The Spartans attached great importance to physical exercise, and Lycurgus, although he did not like Iphit, agreed to measure his strength. Having agreed, the two rulers drew up an agreement, the text of which was minted on an iron disk. This great event happened in 884 BC. It is a pity that Hercules subsequently threw such a good king off a cliff.
and Hercules
There is another myth about how the first Olympics originated. The year then was 1253 BC. Elis, a small region in the Peloponnese, was ruled by the treacherous and deceitful Augeas. He owned a huge herd, but never removed from his animals. Hercules was instructed to clear the stables of tons of dirt accumulated there in one day. He demanded part of the herd for this, and Augeas agreed. No one believed that Hercules would cope, but he could. To do this, he sent rivers to the stables, changing their channels. Augeas was pleased, but he did not give what he had promised. The hero left empty-handed and wanted revenge. After a while, he returned to Elis and killed Avgius. To celebrate, Hercules made sacrifices to the gods, planted an olive grove and organized competitions in honor of the powerful Zeus. This was the first Olympics in Greece. There are other myths about this event, for example, that Olympias was arranged by Hercules in honor of his victory over Kronos, who swallowed his sons.
Olympia is the birthplace of the first Olympics
Olympia was designated as the venue for the Olympics. This is the territory in Elis, hundreds of kilometers from Mount Olympus. The legendary Altis olive grove with the altar of the mighty Zeus was located here. It was bordered by a wall and was considered sacred. Also, there was already a temple of Zeus, where rituals were carried out for hundreds of years. Later, by the fifty-second Olympiad, a new temple was founded. It provided training palaestra, gymnasiums, houses for guests and athletes, prototypes. Statues of the winners were also installed there. One of them was engraved with the date - 776. This is how scientists who excavated Olympia in the 19th century established when the first Olympiad was. The competition stadium was located at the foot of Mount Kronos. On its slopes, stands were set up that could accommodate up to 45 thousand spectators. Completed this grandiose complex in more than a hundred years, somewhere around 460 BC. The new temple stood safely for 8 centuries, and in 406 it was destroyed by Theodosius II, who hated everything pagan. Nature completed the defeat of Olympia, destroying everything that was still left, with two powerful earthquakes, and then flooding with an unprecedented flood of rivers.
The rules of the first Olympiads, still in force
Modern Olympiads are significantly different from those held over 3000 years ago. However, some of the rules have been preserved to this day. The main one is the honesty of the competition. Now athletes take an oath of loyalty to the Olympic tradition. Previously, there were no oaths, but if an athlete was caught in deception, he was expelled in disgrace, and copper was cast on the penalty money that he had to pay. Before the start of the competition, they were shown to the participants as a sign of edification. The second immutable rule is to hold the Olympics every four years. Then the Greeks introduced a special chronology called Olympic year... It was exactly equal to the usual four. And one more important rule of the past and present Olympiads is to stop hostilities during their holding. Unfortunately, both when there was the first Olympics, and now they do not adhere to it at all. Otherwise, the first Olympics are very different from the current ones.
The rules of the first Olympiads, no longer existing
Now representatives of all countries and peoples can compete. When there was the first Olympiad, the rules forbade non-Greeks, the poor, and also slaves and women to participate in competitions. The latter did not even have the right to attend the competitions. Otherwise, they could be thrown off the cliff.
In the entire ancient history of the Olympics, only Ferenia was able to get there. She was her son's fist fighting coach. For the games, Ferenia dressed up in a man's suit. Her son won, and the woman betrayed herself in a surge of joy. She was not thrown off a cliff just because the people stood up. But since then, all the coaches of athletes, the so-called ellanodics, had to strip to the waist. An athlete who wished to participate in the competition reported this one year in advance. All this time, he trained intensively, passed the established standards, and if he passed, he trained for another month with a special trainer. Interestingly, there was no Olympic flame at the first Olympics, this "ancient" tradition was invented in the 20th century. In Hellas, they carried out a torch race, but not in Olympia, but in Athens - on various holidays.
Types of competitions of the first Olympiads
The first Olympics in Greece took place in just one day and included a 192.14 meter run, the so-called one stage, equal to 600 feet of Zeus. According to legend, the distance was measured by Hercules himself. From the 14th Olympiad, they introduced races for 2 stages, and from the 15th - for endurance. The distance included from 7 to 24 stadia. From the 18th, wrestling and pentathlon (pentathlon), which consisted of wrestling, running, javelin throwing and discus, were included in the regulations. Athletes jumped in length from a place, holding cobblestones in their hands. They were thrown back as they landed. It was believed that this improves the result. The spear was thrown at the target, and the disc was thrown from a special platform. From the 23rd, fist fights appeared in the program, and from the 25th - chariot races. The 33rd Olympiad expanded the program even more. Now the athletes competed in horse, foal and donkey races and mutilated themselves in pankration (something like our ultimate fights). In total, 293 Olympiads took place. Thanks to Theodosius II, they were forgotten, but in 1896 the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin revived the glorious tradition.
How the Winter Olympics was born
The first Winter Olympics took place in France in 1924. Pierre de Coubertin wanted to include figure skating in the program of the first resumed Olympiad, but this happened only in 1908. Figure skating included 4 disciplines. Our Russian Panin-Kolomenkin won the free program. This is how the history of the first Winter Olympics began. The IOC proposed to include a week in the program of the Olympic Games winter species sports. But the Swedes, who hosted the 5th Olympiad, refused, because they already had such competitions. They justified the refusal by the fact that there were no winter competitions in ancient Greece. The 6th Olympiad fell on 1916 and did not take place. At the 7th IOC included in the program figure skating and hockey. The year 1924 has come. The Olympics were hosted by the French, who did not mind winter sports. The competition aroused great interest, and the IOC finally approved the law on the Winter Olympics, and the last competition was awarded the status of "I Winter Olympic Games".
Further development of the Olympic movement
The first Winter Olympics had a fairly broad program. It included hockey, curling, figure skating, ice skating, bobsleigh, several types ski racing and ski jumping. Now the list of disciplines has been replenished with freestyle, luge and alpine skiing, skeleton, snowboarding and short track. At first, the winter competitions were held simultaneously with the summer ones, but later they were shifted by 2 years. The list of participating countries has also expanded significantly. Nowadays, not only are they competing northern peoples but also representatives of African countries. The popularity of the Olympic movement is growing every year. Now spend and regional Olympiads, and in 2015 the first European Olympic Games will be held in Baku.