Greco-Roman wrestling is the most popular style in Europe today. European countries have produced many Olympic and World champions in this style. The first name for the Greek style of wrestling was called Pale, later renamed Greco-Roman. There are two styles in the Olympics; most of the rules for both styles are practically impossible to tell apart. The only variation between the two styles is the moves.
Ancient Olympic Games The Olympic games are not the same today as they were in Ancient Greece some two thousand years ago. The games can be traced back to 776 BC and took place in Greece. The Olympic games were closely linked to the festivals of Zeus. On the first day they had a festival of athletes. On the second day, there was a foot race and the main event took place in the stadium.
Spartan Athletics Although the image of Sparta is heavily based around violence and warfare, athletics played a major leisure role in the lives of all Spartans. This included the young, old, male and females. The Spartans were the first Greeks to begin to practise athletic sports whilst being completely naked, and were the first to introduce the custom of anointing their bodies with olive oil before exercise. Spartans were so passionate about these sporting practises that a shrine was dedicated the Dioskouri (patrons of athletics) in order to assist Spartan runners whilst beginning a race. The full range of Athletic sports participated in by Spartans included stadion (running), discus, javelin, jumping and wrestling, as well as boxing in which they had invented.
Also, the Games were an attractive means of getting men fit. Another factor in the traditional Greek view was that the gods championed a winner, so by creating a competition aimed at producing supreme winners, they declare the power and influence on humans of the highest god, Zeus. No women were allowed to watch or participate in the games and only Greek nationals could participate. One of the ancient wonders was a statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of gold and ivory by a Greek sculptor Pheidias. This was placed inside a Temple, although it was a towering 42 feet high.
Its rules are very simple; there were no eye gouging, biting, and victory was secured by knockout, submission, or death. The winner was awarded the coveted crown of olive branches on the final day of the games. Surprisingly, referees were present and enforced the rules using a large stick (Fight League). Pankration can even be found in Greek mythology when it was used by the heroes Heracles and Theseus to defeat their opponents. Many striking techniques, throws, and holds can be seen on the pottery, statues, and drawings of that time.
One especially influential empire was that of Greece. Ancient Greece contributed many ideas and inventions that have truly survived the test of time, their concepts lasting millennia and more. Even the Olympics, an athletic event last watched in 2014 by hundreds of countries around the world, was actually founded 3000 years ago in Ancient Greece, as a competition to honor their gods! (Document B). The Ancient Greeks continue to influence our lives today in three prominent ways: architecture, politics, and medicine.
In this time they were held for a religious event to honor the gods. The “Games” were held in order to honor Zeus, the father of all gods and goddesses. Only free males that spoke Greek were allowed to compete, unlike the games of our modern age in which they’re composed of different national teams. The events were held at Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece and also said to be the home of the gods. They began in 776 B.C.
The first ancient Greek Olympics record keeping started in 776 B.C. But there are many conclusions that the Olympics were held even sooner. Even though there were many sporting events, the Olympic Games were the most famous sporting events in ancient Greece, honoring the Greek gods. The event was held every four years in Olympia, Greece. The ancient Greeks believed that keeping their citizens strong and healthy would help strengthen the city-states.
The opening ceremony is an Olympic tradition, of which has been upheld for 114 years. In honor of the original games held in ancient Greece, the Olympic athletes of Greece march into the stadium first. The athletes of the other countries then follow in alphabetical order by country, according to the spelling in the language of the host country. The athletes of the host country enter last. For the first time ever in the Summer of 1956 Olympics, during the Closing Ceremony athletes from all nations entered the stadium in unity, rather than marching in one nation at a time.
As distant as 800 B.C., when the Olympics were first played in Greece, the athletes all paid homage to the Greek God Zeus. Sports were started as a religious ritual and the athlete was considered a demi-god, representing both the fans and the gods. In Roman times 2,000 years ago, athletes represented the state during the gladiator games and chariot races. They were seen as soldiers who reassured the citizen that the nation was strong. Today, athletes are not considered to be religious figures but possess great material wealth, privilege, and fame.