Olympic Games Essay

The Olympic Games were a sporting contest that are likely to have started in 776 BC. They were held every four years (every Olympiad) in Olympia, originally lasting one day but by their ban in 393 AD they could span for up to five days. As to their origin, there are many different theories that have been discussed by historians – ideas ranging from King Iphitos of Elis asking the Oracle how to end civil wars, to entertainment for the newborn Zeus – either way, the Games seem to have started for other purposes (namely religious or political purposes) as opposed to ‘just for fun’.

The politics of the ancient Olympic Games had a dominant influence – one could argue that the sporting contests were just a vehicle through which political influence could be exercised. The games became a platform for politicians, allowing them to announce new political alliances at the games. They were also used by city-states (independent entities consisting of a city and perhaps its surrounding territory) to proclaim supremacy over other city-state and rivals.

As well as producing victors, city-states and other countries found other sly ways to gain influence. As well as participating in the athletic and equestrian contests of the games, political tyrants of the 6th and 7th centuries BC dedicated profligate offerings to the golden statue of Zeus at the Olympic site. This flamboyant show of religious dedication gained the tyrants favor in the eyes of the gods and this, they believed, would help them emerge victorious in battles of any sort, as well as making them seem wealthy and powerful in the eyes of their enemies.

We can learn from Plutarch that the spectators (50000 of which could fit into the stadium) themselves at least cared more for politics th...

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...ing and closing the five days with sport shunted in between. The statue of Zeus created by Pheidas, arguably the best artistic offering to Zeus, standing at 13m and crafted from solid gold, was located at Olympia for a reason – the Olympics were a hive of activity and worship, more so than a hive of activity and sport/politics. The Games were held in honour of Zeus, and attending the Games was seen as making a pilgrimage to his most sacred place (i.e. the grove, known as the Altis).

In conclusion, I believe that the Olympic Games were undeniably a political event, and they were clearly a sporting event too – although religion, I have found, dominated the festival as opposed to sports or politics. The Olympic Games was much more of a religious festival than a political event or a sporting contest, although on the whole, the Games were in reality a blend of all three.