Olympic Games

The Greeks had strong religious beliefs. Their gods were the source of all power. They felt they could honour their gods by imitating them. So the Greeks tried to be the best in thinking, arts and games, and their culture was known as the ‘Golden Age’ or the ‘Classical Age’ of Greece.

The Greeks built temples in honour of their gods. Each temple, which had no roof, contained a statue of a god. In front of the statue was an altar where they worshipped. The Greeks also had different kinds of festivals in honour of their gods. Two important events of the festivals were the Olympic Games and the theatre. These contributed greatly to the international culture.

Every four years in the middle of summer, a festival was held in Olympia to honour Zeus, king of the gods. The festival was known as the Olympic Games. It was the most important sporting event in Greece. During the games, all wars were stopped. Athletes from all over Greece and from the Greek colonies took part in the games. Only male athletes took part. Women were not even allowed to watch. The Olympics consisted of many events. One of the most exciting events was the chariot race. The chariots, which were pulled by horses, had small wheels and were open in the back. The owner of the winning chariot received a crown made from olive leaves.

The modern Olympic Games are based on the original Olympics held in ancient Greece. Nowadays, Olympic athletes come from different countries of the world and compete in a variety of sports. One sport popular in both the ancient and modern Olympic Games, is the discus throw. Olympic winners were considered heroes. Poets wrote about them. City-states held parades for them. Some city-states even provided them with free meals for a year. The first Olympic Games in Greek history were held in 776BC.