Amelia, Ryan, and Summer's Blog Post

Music from Ancient Olympic Games





The Olympic Games in Ancient Greece were much like they are today. They are a series of athletic competitions held for representatives of various city-states of Ancient Greece held in honor of Zeus. The exact origins of the Games are shrouded in myth and in legend but records indicate that they began in 776 B.C. in Olympia in Greece. The Olympic Games were huge until 393 A.D. when they were suppressed by Theodesius I as part of the campaign to make Christianity a state religion. The games, still much like today, were held every four years. The time became known as olympiad. Because there were wars at the time there was a Olympic Truce so that the contendors could travel safely. The winners recieved wreaths of laurel leaves and today they win medals. Laurel wreaths has interlocking branches and leaves of bay laurel. In the ancient greek mythology Apolo is represented wearing a Laurel Wreath on his head. The games became a political tool for city-states to show dominance

over their rivals. Politicians would announce political alliances at the Games, and in time of war, priests would offer sacrifices to the Gods for victory. The Games were also used to spread Hellenistic culture throughout the Mediterranean. A differenece between the Olympics then and now is that in Ancient times the Olympics featured religious celebrations and artistic competitions. There was a temple on the site of Olympia, which was dedicated to Zeus, held a gold and ivory statue of the king of the Gods. It was created by the greatest Greek sculptor, Pheidias, it stood 42 feet high, and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Olympic Games then had fewer events, and only free men who spoke Greek could compete (although a woman named, Bilistiche, is also mentioned as a winner). As long as they met the criteria, athletes from any country or city-state could compete. The Olympics were always held in Olympia as opposed to moving to different locations like the present day Olympics. Their is one major common ground between ancient and present day Olympics, the victorious athletes are honored, feted, and praised. Their deeds are heralded and chronicled for future generations to appreciate their accomplishments. A very different part of the Olympic Games in ancient times from now is that they had artistic competitions as well as sports. Art Competitions formed part of the modern olympic games during its early years, from 1912 to 1952. This is the kind of music played during the Ancient Olympic Games. The Olympic Games were a big deal then and they still are today.