The legend of Olympics has its origins on the plains of Olympia in the ancient Greece in 776 BC. The Games laid emphasis on the promotion of art and discipline of the rhythmic movement of the human body at a level of excellence, which the Gods might envy. The ancient Greek civilization gave the world the institution of the athelete and organised sport as an art form on par with the arts of architecture, sculpture, poetry, theatre and discourse. " We must be immortal as far as we can ". The words of Aristotle sums up the spirit of human aspirations to pursue excellence.
Legend talks of the Greeks offering their best at the altar of Gods. The altar of Rhea, mother of Gods was set up in Olympia in 1370 BC. Her worshippers raced at dawn for the privilege of being the first to light the fire on her altar. For the Atheletes it was a form of prayer as much as a mark of human achievement. Another legend credits the origin of the Games to Hercules in honour of Zeus, his father. It is possible that the Olympics did start from a Greek tradition of funeral games held to honour dead heroes with feats of excellence by competitors. The Olympic games were held every four years in the environs of the temple of Zeus built on the Olympian Plain. The ivory and gold statute of Zeus created by Phidias, the master sculptor dominated the games. The chariot race between Pelops and Oenomaus is portrayed in the front gable of the temple with twelve labours of Hercules on the rear.
While violent games such as boxing and wrestling often resulted in fatal accidents the winner was honoured posthumously. The violation of rules was punished. The athelete represented the nobility of Gods symbolizing the most heroic virtues; beauty of form, strength of body, swiftness of limbs and skill of mind. The bronze figure of discus thrower and the bronze charioteer of Delphi remain symbols of victory and restraint. Besides Olympic games, the Pythian games sacred to Apollo were held at Delphi every four years. The Isthian games were founded in favour of Poseidon by Theseus and the Nemean games of Argolis were connected to Hercules.
The warring Greeks laid aside weapons during the Olympic games and the city states violating the truce were punished. The same code of peace protected individual atheletes. Many atheletes made a living from the many games as prize money was good. Homer’s Iliad details an unusual prize in the chariot race at the funeral games of Patroclus: “a woman skilled in all useful arts and a three legged cauldron with handles which would hold 22 measures”. The sporting heroes on their return home were welcomed with arches built in their honour and a grateful city would free them from taxes. Some are assured a lifetime’s food supply and front seat for public events. The garland of olive leaves, the most prized trophy of atheletic excellence to the winners of Olympic games was not intrinsically valuable.
The Roman conquest of Greece did not end the Olympic games. The new rulers joined them. The last Olympic games were held in 261 AD. When the Roman Emperor became a Christian the games lost their patronage. The terrifying piety of early Christians condemned both human ambition and achievements as symptoms of folly and arrogance. The religious fanaticism damned the search for beauty and artistry as pagan. All pagan shrines were closed in 393 AD by an edict of Emperor Theodosius I It took more than 1500 years to revive the Olympic games in 1896 amidst the wars of feudal Europe, which had become more bitter and destructive than the internecine warfare of the city states of Greece. The sense and sentiments of an Olympic movement afresh perhaps were never more sorely needed. Rest is History.
