Text Narrator
Introduction
The Olympic Games, are nowadays one of the most popular and prestigious events in the world. This popularity and prestige are due to the great connection that the Olympics have with the mass of spectators who follow the competitions both in person in the stadiums and arenas and on television. However, the history of the Olympic Games is somewhat complex. The image we have of them today was built from the end of the 19th century onwards, but their origins date back to Ancient Greece.
The Olympics originated around the 8th century BC, in the context of ancient Hellas, that is, the set of city-states in Classical Greece. The games took place in the city of Olympia – hence the name “Olympiads” –, where citizens from other cities made pilgrimages in order to participate in the competitions. The first athlete to win a race in Olympia would have been Corobeu, in 776 BC – the race was a race.
Origin of the Olympic Games
The Olympics originated around the 8th century BC, in the context of ancient Hellas, that is, the set of city-states in Classical Greece. The games took place in the city of Olympia – hence the name “Olympiads” –, where citizens from other cities made pilgrimages in order to participate in the competitions. The first athlete to win a race in Olympia would have been Corobeu, in 776 BC – the race was a race.
Within the mythological tradition, the games of Olympia were created by the hero Hercules, son of the god Zeus with a mortal. Hercules was forced by the goddess Hera to perform twelve jobs considered impossible. The fifth of these jobs consisted of cleaning King Augeas's corrals, which contained thousands of animals and had not been cleaned for over 30 years. After successfully accomplishing the feat, Hercules decided to open a sports festival in Olympia, in honor of his father Zeus.
This mythological explanation organized the understanding that was held about Olympic sport at the time. Whenever the games were opened, there was a whole rite of sacrificing animals to Zeus and each competition had to some extent some relation to the worship of this deity.
Among the sports practiced in the old Olympics, were the races, called dromos, and its modalities. In some of them, the athlete had to run for about 190 meters dressed in the armor and weapons of a hoplite (front line combat soldier). In terms of racing, there were also chariots and chariots. The first were chariots drawn by two horses; the second, by four horses. There was also the pentathlon (similar to the current pentathlon), which included five sports: 1) jumping, 2) discus throwing, 3) javelin throwing, 4) running and 5) wrestling.
This mythological explanation organized the understanding that was held about Olympic sport at the time. Whenever the games were opened, there was a whole rite of sacrificing animals to Zeus and each competition had to some extent some relation to the worship of this deity.
Ancient sports modalities
Among the sports practiced in the old Olympics, were the races, called dromos, and its modalities. In some of them, the athlete had to run for about 190 meters dressed in the armor and weapons of a hoplite (front line combat soldier). In terms of racing, there were also chariots and chariots. The first were chariots drawn by two horses; the second, by four horses. There was also the pentathlon (similar to the current pentathlon), which included five sports: 1) jumping, 2) discus throwing, 3) javelin throwing, 4) running and 5) wrestling.
It is interesting to note that the fighting modalities were also quite peculiar. There was, for example, the pale, which was something close to the current Greco-Roman struggle, that is, without punching and kicking. Besides the pale, the pýgme, compared to the contemporary boxing (boxing), but more aggressive. The most devastating of all stands out, the pankrácio, which consisted of a kind of “anything goes”, which included elbows, knees, twists, headbutts, etc.
After the end of Hellas, in the ancient world, the Olympics fell into oblivion for centuries. Other sports developed within each civilization, but there wasn't something that had the scope of the celebration of the Games at Olympia. The restoration of sports practices at a festival such as the old Olympics was only carried out in the 1890s by a Swiss aristocrat and educator named Pierre de Frédy, better known as Baron de Coubertin.
Restoration of the Olympic Games in Modernity
After the end of Hellas, in the ancient world, the Olympics fell into oblivion for centuries. Other sports developed within each civilization, but there wasn't something that had the scope of the celebration of the Games at Olympia. The restoration of sports practices at a festival such as the old Olympics was only carried out in the 1890s by a Swiss aristocrat and educator named Pierre de Frédy, better known as Baron de Coubertin.
Baron de Coubertin believed that the practice of sport should be encouraged in contemporary society, especially among young people. Furthermore, it was interesting that there was an international organization of sports games that would help to promote “peace among nations”, since that context (transition from the 20th century to the 21st century) was fraught with rivalries between the imperialist powers.
As the researcher Kátia Rubio points out: “The restoration project of the Olympic Games as in Hellenic Greece was presented on November 25, 1892 on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Union of French Societies of Athletic Sports, whose paranym was the Baron of Coubertin. On that occasion he would express his desire and intentions regarding the Games: 'The sport must be internationalized. It is necessary to organize new Olympic Games”.
As the researcher Kátia Rubio points out: “The restoration project of the Olympic Games as in Hellenic Greece was presented on November 25, 1892 on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Union of French Societies of Athletic Sports, whose paranym was the Baron of Coubertin. On that occasion he would express his desire and intentions regarding the Games: 'The sport must be internationalized. It is necessary to organize new Olympic Games”.
Two years later, Katia Rubio continues: “[…] at the Sorbonne, in Paris, in front of an audience of approximately two thousand people, of which 79 represented sports and university societies from 13 nations, the sports-cultural congress began at the which Coubertin presented the proposal to recreate the Olympic Games.”
Coubertin's project also provided for the rescue of symbols of the ancient Olympics, such as the lighting of the Olympic flame, etc. For everything to be done in the best way, the first edition should be held in Greece. With the help of Demetrius Vikelas, Coubertin and the other members of the general committee managed to organize the first modern Olympic Games in the summer of 1896, in the city of Athens, capital of Greece.
Coubertin's project also provided for the rescue of symbols of the ancient Olympics, such as the lighting of the Olympic flame, etc. For everything to be done in the best way, the first edition should be held in Greece. With the help of Demetrius Vikelas, Coubertin and the other members of the general committee managed to organize the first modern Olympic Games in the summer of 1896, in the city of Athens, capital of Greece.