CONVERGENCE JULY - AUGUST 2016

ANCIENT OLYMPICS
776
BC
• The diaulos or
two-stade race, was
introduced in, during the
14th Olympic Games. The race
was a single lap of the stadium,
where all runners approached
a common post, turned and
then raced back to the
starting line.
• The pentathlon
which consisted of a
foot race, long jump,
discus and javelin throws
and a wrestling match
was introduced.
720
BC
708
BC
BETWEEN
688 BC
AND 680
BC
• Pankration, a
combination of
boxing and wrestling
with virtually no rules,
debuted as an
Olympic event.
• The first Greek
Olympics was held in
Olympia, Greece, to honour
king of the gods — Zeus.
• It contained one event: the
stadion or 'stade' race, a short
sprint measuring between 180
and 240 metres or the
length of the stadium.
724
BC
• The Greek
tradition of athletic
nudity was introduced and
this was adopted early in the
Olympics as well.
• A third foot race, the dolichos,
was introduced and the length
of the race is believed to be
at least 18 laps or five
kilometres.
• Boxing was
introduced as a
game in 688 BC
while chariot racing
in 680 BC.
648
BC
Legend has it that the Roman
Hercules (Heracles), son of Zeus
and the mortal woman Alcmene,
founded the Games, which by the
end of the 6th century BC had
become the most famous of all
Greek sporting festivals. But, did
you know that the Games only
allowed freeborn male Greeks as
participants, where winners were
awarded olive wreaths or that it
was more of a religious festival?
There's more from where that
came from as we unfold several
key events that took place during
the Olympics in Greece.
UP
UNTIL
393 AD
The first
modern
Olympics took place
in Athens, Greece, after it
was revived by Frenchman
Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
It featured 280 male
participants from 13
nations, competing
in 43 events.
Special Feature
The
games were
held every four
years till it was
abolished by Roman
Emperor Theodosius I.
The ancient Games
lasted for 1,170
years.
1896
99