History of Olympics Test 1 Flashcards - Exam 1
When did the myceneans exist?
1700 BC to 1100 BC
What did the Myceneans build?
large palaces
Who overthrew the Mycenneans?
Maybe the Dorian
What were results of the overthrow of the Mycenneans?
written language was destroyed, they retreat to the hills
What literature atributed to this time period?
Bards would tell stories. Illiad and Oddysey
What was life like during the mycenean civilization?
lots of farming
How was honor aquired?
bravery and battle. Piety toward the gods. Keeping one’s word
What was a bard?
storyteller and entertainer
What was the importance of pottery in the Mycenean civilization and what story did it tell?
They found pottery over time and started to add stories from the pictures around them of geometric figures
Where is Anatolia and what came from there?
Located in Turkey and a more advanced pottery wheel came from there
What are some more important aspects that came from this time period?
Trade routes
How did the Myceneans aquire food?
Spread out and got food from Southern Italy
Mycenaeans became a more identified greek identity?
Olympic games
What did they do to show their piety through olympics?
sacrificing worship
What is Chaos?
Greek mythology’s answer for creation
What did Chaos create?
Tartarus
Who was Gaea?
The mother and wife of father of heaven and Uranus, who were the parents of the cyclops, titans, and giants
What was the war between the gods?
The Titanomachy
What was Kronos the god of?
time and the ages. Overthrew his father, Uranus, with a sickle which he used to harvest crops
Who was Oceanus?
The Titan son of Uranus and Gaia, the husband of his sister the Titan Tethys, and the father of the river gods and the Oceanids, as well as being the great river which encircled the entire world
Did Oceanus join the other titans?
Hid did not join the Titans in the Titanomachy, the great war between the Cronus and his fellow Titans, and Zeus and his fellow Olympians, for control of the cosmos; and following the war, although Cronus and the other Titans were imprisoned, Oceanus certainly seems to have remained free.
Why did Kronos swallow his children?
Kronos feared his children would overthrow him, so he swallowed them whole when they were born. However, Rhea tricked him into swallowing a rock instead of Zeus, which resulted in Zeus overthrowing him later
What was Rhea the goddess of?
female fertility, motherhood, generation, comfort, and ease
Who were Rhea and Kronos’s children?
Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia
What was Themis the goddess of?
devine law and order
Who presided over the oracle at Delphi?
Themis
Who was the divine voice who first instructed mankind in the primal laws?
Themis
What was Zeus the god of?
the sky and rain. His weapon is a thunderbolt
What was Poseidon the god of?
the sea
Who was believed to have created the first horse?
Poseidon
What was Hades the god of?
ruler of the dead and underworld. Also is the god of wealth
What was Hera the goddess of?
marriage and childbirth
What were the Heraean games?
Only for unmarried women with running events
What was Ares the god of?
Son of Zeus and Hera and is the god of war
What is Ares’s bird and animal?
Vulture and dog
What is Athena the goddess of?
reason, intelligent activity, and literature. She was fierce in battle
Who is Athena is the daughter of?
Zeus
What goddess is a virgin?
Athena
What goddess’s bird is the owl?
Athena
What is Apollo the god of?
music, healing, light and formally, truth
What is Aphrodite the goddess of?
love and beauty
Who is the messenger and cleverest of the gods?
Hermes
Who is the god of thieves and commerce and is the guide into the underworld?
Hermes
Who invented boxing, gymnastics, and care of olive trees?
Hermes
What is Artemis the goddess of?
Chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and environment
What is Hephestaus the god of?
fire and the forge. Volcano is his forge
Who’s husband is Hephestaus?
Aphrodite
Who was the goddess of victory and flew a chariot?
Nike
What was an Olympiad?
A time of union, with a four-year interval.
What was the value of the Olympic Games? Why did anyone compete?
One of the biggest values was victory, but it was the competitors, which had the special meaning in the Games, the noble competition and effort to combine the body, mind, and will in a balanced whole. The purpose was for young men to show their physical qualities and to enforce the relationship between the various Greek cities.
Who was allowed to compete in the Olympic games?
Only greek men, not women. You also had to be wealthy
Where did they compete in the Olympic Games?
In Olympia around the temple of Zeus
What does Pan-Hellenic mean? What were the Pan-Hellenic games?
The Pan-Hellenic Games were of major religious significance. Each of the Games was celebrated in honor of a specific god.
List the Pan-Hellenic games. What was the order in which they occurred? Which god did each
honor?
- Olympic Games. 2. Nemean Games (Zeus). 3. Isthmian Games (Poseidon). 4. Pythian (Apollo).
What were the Nemean Games?
Honored Zeus. Held every two years, alternating with the
Isthmian games. They took place in the summer of the year in which no Olympic or Pythian games were held. The games originally contained only athletic contests and horse races, like the Olympic games. Musical contests were added later
What were victors of the Nemean Games given?
They were originally honored with an olive crown. From the Persian wars onwards, this prize was replaced with a crown of wild celery and gave the victor free meals for life
What were the Isthmian Games?
Honored Poseidon. Named after the Isthmus of Corinth, where they were held. Like the Nemean Games, the Isthmian Games were held both the year before and the year after the Olympic Games. Victors were honored with a crown of celery, pine leaves or a statue.
What were the Pythian Games?
Honored Apollo for killing the dragon, Python and setting up the oracle at Delphi. Held every four years in the summer, always in the third year of an Olympiad. Musical events were the most important events.
What was sacrificed to Zeus by each athlete at the beginning of the Ancient Olympic Games?
100 oxen
What was located at the temple of Hera?
An eternal flame
Who was Pelops and what is he famous for?
believed to be the founder of the Pelopid dynasty at Mycenae in the Greek Peloponnese. Wanted to marry King Oenomaus’s daughter, Hippodamea, who ordered a chariot race where the winner would get to marry her. Pelops won the race, killing Oenomaus, and marrying Hippodamea
What were the events of the Games?
Boxing, chariot races, horse riding, Pankraton (wrestling and boxing), and Pentathlon (discus, javelin, jump, running, and wrestling
How was boxing done in the games?
Fought without rounds or weight classes
How were chariot races done in the games?
Rode 12 laps around the stadium track or 9 miles
How was horse racing done in the games?
Jockeys rode without stirrups for 6 laps. Only for the wealthy
What was Pankraton?
Combination of boxing and wrestling, kind of like MMA. Punching and kicking were allowed
What was Pentathlon?
Discus and Javelin. Also had jump, running, and wrestling
How was wrestling done in the games?
The athlete needed to throw his opponent on the ground, landing on hip, shoulder, or back for a fair fall. 3 throws were necessary to win a match. Biting and grabbing of the private area were illegal. However, attacks such as breaking your opponent’s fingers were permitted.
What happened to those that were caught cheating? What are the Zanes?
Cheaters were punished with a whip. For more serious offenses, the athletes had to pay a fine. With
this money, statues of Zeus were built. At Olympia, the names of the cheaters were written at their base, called Zanes
What caused the end or termination of the Ancient Olympic Games?
The Roman emperor, Theodosius, prohibited the established pagan religion of the Roman state and around 391 AD, Theodosius issued an edict that all pagan temples be closed. This led to the decline in many areas of traditional Greek life such as the Olympic Games
What were the Panatheniac Games?
Held every four years in Athens in Ancient Greece. The myth of the Minotaur was said to be killed during these games
Who was Pindar?
Greek lyric poet of Ancient Greece. Came from a wealthy family and was appreciated by the wealthy class
What did Pindar’s poetry display?
Aristocratic values often relating to the gods
Who was Hieron of Syracuse?
Tyrant of Syracuse. Active participant in PanHellenic athletic contests, winning several victories in the single horse race and also in the chariot race. He won the chariot race at Delphi in 470 and at Olympia in 468. His most important military achievement was the defeat of the Etruscans saving the Greeks
Who was Hercules?
Had to clean the stables of King Augeas of Elis. He approached Augeas, promising to clean the stables for the price of one-tenth of the king’s cattle. King Augeas agreed, and he began rerouting the Kladeos and Alpheos rivers to flow through the king’s stables. King Augeas did not fulfill his promise, however, and after he had finished his labors, he returned to Elis and waged war on Augeas, instituting the Olympic Games. Said to have taught men how to wrestle and measured out the stadium, or the length of the footrace
Who is said to have created the Olympic Games?
Hercules
Who were famous figures of Croton?
Astylos of Croton & Syracuse, Milon of Croton
Who was one of the most legendary athletes in the ancient world, who wore the victor’s crown at Olympia no less than six times?
Milon of Croton
Who were famous figures of Sparta?
Kynisk of Sparta, Acanthus of Sparta, Chionis of Sparta
Who was the first woman to participate in the horse races?
Kynisk of Sparta
Who was the first to win the stadion 3 times in a row?
Chionis of Sparta
Who were famous figures of Rhodes?
Diagoras of Rhodes, Leonidas of Rhodes, Doreius of Rhodes
Who was one of the most famous olympic runners of all time and whose lifetime record of twelve individual Olympic victory wreaths was unmatched in the ancient world?
Leonidas of Rhodes
Who was said to be Hercules’s son and who is said to have won 1300 crowns?
Theagenes of Thasos
Who has been described as “the most famous of all pankratiasts?
Arrachion of Phigalia
What boxer would totally avoid the punches of the other boxer without throwing any himself and is said to have never lost a match, hit an opponent, or struck by an opponent?
Melankomas of Karia (Caria)
What does politics mean in greek?
Relating to citizens
What is an oligarchy?
rule by a select group of individuals.
What is a democracy?
Rule by the people (Males)
What does Homonia mean?
Same mindedness
What was Demokratia?
Meant rule by the people. Comprised of the Ekklesia, Boule, and Dikasteria. Introduced by Athenian leader Cleisthene
Who was allowed to participate in Demokratia?
Only males over 18 years old
How was the Demokratia system different than our U.S. government?
Although we all have the power to vote, we still vote for people who take up positions in the government, who then make most of the decisions that govern our country. In the Athenian system, every person could speak out and discuss every dispute, and then would be a part of the final vote that would decide an action. In fact, the Athenians went to great lengths to stop a single person from gaining too much power or popularity.
What was the Ekklesia?
The assembly and sovereign body of Athens. 40,000 male citizens were able to attend meetings where they were responsible for declaring war, military strategy, writing laws, and electing officials.
What was the Boule?
Also known as the council of five hundred. Group of 500 men, 50 from each of ten Athenian tribes, who served on the Council for one year. Met every day and did most of the hands-on work of governance such as supervisinggovernment workers and being in charge of things like navy ships (triremes) and army horses. It also dealt with ambassadors and representatives from other city-states. The most important job of the was to decide on the issues to be presented to the Ekklesia for debate.
How were positions on the Boule chosen?
By lottery rather than by election
What was the Dikasteria?
Served as the judicial branch of the Athenian city state. Every day, more than 500 jurors were chosen by lottery from a pool of male citizens older than 30
What democratic institution did Aristotle argue contributed most to the strength of democracy?
Dikasteria because they had almost unlimited power
Because there were no police in Athens, who brought court cases, argued for the prosecution and the defense, and delivered verdicts and sentences by majority rule?
The Dikasteria
What led to the end of Athenian democracy?
The takeover of King Phillip II of Macedonia
Who was Pericles?
A brilliant general, orator, patron of the arts and politician. ”the first citizen” of democratic Athens, according to the historian Thucydides. Transformed his city’s alliances into an empire and graced its Acropolis with the famous Parthenon.
Who led the Golden Age of Athens?
Pericles.
Who was known as the first citizen of Athens?
Pericles
Who is known as the Father of History?
Herodotus
Who published magnum opus: a long account of the Greco-Persian Wars that he called The Histories
Herodotus
Who was the runner who inspired the modern marathon?
Pheidippides
What was important about the battle of Marathon concerning the olympics?
The Persian defeat at Marathon halted the Persian Empire’s western expansion, and ensured continued Greek independence. Created the marathon race
Who was Socrates?
Viewed by many as the founder of western philosophy. He didn’t write anything, so everything known about him is through the writings of his student, Plato.
What was Socrates accused of?
He was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death. Choosing not to flee, he spent his final days in the company of his friends before drinking the executioner’s cup of poisonous hemlock
Who was Plato and who did he teach?
Founder of the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. In his written dialogues he conveyed and expanded on the ideas and techniques of his teacher Socrates. He taught Aristotle
Who created the first university?
Plato with his Academy
What was Plato’s most famous work?
The Republic, where he envisioned a civilization governed not by lowly appetites but by the pure wisdom of a philosopher-king
What was Plato fascinated with?
The distinction between ideal forms and everyday experience, and how it played out both for individuals and for societies
What did Aristotle’s writings cover?
His writings cover many subjects including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics, and government
Who taught Alexander the Great?
Aristotle
Who was known as The Philosopher in the West?
Aristotle
Who made lasting contributions to almost every aspect of human knowledge?
Aristotle
What are the different myths for why the Ancient Olympics began?
Hurcules started the Olympic games
What was oil and sand used for during the athletes’ training?
Coated their bodies with oil to help lubricate their bodies. Sand was supposed to protect their bodies while training. Used strigil to scrape off sand
Who was a pupil of Pythagoras and in his training, would pick up a bull above his shoulders each year the bull was living?
Milon of Croton
Who was he first female victor because she owned the horses in the 4 horse chariot race?
Kyniska
Who was a 3 time pankration champion where he died in his last match?
Arrachion
Who jumped 7 m 5 cm or 23 feet in 656 BC to be the longest jump in ancient history? Won 3 titles in the Dialuos and Stade event
Chionis
Who was an olympic runner who won 12 olympic victory wreaths?
Leonidas of Rhodes
What athlete was famous because he was known to have a strong grip on his opponent’s fingers, breaking them?
Sostratos
What athlete won the boxing championship in 520 BC. Punched a plow to straighten it out?
Glaukos
What athlete was a pankration champion and part of the war with Athens?
Dorieus
Who’s family is the greatest sporting family in the ancient world? His sons and grandsons became boxing champions as well, who lifted him on their shoulders to share their victory with him?
Diagoras
What was the length of the Hoplitodromos armor race?
1 race
What was the length of the Stade race?
Around 200 meters
What was the length of the Dialuos race?
Twice down and back or 400 meters
What was a dark age?
A period of time with no historical records, time of fear and uncertainty
Who is the famous greek author responsible for two influential writings such as the Odyssey and Iliad?
Homer
