Ancient greek athletic games

According to Phlegon, a Roman author of the 2nd century AD, the wreath of olive leaves was instituted as the prize for victors at Olympia in BC, on the advice of the Oracle at Delphi. Attic Black Figure Lekythos, ca. They are likely to be competing in either the stadion or the diaulos. The runners are flanked by either judges or spectators. Museum Object Number: MS The archaeological site of Nemea is a lesser visited destination, but certainly worthwhile all the same.

Whilst we don't currently offer Greek Mythology Tours to Nemea, we are happy to discuss creating a bespoke travel itinerary and arranging a guide for you.

Please contact us for more details! As for Isthmia , it is a much smaller archaeological site set in a quiet location. It receives very few visitors each year, and you'll have to use your imagination as to how the site looked in its heyday! Not only were the Games at Olympia the most important in the ancient Greek world, but they also served as the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games.

It's a fascinating archaeological site to visit, and it's even possible for people to run on the stadium track - a track well over two thousand years old! Located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, Ancient Olympia is best visited as a day tour from Nafplion. Our Greek Mythology tour of Ancient Olympia is designed to give you a tour of the site, a deeper insight into ancient Greece, and also to share some of the stories from Greek Mythology.

Popular with families, we've also added a Percy Jackson dimension to the tour. So, if your kids are Percy Jackson fans, this is definitely a tour all the family will enjoy!

Find out more: Percy Jackson tour of Ancient Olympia. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website.

You cannot download interactives. Ancient Greek politics, philosophy, art and scientific achievements greatly influenced Western civilizations today. One example of their legacy is the Olympic Games. He accompanies two boxers stepping lively and shadowboxing in synchronization. One boxing champion named Melankomas of Caria went down in history for his unique fighting technique—he managed to defeat his opponents without ever dealing a blow, or ever being hit himself. Because of his exceptional condition and endurance, he was able to hold up his arms in defense until his opponent eventually became exhausted and submitted.

Terracotta Panathenaic prize amphora jar , ca. Attributed to the Leagros group. Terracotta, 25 in. Athens, the venue for the first modern Olympics in , also held athletic games in antiquity. This event became one of the most important festivals of international competition outside the Panhellenic games.

The Greater Panathenaia involved traditional athletic, musical, and equestrian competitions, such as the horse race depicted on this prize amphora. However, it also entailed an eclectic program of more unusual events, including contests in male beauty, dancing in armor, a chariot-mounting and dismounting race while the chariot was in motion! Victors in the Panathenaic games were awarded olive oil harvested from the sacred groves of Athena. This amphora was the prize for a four-horse chariot race, the most prestigious event in the games and the grand finale of the program.

According to tradition, Erechtheus, the legendary first king of Athens, introduced the contest and is even credited with the invention of the quadriga four-horse chariot.

As many as amphorae, and the valuable oil they contained, were awarded to the winner of this race—more than for any other competition in the games. Left: Bronze hydria water jar , mid-5th century B. Greek, Argive. Right: Bronze hydria water jar , early 4th century B. We know from the inscription on the hydria on the left that it was awarded at games held for the goddess Hera at her sanctuary in Argos. Before the mid-third century B.