Olympic Games

Michael Lahanas

Αρχαία Ελλάδα : Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες

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Cases without a victor

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Athenian Red Figure Vase-painting,

Ideals and Commercialism

Scholars in the last centuries tried to idealize the ancient Olympic Games. Today there is a criticism of the commercialization of the modern Games. But were the ancient Games really different? Maybe there was a Olympic truce but many of the events actually were “military” games such as the Hoplitodromos, wrestling and javelin and also the racing events. The Games attracted various philosophers and others who used this opportunity to talk about their ideas to the public and there was also a opportunity for merchants to sell their products. The number of statues of those who used illegal methods to win and as punishment a statue with their name was setup was not small. There was not a second or third place but only a winner, and some would even die than to loose or others did not even participate when they knew that their opponent was too strong and sometimes for this reason there was a winner without any competition. If you know that you will not earn only a olive wreath but fame and the consequences of it then it is impossible to avoid that illegal methods are used to win.

REMARKS

58th Olympiad,

, Yale University Press , ISBN 0300100833

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Ancient Greece

Medieval Greece / Byzantine Empire

Modern Greece