Some Info About the Olympics
The Ancient Olympic GamesWhen were the first Olympic Games?
The first known Olympic Games was recorded in around 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. They were created in honor of the king and queen of the Greek gods, Zeus and Hera, and only men could compete. They were celebrated until 396 AD. What events took place in the Ancient Olympic Games? The Ancient Olympic Games consisted of only one race, the "stade" race, which was the length of the stadium and between 180 and 240 metres long (we don't know for sure). Over the years more running races and other events were added, including boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, long jump, javelin and discus throwing. Who took part in the Ancient Olympic Games? Only young men could take part. They had to be free men, and speak Greek. The prize was a crown of olive leaves (a sign of hope and peace). Were women allowed at the Ancient Olympic Games? Women were not allowed to take part. Married women were not even allowed to watch! Did wars occur during the Olympics? At the height of the games over 20,000-40,000 people attended. The Olympics were so important to Greek culture that the city-states stopped all their battles and observed a special truce for a full month before the games started. During this time, men could train for the events and participants could travel to the games without fear. When did the Ancient Olympics end?
The Ancient Olympic games were held for over a thousand years and ended in 393 AD when the Roman emperor Theodosius banned them. He had outlawed the worship of the ancient gods because of new beliefs in Christianity. The buildings were eventually torn down and the city was buried under earthquakes and floods. Was a torch used in the Ancient Olympics?
When Ancient Greece held the Olympics, a fire would burn on the Altar of Prytaneion in Ancient Olympia throughout the celebration of the Ancient Olympics. According to the Ancient Myth of Prometheus, who stole the power of fire from the Zeus, fire is the symbol of life, rationalism and freedom as well as inventiveness. The flame for the Modern Olympics is still lit there. |
Ancient Olympic LinksThe History and Symbols of the Olympics
All-time Greats of the Ancient Games Olympics Brain Pop Make an Olive Leaf Crown The Olympic Flame Modern Olympic LinksThe History of the Olympic Torch The Amazing Story of the Olympic Flame The Torch and the Holocaust The Olympic Rings Olympic mascots from 1968 - 2018 Best of the Winter Olympics Montage NBC Olympics Welcome to 2018 Winter Olympics
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The Modern Olympic GamesWhen were the first Modern day Olympics held?
The first official modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Since then, the Summer Olympic Games have been held every four years in many major cities around the world. When were the first Winter Games held? In 1924 the first Winter Olympics were held. They also take place every four years but are held two years after the Summer Olympics. The city where the games are held is called the “host city.” Women were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1928. What sports are included in the Olympics? The number of sports played at the Olympics changes from year to year. Some of the most popular Summer Olympic sports are swimming, cycling, gymnastics, volleyball and horse riding. There also are many events collectively known as athletics, such as the 100-meter dash, the marathon, hurdling, relay racing, the long jump, the high jump and the pole vault. The Winter Olympic sports include downhill and cross-country skiing, bobsledding, figure skating, ice hockey, snowboarding and ski jumping. Sports that are no longer played in the games include golf, lacrosse, rugby union and water motor sports. If a sport is very popular among spectators and there are a lot of athletes qualified to compete, the International Olympic Committee might decide to introduce it in the next Olympic Games, which usually means that one of the less-popular sports must be dropped. What is the Opening Ceremony? The opening ceremony of the games usually is a dramatic celebration involving hundreds of people. The opening ceremony begins with the raising of the flag of the host country and the singing of its national anthem. There is then a performance involving music, dance and colorful costumes, along with a high-tech lighting and special effects show. After that, every athlete marches into the stadium under the banner of his country. At the end of the opening ceremony, the Olympic torch is passed to the last carrier, who lights a huge fire to open the games. What does the Olympic torch celebrate? The Olympic torch is a symbol of the ancient Greek Olympic Games. The flame is lit in Greece several weeks before the games and travels around the world to the host city of the games. It usually is carried by runners, but has traveled by ship, camel, airplane and canoe. In 2000, the torch traveled underwater for the first time, as a diver brought it past the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. |