Ancient Olympics Research Paper

The ancient Olympics were first held in Olympia, Greece in the year 776 B.C. in order to honor the Greek gods. The games were a way for different Greek cities to compete to see who had the better athlete. After all these centuries, the ancient Olympics have been transformed into the modern version we know of today, but that does not mean they are without similarities. In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held in honor of the Greek gods in Olympia, Greece. The ancient Olympics allowed only free male Greek citizens to participate in the games regardless of their social status. The ancient Olympics included running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, pankration, and equestrian events. In addition, there were no water sports such as swimming, even though there were many miles of coastline available. The games were always held in Greece and lasted five days at the end of which there was an award ceremony held in the temple of Zeus. Only one participant was crowned with olive leaves and would have a statue erected in his honor in Olympia. In …show more content…
This version of the games focused on preserving the integrity of the ancient games, but it did change who was allowed to participate. Now men and women are permitted to enter from any country without any regard to religious, economic, or political influence. The modern Olympics alternated on where the Olympics were held as well as whether they would be in the winter or summer. During the modern Olympics, three hundred events take place in thirty-five different sports, including swimming, at the end of which three athletes will be awarded a gold, silver, or bronze medal for each event. These events take sixteen days to complete with ceremonies in between each one. In conclusion, the modern Olympics became the only worldwide events in which every country is invited to, even if they are at