30-08-2017, 12:00 PM
The ancient Olympics had fewer events than modern games, and only freeborn Greek men were allowed to participate, although there were victorious women car owners. Athletes from any Greek city-state and kingdom were allowed to participate, although the Hellanodikai, the officers in charge, allowed King Alexander I of Macedonia to participate in the games only after having tested his Greek ancestry. The games were always held in Olympia instead of moving between different places as is the practice with the modern Olympics. The winners at the Olympic Games were honored, and their feats chronicled for future generations.
The ancient Olympic Games were both a religious festival and an athletic event. The games were celebrated in honor of the Greek god Zeus, and in the average day of the games, 100 oxen would be sacrificed to him. Over time Olympia, site of the games, became a central place for the worship of the head of the Greek pantheon and a temple, built by the Greek architect Libon was erected on top of the mountain. The temple was one of the largest doric temples in Greece. The sculptor Pheidias created a statue of the god made of gold and ivory. It was 42 feet (13 m) tall. He was placed on a throne in the temple. The statue became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
The ancient Olympic Games were both a religious festival and an athletic event. The games were celebrated in honor of the Greek god Zeus, and in the average day of the games, 100 oxen would be sacrificed to him. Over time Olympia, site of the games, became a central place for the worship of the head of the Greek pantheon and a temple, built by the Greek architect Libon was erected on top of the mountain. The temple was one of the largest doric temples in Greece. The sculptor Pheidias created a statue of the god made of gold and ivory. It was 42 feet (13 m) tall. He was placed on a throne in the temple. The statue became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.