Olympic Games in Greece dates. The Ancient Olympic Games in Ancient Greece Briefly

History of the Olympic Games

Take place once every four years Olympic Games- this is the name of sports competitions in which the best athletes from different countries peace. Each of them dreams of becoming Olympic champion and receive a medal as a reward - gold, silver or bronze. Almost 11 thousand athletes from more than 200 countries came to the 2016 Olympic competitions in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.

Although these sports games are mainly played by adults, some sports, as well as the history of the Olympic Games, can also be very exciting for children. And, probably, both children and adults would be interested to know when the Olympic Games appeared, how they got their name, and also what types sports exercises were at the very first competitions. In addition, we will learn how the modern Olympic Games are held and what their emblem means - five multi-colored rings.

The birthplace of the Olympic Games is Ancient Greece. The earliest historical records of the ancient Olympic Games were found on Greek marble columns, where the date 776 BC was engraved. However, it is known that sports in Greece took place much earlier than this date. Therefore, the history of the Olympics goes back about 2800 years, which, you see, is quite a long time.

Do you know who, according to history, became one of the first Olympic champions? - it was ordinary cook Koribos from the city of Elis, whose name is still engraved on one of those marble columns.

The history of the Olympic Games is rooted in the ancient city of Olympia, where the name of this sports festival originated. This settlement is located in a very beautiful place - near Mount Kronos and on the banks of the Alpheus River, and it is here that from ancient times to the present day the ceremony of lighting the torch with the Olympic flame takes place, which is then passed along the relay to the city of the Olympic Games.

You can try to find this place on a world map or in an atlas and at the same time test yourself - can I find Greece first and then Olympia?

How were the Olympic Games held in ancient times?

First in sports competitions Only local residents took part, but then everyone liked it so much that people from all over Greece and its subordinate cities began to come here, even from the Black Sea itself. People got there as best they could - some rode a horse, some had a cart, but most people walked to the holiday. The stadiums were always crowded with spectators - everyone really wanted to see sports competitions with their own eyes.

It is also interesting that in those days when the Olympic competitions were going to be held in Ancient Greece, a truce was declared in all cities and all wars stopped for about a month. For ordinary people, it was a calm, peaceful time when they could take a break from everyday affairs and have fun.

The athletes trained for 10 months at home, and then another month in Olympia, where experienced trainers helped them prepare as best as possible for the competition. At the beginning of sports games, everyone took an oath, the participants - that they would compete fairly, and the judges - that they would judge fairly. Then the competition itself began, which lasted 5 days. The start of the Olympic Games was announced with a silver trumpet, which was blown several times, inviting everyone to gather in the stadium.

What sports were at the Olympic Games in ancient times?

These were:

• running competitions;
• struggle;
• long jump;
• javelin and discus throwing;
• hand-to-hand combat;
• Chariot racing.

The best athletes were given an award - a laurel wreath or an olive branch; the champions solemnly returned to their hometown and were considered respected people for the rest of their lives. Banquets were held in their honor, and sculptors made marble statues for them.

Unfortunately, in 394 AD, the holding of the Olympic Games was banned by the Roman emperor, who really did not like such competitions.

Modern Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games of our time took place in 1896, in the ancestral country of these games - Greece. You can even calculate how long the break was - from 394 to 1896 (it turns out 1502 years). And now, after so many years in our time, the birth of the Olympic Games became possible thanks to one famous French baron, his name was Pierre de Coubertin.

Pierre de Coubertin- founder of the modern Olympic Games.

This man really wanted to more people engaged in sports and proposed resuming the Olympic Games. Since then, they have been held every four years. sports games, with maximum preservation of the traditions of ancient times. But now the Olympic Games have begun to be divided into winter and summer, which alternate with each other.

Traditions and symbolism of the Olympic Games

Olympic rings

Probably each of us has seen the emblem of the Olympics - intertwined colored rings. They were chosen for a reason - each of the five rings means one of the continents:

• blue ring - a symbol of Europe,
• black - African,
• red - America,
• yellow - Asia,
• The green ring is the symbol of Australia.

And the fact that the rings are intertwined with each other means the unity and friendship of people on all these continents, despite different skin colors.

Olympic flag

The official flag of the Olympic Games was a white flag with the Olympic emblem. White is a symbol of peace during Olympic competitions, just as it was in ancient Greek times. At each Olympics, the flag is used at the opening and closing of the sports games, and then handed over to the city that will host the next Olympics in four years.

Olympic flame

Even in ancient times, the tradition of lighting a fire during the Olympic Games arose, and it has survived to this day. The ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame is very interesting to watch; it is reminiscent of an ancient Greek theatrical performance.

It all starts in Olympia a few months before the start of the competition. For example, the flame for the Brazilian Olympic Games was lit in Greece back in April of this year.

In the Greek Olympia, eleven girls gather, dressed in long white dresses, as they used to be in Ancient Greece, then one of them takes a mirror and uses the sun's rays to light a specially prepared torch. This is the fire that will burn throughout the entire period of Olympic competition.

After the torch lights up, it is handed over to one of the best athletes, which will then carry it first through the cities of Greece, and then deliver it to the country in which the Olympic Games will be held. Then the torch relay passes through the cities of the country and finally arrives at the place where the sporting competitions will be held.

A large bowl is installed at the stadium and a fire is lit in it with the torch that arrived from distant Greece. The fire in the bowl will burn until all sports competitions are over, then it will go out, and this symbolizes the end of the Olympic Games.

Opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics

It is always a bright and colorful sight. Each country hosting the Olympic Games tries to surpass the previous one in this component, sparing neither effort nor money on the presentation. The latest achievements of science and technology are used for production, innovative technologies and development. In addition, it involves large number people - volunteers. The most are invited famous people countries: artists, composers, athletes, etc.

Awards ceremony for winners and runners-up

When the first Olympic Games took place, the winners received a laurel wreath as a reward. However modern champions are no longer awarded laurel wreaths, but medals: first place - gold medal, second place - silver, and third - bronze.

It is very interesting to watch the competitions, but it is even more interesting to see how the champions are awarded. The winners stand on a special pedestal with three steps, according to their places, they are awarded medals and raised the flags of the countries from which these athletes came.

That’s the whole history of the Olympic Games, for children, I think, the above information will be interesting and useful

Initially, only local residents of Olympia could be athletes. However, by the thirteenth games, the inhabitants of all ancient Greece join them. Subsequently, the participants in the Olympic competitions were joined by residents from the ancient Greek colonial cities, arriving from everywhere - from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

Participants in the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were only free Greeks who had never committed any crimes, had not broken an oath, and had not stained themselves with dishonorable acts. Accordingly, it was impossible for slaves and foreigners to represent any Greek city.
As for age restrictions, both adult men and boys under the age of 20 could take part in the competition.

They were called “ephebes,” which translates as “mature.”
Women were prohibited from participating. Moreover, the restriction concerned not only participation in competitions, but also the very presence in the territory where the festival took place. An exception to the rule was the presence of a priestess, a representative of the goddess Demeter, and the driver of the quadrigas could be a woman, accordingly receiving the right to perform at the hippodrome.

The participants of the Olympic Games lived on the outskirts of Altis, where a month before the opening of the competition they trained in the palestra and gymnastics. This tradition became the prototype of the Olympic village that takes place in modern games. The costs of living for athletes in Olympia, preparing for competitions and various religious ceremonies were borne either by the athletes themselves - participants in the games, or by the city from which they competed.

How were the Olympic Games held in ancient Greece?

The start date of the event was set by a commission specially created for this purpose, which was then announced by special people called spondophores to residents of other Greek states. Athletes arrived at Olympia a month before the start of the games, during which time they had to train under the guidance of experienced trainers.
The competition was monitored by Helladonic judges. In addition to the judicial function, the responsibilities of the Helladonics included organizing everything Olympic holiday.

Before performing in front of the people, each athlete had to prove to the judges that during the ten months before the start of the games, he had been intensively preparing for the competition. The oath was taken near the statue of Zeus.
Initially, the duration of the Olympic Games was 5 days, but later it reached a month. The first and last days of the games were dedicated to religious rituals and ceremonies.
The public learned about the sequence of a certain type of competition using a special sign. Those wishing to take part in it had to determine their order by drawing lots.

Winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The winners of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece were called Olympians. They became famous throughout Greece, they were greeted with honor in their homeland, since the athletes represented not only themselves at the games, but also the city-state from which they came. In the event of a three-time victory at the games, a bust was erected in Olympia in honor of such an athlete. The winner was rewarded with an olive wreath, and he also stood on a pedestal, the function of which was performed by a bronze tripod, and took palm branches in his hands. They also gave a small cash bonus as a reward, but he received the real benefits upon returning home. At home, he received many different privileges.
Milo of Croton is considered one of the most famous Olympians. He won his very first victory in wrestling in 540 BC, during the 60th Olympiad. Later, between 532 and 516, he won five times, and only at the age of 40 he lost to a younger athlete, failing to receive Olympian status for the seventh time.

Sunset of the Olympic Games

In the second century BC. The Olympic Games began to lose their great significance, turning into competitions on a local scale. This is due to the conquest of ancient Greece by the Romans. Several factors are considered to be the reasons for the loss of former popularity. One of them is the professionalism of athletes, when the games have essentially become a collection of victories on the part of Olympians. The Romans, under whose rule Greece came, perceived sports solely as a spectacle; they were not interested in the competitive spirit of the Olympics.

Who banned the Olympic Games in ancient Greece

The end of the thousand-year history of the Olympic Games was a consequence of a change in religion. They were closely intertwined with the Greek pagan gods, so their implementation became impossible after the adoption of the Christian faith.

Researchers associate the ban on the Olympic Games with a certain Roman emperor, Theodosius. It is he who publishes in 393 AD. a set of laws prohibiting paganism, and the Olympic Games in accordance with these new legislative acts become completely prohibited.

The healing powers of nature

The healing forces of nature include the sun, air and water.

These natural factors play an extremely important role in human life. First of all, they are conditions of life in general, and a person’s health itself depends on how he uses them.

The use of the healing powers of nature for physical. education is carried out in two directions:

As necessary conditions physical education classes(classes on fresh air contribute to the activation of biological processes caused by physical. Ex., increase the body’s resistance to temperature fluctuations, solar radiation, increase the overall performance of the body, slow down the process of fatigue)

As a relatively independent means of hardening and healing the body of those involved (systematic hardening procedures - dosed sunbathing, water treatments, dousing, rubbing, bathing in rivers and reservoirs, staying in mid-mountain conditions, without disturbing the body’s adaptive capabilities, improving health and increasing performance).

THE REVIVAL OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES is associated with the name of Pierre de Coubertin, (1863-1937) a French aristocrat, educator, passionate about the idea of ​​reforming education in France, introducing elements of the ancient education of youth. Disillusioned with politics and the prospect of a military career, the young Baron Pierre de Coubertin decided to devote himself to educational reform in France. He also wrote in 1886-1887. published a number of articles on the problems of physical education.

In the second half of the 19th century, thanks to the creation of the first international federations (gymnasts, 1881, rowers, 1892, speed skaters, 1892) and the holding of world championships and international meetings, sport became one of essential elements interstate communication, promoting the rapprochement of peoples.

Coubertin's initiative at the founding congress in Paris (1894) was supported by representatives of 12 countries. The governing body of the Olympic movement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was created and the Olympic Charter, developed by Baron, was approved.

Subsequently, the Olympic Charter became the basis of the statutory documents of the International Olympic Committee. Its first section provides a description and statute Olympic flag(approved by the IOC in 1913 at the suggestion of P. de Coubertin) a white cloth with the Olympic symbol, which is five colored intertwined rings (according to the number of continents). Olympic symbol also proposed by Coubertin and approved by the IOC in 1913. Since 1920, along with the symbol, integral part The Olympic emblem is the Olympic motto Citius, altius, fortius (“Faster, higher, stronger”). In 1928, Coubertin’s idea, expressed by him back in 1912, was realized: lighting the Olympic flame from the sun’s rays (using a lens) at the Temple of Zeus in Olympia and delivering it by torch relay to the Olympic stadium for the opening ceremony of the Games along a special route developed jointly by the organizing committee of the next games with the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the countries through whose territory it passes.

According to the Olympic Charter, the honor of hosting the Olympic Games is given to the city, not the country. The decision to select the capital of the Olympic Games is made by the IOC no later than 6 years before the start of the games.

The 1896 Summer Olympics - the first modern Summer Olympics - took place from April 6 to April 15 in Athens, Greece.

The first modern Olympic Games were originally planned to be held in the same stadium in Olympia that hosted the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece. However, this required too much restoration work, and the first revived Olympic competitions took place in the capital of Greece, Athens.

On April 6, 1896, in the restored ancient stadium in Athens, the Greek King George declared the first Olympic Games of modern times open. The opening ceremony was attended by 60 thousand spectators.

241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the First Olympiad: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary (at the time of the Games, Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary, but Hungarian athletes competed separately), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy , USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.

Russian athletes were quite actively preparing for the Olympics, but due to lack of funds Russian team was not aimed at the Games.

As in ancient times, only men took part in the competitions of the first modern Olympics.

Athletics competitions became the most popular - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - were won by representatives of the United States.

The first Olympic champion was American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 meters 71 centimeters.

Since there were no artificial swimming pools in Athens, swimming competitions were held in an open bay near the city of Piraeus; the start and finish were marked by ropes attached to the floats. The competition aroused great interest - by the start of the first swim, about 40 thousand spectators had gathered on the shore. About 25 swimmers from six countries took part, most of them naval officers and sailors of the Greek merchant fleet.

The culmination of the Olympic Games was the marathon running. Unlike all subsequent Olympic competitions in marathon running, the length of the marathon distance at the Games of the First Olympics was 40 kilometers. Classic length marathon distance- 42 kilometers 195 meters. The first to finish with a result of 2 hours 58 minutes 50 seconds was the Greek postman Spyridon Louis, who became a national hero after this success. In addition to the Olympic awards, he received a gold cup established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on inclusion in the Games program marathon running, a barrel of wine, a coupon for free food for a year, free tailoring of a dress and the use of a hairdresser for life, 10 quintals of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 rams.

The winners were awarded on the closing day of the Games - April 15, 1896. Since the Games of the First Olympiad, the tradition of singing the national anthem and raising the national flag in honor of the winner has been established. The winner was crowned with a laurel wreath, given a silver medal, an olive branch cut from the Sacred Grove of Olympia, and a diploma made by a Greek artist. Second place winners received bronze medals.

Hygiene factors.

Hygiene factors include: personal and public hygiene (cleanliness of the body, cleanliness of places of activity, air, sports suit), adherence to sleep patterns (violation can completely remove positive effect physical classes ex. and even cause harm to health), compliance with the diet (violation reduces the result of physical education), compliance with the work and rest regime. Overwork deteriorates health, as does constant rest.

Flexibility is the morphofunctional ability of the motor system, which allows you to perform movements with a certain amplitude.

Flexibility affects the level of development of coordination abilities, endurance, speed and speed-strength abilities.

A person with poor flexibility has slower movements, all other things being equal, because... low mobility in the joints reduces the speed of movement. Such a person gets tired faster, since movements with the same amplitude, a non-flexible person spends more energy than a flexible person.

Flexibility depends on the following factors:

1. Anatomical structure and the shape of joints and articulating surfaces. A deeper glenoid cavity limits the range of mobility in this joint. In this regard, flexibility is largely determined by congenital, hereditary characteristics that have large individual differences.

2. Elasticity of the muscular-ligamentous apparatus surrounding the joints.

3. Strength ability muscular system, in particular, the strength of the muscles producing the movement (synergists), and the degree of relaxation of the antagonists.

4. Age and gender of the person ( naturally flexibility increases on average until 10-12 years, then stabilizes, and begins to decline from 25-30 years). The optimal age for improving flexibility is from 8 to 14 years.

5. External conditions: air temperature (at 20...30 °C flexibility is higher than at 5...10 °C); whether the warm-up was carried out (after a warm-up lasting 20 minutes, flexibility is higher than before the warm-up), time of day (in the morning flexibility is minimal, in the afternoon it increases, in the evenings due to fatigue it decreases).

According to the form of manifestation There is a distinction between active and passive flexibility.

Active Flexibility- movement with a large amplitude is performed due to the own activity of the corresponding muscles. Passive flexibility- the ability to perform movements under the influence of external tensile forces: the efforts of a partner, external weights, special devices, etc.

According to the method of manifestation Flexibility is divided into dynamic (manifests in movements) and static (manifests in poses).
There are also general (high mobility in all joints) and special flexibility (range of movements corresponding to the technique of a specific motor action).

The main means of developing flexibility is:

Dynamic exercises without weights,

Dynamic exercises with weights,

Static controls

Ticket 28

1. Modern Olympic Games, their symbols and rituals. The Olympic Charter is the basic law of the modern sports movement.

Modern Olympic Games- the largest international complex sports competitions, which are held every four years under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee.

The modern Olympic Games were revived at the end of the 19th century by French public figure Pierre de Coubertin. The Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896, with the exception of years following the World Wars. In 1924, the Winter Olympic Games were established and were originally held in the same year as the Summer Olympics. However, since 1994, the timing of the Winter Olympic Games has been shifted by two years relative to the timing of the Summer Games.

The same Olympic Games venues host the Paralympic Games for people with disabilities a few days later.

The principles, rules and regulations of the Olympic Games are determined by the Olympic Charter, the foundations of which were approved by the International Sports Congress in Paris in 1894, which, at the proposal of the French educator and public figure Pierre de Coubertin, decided to organize the Games on the model of the ancient ones and to create the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Symbol of the Olympic Games - olympic rings, five fastened rings symbolizing the unification of the five inhabited parts of the world in the Olympic movement. The colors of the rings in the top row are blue, black and red. In the bottom row - yellow and green.

Among the traditional rituals of the Games (in the order in which they are held):

• grandiose and colorful opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.
• opening and closing begin with a theatrical performance, which should present to the audience the appearance of the country and city, acquaint them with their history and culture.
• ceremonial passage of athletes and members of delegations through the central stadium. delivering welcoming speeches by the IOC President (mandatory), as well as by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee or other official representative of the host state. The official opening of the games (usually by the head of state) with the phrase: “(serial number of games) Summer (Winter) Olympic Games I declare open.” After which, as a rule, a gun salvo and many salvoes of fireworks and fireworks are fired.
• raising the flag of Greece as the parent country of the Games with the performance of its national anthem (at the closing ceremony).
• Raising the flag of the host country of the Games and singing its national anthem.
• uttered by one of the outstanding athletes of the country in which the Olympics are taking place, olympic oath on behalf of all participants in the games about fair competition in accordance with the rules and principles of sport and the Olympic spirit;
• the pronouncement by several judges on behalf of all judges of an oath of impartial judging;
• raising the Olympic flag with the playing of the official Olympic anthem.
• sometimes - raising the flag of Peace (a blue cloth depicting a white dove holding an olive branch in its beak - two traditional symbols of Peace), symbolizing the tradition of stopping all armed conflicts during the Games.
• The opening ceremony culminates with the lighting of the Olympic flame. The bowl is located high above the stadium. The fire must burn throughout the Olympics and is extinguished at the end of the closing ceremony.
• presentation of medals to the winners and prize-winners of the competition on a special podium with the raising of national flags and the playing of the national anthem in honor of the winners.
• During the closing ceremony there is also a theatrical performance - farewell to the Olympics, the passage of participants, a speech by the IOC President and a representative of the host country. Olympic Charter- a document that sets out the fundamental principles of Olympism, the rules adopted by the IOC.

The Olympic Charter has three objectives:

• a document of a constitutional nature establishing the principles and values ​​of Olympism;
• IOC statutes;
• regulations on the distribution of responsibilities between the International Olympic Committee, international federations, national Olympic committees and organizing committees for the Olympic Games.

2. Methods of physical education. Their general taxonomy and characteristics of the main groups of methods

Methods of physical education- these are the methods of application physical exercise. IN physical education two groups of methods are used (Fig. 4): specific methods of physical education (characteristic only for the process of physical education) and general pedagogical methods of physical education (used in all cases of training and education).

Specific methods of physical education:

1) strictly regulated exercise methods;

2) game method (using exercises in a game form);

3) competitive method (use of exercises in a competitive form).

With the help of these methods, specific problems related to teaching the technique of performing physical exercises and developing physical qualities are solved.

General pedagogical methods methods of physical education:

1) verbal methods;

2) methods of visual influence.

In the methodology of physical education, none of the methods can be limited as the best. Only the optimal combination of these methods in accordance with methodological principles can ensure the successful implementation of a set of physical education tasks.

A method of strictly regulated exercise. Main methodological direction In the process of physical education there is strict regulation of exercises. The essence of strictly regulated exercise methods is that each exercise is performed in a strictly specified form and with a precisely determined load.

Game method. In the system of physical education, the game is used to solve educational, health and educational problems.

Competitive method - it is a way of performing exercises in a competitive manner. The essence of the method is to use competitions as a means of increasing the level of preparedness of students. Required condition The competitive method is the preparedness of those involved to perform the exercises in which they must compete.

Verbal (verbal) and methods of providing visibility (sensory methods.) Verbal and sensory methods involve extensive use of words and information.

3. Means and methods of stimulation muscle mass and harmonization of the muscular composition of the morphostructure of the body.

Optimization of muscle volume is derived to a decisive extent from the comprehensive development of motor abilities. At the same time, it naturally depends on the individual characteristics of the physique and other factors, in particular on the characteristics of sports specialization.

firstly, in connection with ensuring the harmonious formation of physique properties, especially if it is necessary to selectively influence certain parts of the muscular system that, for various reasons, lag behind in their development;

secondly, when the achieved level of development of one’s own strength abilities is increased and maintained, since it is largely determined by the growth of muscle mass.

Although many physical exercises contribute to increasing muscle mass to one degree or another, if necessary, enhance hypertrophy skeletal muscles preference is given to strength exercises that are part of strength (athletic) gymnastics and weightlifting.

It is known that the synthesis of muscle proteins is to a certain extent directly proportional to their consumption (splitting, breakdown) during intense exercise. muscle work performed under anaerobic conditions. Therefore, an adequate means of stimulating muscle hypertrophy is strength exercises, characterized by significant burdens, but not extreme intensity, which allows them to prolong their impact through continuous serial repetitions.

Sets of exercises used to activate muscle hypertrophy on various stages physical education are naturally different. Depending on the predominant direction of influence, they include exercises with general (generalized), regional and local coverage of parts of the muscular system. This approach to normalizing loads remains valid when using predominantly local exercises, but the specific load values ​​must be varied, of course, in relation to the characteristics of the functioning and structure of the muscles exposed. Strengthening the effectiveness of exercises that stimulate muscle hypertrophy is facilitated by a number of methodological techniques, which increase the degree of summation of influences in the process of serial reproduction of exercises as they adapt to the usual load rate.

One of the most essential conditions for the effectiveness of exercises used to activate muscle growth is an appropriately balanced diet, including an increased amount of proteins, mainly of animal origin, - building material muscle biosynthesis.

The problem of eliminating excess fat, and sometimes total mass bodies practically still have to be addressed in physical education. The best course of action in such situations (not counting pathological cases requiring special medical intervention) is, first of all, to eliminate the underlying causes of unwanted deviations in body weight through proper physical education and accordingly adjusted nutrition. To combat excess body fat, predominantly long-term moderate-intensity exercises such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, skiing, rowing, etc. are recommended.

Ticket 29

1. National and universal values ​​in the Olympic movement. Olympism - unity sports, culture and education. Principles of Olympism.

The main values ​​of the modern Olympic movement, focusing on the ideas of humanism, were first formulated and substantiated by Pierre de Coubertin, who, as noted in the Olympic Charter, owns the concept of modern Olympism. They can be briefly described as follows:

1. An Olympian is a person characterized by:

• holistic, harmonious development of physical, mental and spiritual (moral, aesthetic) qualities;
• activity, determination, focus on constant self-knowledge, self-improvement, achievements in one’s activities.

2. Behavior in sports that is adequate to the Olympic principles and ideals:

• not just participation in sports competitions, but a constant desire to improve one’s results, courage, will, perseverance for the highest possible (taking into account one’s own capabilities) sporting achievements, to victory over an opponent with strict adherence not only to the rules, but also moral principles, underlying fair play;
• refusal of the desire to win at any cost (at the expense of one’s own health or causing damage to the health of an opponent, through deception, violence, dishonest refereeing, and other inhumane actions).

3. Humanistic values ​​of peace, friendship and mutual understanding: democracy, internationalism, equality of all people and nations, education in the spirit of true patriotism combined with mutual respect between nations, despite racial, religious and political differences.

The unity of sports and culture is not limited only to the Olympic Games, but only to the elite of sports and art. Among other fundamental principles, the Olympic Charter names the connection of sport with education, which affects millions of sports fans, and above all the younger generation. Olympic education appears in organic unity with education. The potential capabilities of the Olympic movement in the pursuit of humanism were worthily assessed by Pierre de Coubertin, even at the dawn of the revival of the Olympic Games, noting that in the modern world, full of powerful opportunities and at the same time dangers, disastrous destruction, the Olympic movement can become a school for instilling nobility and moral purity, equally like physical endurance and strength.

Fundamental principles of Olympism:

1. Olympism is a philosophy of life that elevates and integrates into a balanced whole the dignity of body, will and mind. Olympism, which combines sport with culture and education, strives to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, on the educational value of good example and on respect for universal basic ethical principles.

2. The goal of Olympism is the widespread use of sport in the service of the harmonious development of man in order to contribute to the creation of a peaceful society that cares about the preservation of human dignity.

3. The Olympic Movement is the concentrated, organized, universal and permanent activity of all individuals and organizations inspired by the values ​​of Olympism, carried out under the leadership of the IOC. This activity spans five continents. Its pinnacle is the unification of athletes from all over the world at the great sports festival- Olympic Games. Its symbol is five intertwined rings.

4. Playing sports is a human right. Everyone should have the opportunity to play sport without discrimination, in the spirit of Olympism, mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play. The organization, direction and management of sports should be controlled by independent sports organizations.

5. Any form of discrimination against a country or person of a racial, religious, political or gender nature is incompatible with membership in the Olympic Movement.

6. Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires mandatory compliance with the provisions of the Olympic Charter and recognition by the IOC.

2. Methods of strict regulation of physical exercises used in teaching motor actions

Methods of teaching motor actions. These include:

1)holistic method(method of holistic-constructive exercise);

2) dismembered-constructive;

3) associated impact.

Method of holistic-constructive exercise. Can be used at any stage of training. Its essence lies in the fact that the technique of motor action is mastered from the very beginning in its entire structure without being divided into separate parts. The holistic method allows you to learn structurally simple movements (for example, running, simple jumps, general developmental exercises, etc.).

Using the holistic method, it is possible to master individual parts, elements or phases not in isolation, but in the overall structure of the movement, by focusing students’ attention on the necessary parts of the technique. The disadvantage of this method is that in uncontrolled phases or details of a motor action (movement), errors in technique can be consolidated. Therefore, when mastering exercises with a complex structure, its use is undesirable. In this case, preference is given to the dismembered method.

Dismembered-constructive method. Used in the initial stages of training. It involves the division of an integral motor action (mainly with a complex structure) into separate phases or elements with their alternate learning and subsequent combination into a single whole.

The disadvantage of the dismembered method is that elements learned in isolation cannot always be easily combined into a holistic motor action.

In the practice of physical education, holistic and dismembered-constructive methods are often combined. First, start learning the exercise holistically. Then they master the most difficult selected elements and finally return to holistic execution.

Coupled influence method. It is used mainly in the process of improving learned motor actions to improve their qualitative basis, i.e. effectiveness. Its essence lies in the fact that the technique of motor action is improved under conditions that require increased physical effort. For example, an athlete in training throws a weighted javelin or discus, long jumps with a weighted belt, etc. In this case, both movement technique and physical abilities are simultaneously improved.

When applying the conjugate method, it is necessary to pay attention to ensure that the technique of motor actions is not distorted and their integral structure is not disrupted.

3. Effective regimens for using exercise to reduce body fat mass

The problem of eliminating excess fat and sometimes total body mass practically still has to be solved in physical education. It occurs with a general lack of physical activity, excessive reduction of loads or cessation of regular classes physical exercise (due to various incidental circumstances, in particular injuries and diseases), unbalanced nutrition and in some other cases (when cutting weight to move to a less heavy weight category, to increase relative strength indicators, etc.). It is clear that best way action in such situations (not counting pathological cases requiring special medical intervention) consists primarily in eliminating the incidental causes of unwanted deviations in body weight through proper physical education and accordingly adjusted nutrition. At the same time, in physical education, the targeted use of those factors that give an increased effect in this regard takes on special importance.

When assessing the effectiveness of various types of physical exercises as factors in reducing body fat mass, they usually proceed primarily from their energy intensity, or calorimetric cost (the amount of energy expenditure during their implementation, expressed in calories). It is well known that exercises of maximum intensity are characterized by the greatest energy expenditure in the shortest time (per second), however, the total energy expenditure during their implementation is relatively small (for example, during a 100 m sprint directly they do not reach 20 kcal), which limits them impact on metabolic processes leading to a decrease in body fat mass. The total amount of energy spent during the exercise, all other things being equal, the greater the longer its duration.

The use of body fats as the main sources of energy occurs as carbohydrate reserves in the body are depleted, which is usually observed when work is of a continuous nature, involving large organs in the active functioning. muscle groups, lasts quite a long time - approximately at least 30 minutes. Even with a fairly significant one-time volume of exercise, the expenditure of body fat is relatively small. For example, in adults who do not engage in sports, they range from 15-17 to 70 distances, respectively, when walking at an accelerated pace of 3.6 and 8 km (according to N. Tsuntz et al.).

Based on the foregoing, to combat excess body fat, it is recommended to predominantly engage in long-term, moderate-intensity exercises such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, skiing, rowing, etc.

At the same time, as general fitness develops, relatively high-intensity exercises, including exercises with weights, can serve as increasingly effective means of eliminating excess body weight (and, what is especially important, with simultaneous optimization of the ratio of its active and passive components). Of course, this is true provided that the total volume of energy expenditure is brought to sufficiently large values ​​(200-300 kcal/h or more) through multiple serial repetitions with strictly standardized rest intervals.

To get rid of significant fat deposits, you need long-term, massive use of appropriately targeted exercises with a gradual increase in the volume and intensity of the associated loads.

The basis for an effective regime of using physical exercise to eliminate excess fat mass is a system of daily loads associated with such significant total energy expenditure that they exceed the intake of energy resources from food over a certain period of time.

Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University

Institute of Youth Policy and Social Work

Abstract on the topic

"Olympic Games in Ancient Greece"

Completed by: Student of group SR-42

Makhotina Ekaterina

Checked:

Zheltikova Natalya Yurievna

Novosibirsk, 2010

Introduction.

1. History of the Olympic Games

2. Rules, conditions, traditions of the Olympic Games in ancient times.

3. Program of the Olympic Games. Olympionists.

4. Tradition of lighting the Olympic flame

5. The significance of the Olympic Games.

6. The influence of the Olympic Games on religion and politics.

7. Study of Ancient Olympia.

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction.

All ancient Greek holidays and sports games are associated with the gods. The famous Olympic Games that Ancient Greece gave to the world were not the only ones in the era of antiquity. The origins of the first Olympiads are lost in antiquity, but in 776 BC. e. The name of the winner in the race was written on a marble plaque for the first time, so this year is considered to be the beginning of the historical period of the Olympic Games. The site of the Olympic festivities was the sacred grove of Altis in Olympia. The place was chosen very well. All buildings, both early and later - temples, treasuries, stadium, hippodrome - were erected in a flat valley framed by soft hills covered with dense greenery. Nature in Olympia seems to be imbued with the spirit of peace and prosperity that was established during the Olympic Games. In the Temple of Olympian Zeus there was a statue of the god created by the sculptor Phidias, which was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Thousands of spectators flocked to the sacred grove. In addition to the spectacle of athletic competitions, trade deals were concluded here, public performances by poets and musicians, and exhibitions of works by sculptors and artists took place. Here new laws and treaties were announced, and important documents were discussed. From the moment the holy month of games was declared, all warring parties ceased hostilities. It is known that only men from among free citizens took part in sports games, who were never brought to trial and never caught in dishonorable acts. Women were not allowed even as spectators on pain of death. They also had their own competitions - in running. Thanks to numerous texts and paintings on ceramics, we now know what sports existed in Ancient Greece: wrestling, runners' competitions at various distances, throwing a javelin, hammer, discus, swimming, fist fighting, running in full armor, chariot competitions, lifting weights, pankratium (combination of boxing and wrestling). Athletes competed only naked to demonstrate the beauty of their bodies. This clearly demonstrated the physicality of ancient Greek culture. The cult of the body was so great that nudity did not evoke feelings of modesty. The rules prohibited killing an opponent, resorting to illegal techniques, and arguing with the judges. The winners were also awarded solemnly. The winners of the games (Olympians) were awarded wreaths made from wild plums that grew near the temple of Zeus. On the last day of the holiday, a solemn procession was held in honor of the winners, and the Olympian’s return to his hometown turned into an unworthy triumph. The whole city came out to meet him, the city authorities organized a feast, and a statue of the winner was erected in the square: he became a national hero and was respected throughout his life.

In addition to the Olympic Games, the Pythian Games in Delphi, dedicated to Apollo, the Isthmian Games in honor of the god Poseidon, and the Nemean Games, glorifying Zeus, were held in Ancient Greece. The games gave religious sanction to physical virtues - “arete”, and the moral right to rule over people. In them, as nowhere else, such a feature of ancient Greek culture as competitiveness was manifested.

History of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are the oldest and most popular sporting events in Ancient Greece. For the first time (although, according to legend, this attempt is the third) they took place in 776 BC. e. and were part of a festival dedicated to Zeus. The Greeks considered the year of the first Olympics to be very important for themselves, and therefore the ancient Greek calendar began with it.

Greece owes its second attempt to resume the Olympic Games to Hercules. The sixth labor of Hercules was the cleansing of the “Augean stables” - the farmyard of Augeas. Augeas was the son of Helios and king of Elis. His wealth was innumerable, and especially his herds. Three hundred white-footed bulls, two hundred red as purple, twelve snow-white as swans, and one shining like a star. It is not surprising that the stables of the royal house were very neglected. And it was this garbage dump that Hercules suggested to Augeas to cleanse a tenth of his herds in one day. Augeas agreed to such a lucrative offer and, as it turned out, made a mistake. Hercules directed the flows of two Elis rivers - Alpheus and Peneus - to the barnyard, and then simply restored the walls destroyed by water. Augeas did not want to part with his beloved animals and drove Hercules out. A few years later, Hercules invaded Elis with a large army and killed Augeas. In honor of the victory, Hercules made traditional sacrifices to the gods, planted a grove of olives (later Olympians were crowned with wreaths from the branches of this particular grove) in honor of Pallas Athena and established the Olympic Games.

Since 660 BC. e. - that is, from the 30th games - all residents of mainland Greece were allowed to participate in the competition, and after 10 games (40 years) residents of the Greek colonies began to take part in the Olympics. The Olympic Games gained wide popularity, and the winners could count on a generous prize, honors and national fame. The Olympionist was “crowned” with a textbook olive wreath (the branches of which were cut with a golden knife by a boy, the son of free and living parents) and was awarded a palm branch. Plutarch wrote that the Athenian who won the Olympic Games received 500 drachmas as a reward, which was a very considerable amount. Also, sculptures were erected in honor of the winning athletes - sometimes in Olympia itself at the sanctuary of Zeus, sometimes in the hero’s homeland. However, according to Pliny, these sculptures were similar only to the three-time winners of the Olympics, while the rest could only be content with an idealistic image in their honor. The Motherland did not remain indebted to its heroes - they usually received a number of economic and political privileges, including exemption from all state duties, and in some cases were even deified. In addition to the listed awards, Olympians could count on free lunches at the city government until the end of their days, which was more pleasant and useful for them than a statue that also had no actual resemblance. Copper statues of Zeus (called zanami in the Doric dialect), dedicated to disgraced participants (for example, those convicted of fraud, bribery, etc.) of the games, were made with money received in the form of fines and placed on the sides of the road leading to the Olympic stadium. The Greeks were very fond of material reminders of events.

From the 15th Olympiad - 720 BC. e., Sparta, which had the character of a military-organized clan union, becomes the dominant state in terms of the number of winners. From the 15th to the 50th Olympiad (720-576 BC), the names of 71 winners were preserved, of which 36 were Spartans. For example, a certain Spartan Hyposthepus is known. For the first time he won the wrestling among youths, later moving to the “adult” category, and there he won over the course of five Olympics. In other words, he competed successfully in wrestling competitions for 24 years.

During the era of Greek colonization, the influence of Olympia gradually spread to Asia Minor and the adjacent islands. At the 23rd Olympics, Onomast from Smyrna won the fist fight, who also developed the rules for the competition of fist fighters. At the 46th Olympiad, the winner in the race was Polymnestor of Menestos, about whom they say that he overtook a hare in the pasture.

The Olympics began to be numbered only 600 years after they began. In the 2nd century. BC e. the astronomer and geographer from Alexandria Eratosthenes developed an accurate chronological table in which he dated all political and cultural events known to him by the Olympics (that is, by the four-year periods between the games), relying on the list of Olympic winners he compiled.

The highest flowering of the Olympic Games occurred in the 6th-4th centuries. BC e. - The Olympics are becoming a pan-Greek holiday, and Olympia is the center of the entire sports world. Among other things, the Greco-Persian wars of the first half of the 6th century. BC e. managed to unite (albeit briefly) the Greek cities that were warring among themselves, and the Olympics were the personification of this unity.

Rules, conditions, traditions of the Olympic Games in ancient times.

The games were subject to certain conditions. So, the Olympics took place once every four years at the first full moon after the summer turn of the sun (usually at the end of July - beginning of August). Back in the spring, spondophoric messengers were sent in all directions announcing the date of the upcoming Olympiad, appointed by a special committee. Managers and judges of games from 572 BC. e. There were 10 Hellanodics elected from the citizens of the Elis region. A strict condition for holding the Olympiad was a general truce (the so-called divine peace - ekeheria) - no military action and no capital punishment. Ekeheria lasted two months, and violation of it was punishable by a large fine. So, in 420 BC. e. independent Spartans fought in Elis with the participation of thousands of hoplites, for which they were fined 200 drachmas for each warrior. If they refused to pay, they were suspended from participating in the games.

Athletes who trained for a year arrived in Olympia within a month, where they participated in qualifying events and continued training in a special gymnasium, which was a courtyard surrounded by a colonnade with paths for God, areas for throwing, wrestling, etc., a palaestra and living quarters for athletes .

The composition of participants and spectators was also regulated by special rules. From 776 to 632 BC e. Only free citizens of Greek cities no older than a certain age who had not committed a crime or sacrilege had the right to compete at the Olympiads. Later, the Romans were also allowed to participate if they could prove with the help of cleverly constructed genealogies that they were descendants of purebred Greeks. From 632 BC. e. (37th Olympiad) competitions between boys are also being introduced. Barbarians and slaves (under the supervision of their masters) were allowed only as spectators. Women (excluding the priestesses of Demeter) did not even have the right to attend competitions, although girls were not prohibited from doing so. A very severe punishment awaited those who disobeyed - they were thrown from the mountain (probably an allusion to the unfortunate Myrtil). However, the execution of such punishment has not been recorded. In the history of the ancient Olympic Games, there is only one known case when a woman was still present at the competition. In 404 BC. e. a certain Greek woman named Callipateira, who trained her own son, the fist fighter Eucles of Rhodes, came to the stadium dressed in a man's cloak-himatium. In a fit of joy from the victory of her son, Callipateira, having made a careless move, revealed to the world her primary sexual characteristics. The deception was revealed. But there are no rules without exceptions: since her father, three brothers, nephew and son were Olympic winners, the judges still spared her punishment. However, they added to the rules of the Olympics next condition- from now on, coaches of participating athletes had to be present at the stadium naked.

For almost three hundred years, the Olympic Games lasted three days. The first and last days were devoted to solemn ceremonies, processions and sacrifices; only one day was allocated for competitions.

Women had their own athletic games - Herai, dedicated to the cult of Hera. The founder of the Olympic Games for girls was considered Hippodamia - the wife of Pelops, if you remember, who did not get it so easily. The Games were held every four years, regardless of the Olympic Games. Women ran with their hair down in short tunics. The Olympic stadium was provided for them to run, only the distance was shortened. The winners were crowned with wreaths of olive branches and received part of the cow sacrificed to Hera. They could also erect a statue with the name carved on the pedestal.

A little more about the competitions themselves, which were somewhat unique. For example, wrestling competitions (pyugme, pankratii, pale) may seem quite barbaric compared to modern ones. Instead of boxing gloves, the hands of the athletes were wrapped in gimants - special leather belts (later with metal plaques), and the wrestlers themselves were generously lubricated with olive oil, which, you see, made the fight more difficult. You were allowed to hit your opponent any way you wanted, but since blows to the body did not matter, the target was the opponent’s head. It was only forbidden to bite and hit the ears and eyes. The concept of “weight category” did not exist. The fight could last quite a long time; defeat was considered to be falling to the ground or asking for mercy. It happened that the loser paid with his life, not to mention numerous injuries. If both wrestlers ended up on the ground, the judges counted it as a draw. A fighter who touched the ground three times and stopped fighting was called a triadden.

The history of the Olympic Games goes back 1169 years. Naturally, over more than a thousand years of existence, the program of the games and the conditions for their holding did not remain unchanged. But the basic traditions were religiously preserved for a long time. One of them is the timing of the games.

The Olympic holiday has always been celebrated once every four years, on a leap year, in the “holy” month of Hieromenia, which began with the first full moon after the summer solstice, i.e. at the end of June - beginning of July. It was repeated every 1417 days, which made up one Olympics. The ancient Greeks kept their calendar based on the Olympics.

As we see, The Olympic Games did not have a permanent exact date. Therefore, every time at the end of the first spring Olympic year Special envoys - heralds - were sent to all Greek states. They notified the people about the start time of the next Games, invited them to Olympia and proclaimed the traditional call: “Let there be light without murders and crimes, without wars and saber-rattling.” And throughout Greece, based on the agreement of the legendary Iphitus, a sacred truce was established - ekeheria. During the Ekeheria, which lasted about three months, all wars ceased throughout Greece, and everyone who entered the territory of Elis was not supposed to have weapons. Ekeheria extended to the numerous guests traveling to the games from all over Hellas, and to the competition participants themselves. The Greeks firmly believed that they were all guests of Zeus and were under his protection.

What was Olympia like - the venue for the games? It was a large complex of religious and sports facilities. The heart of Olympia was the sacred grove - Altis. In the southwestern part of Altis stood the majestic Temple of Zeus, built by the architect Libo in the 5th century BC. e. - a unique monument of ancient architecture. On the pediments of the temple a figure of Apollo was installed and scenes from the 12 labors of Hercules were depicted. Inside the temple there was a grandiose statue of Zeus seated on the throne - the creation of the brilliant sculptor Phidias, which went down in history as one of the wonders of the world. The height of the statue reached almost 13 meters. The throne was carved from cedar wood and decorated with carvings and precious stones. Zeus's face and hands were made of ivory, his hair was made of pure gold. The wreath on his head was also gold. On right hand Zeus stood the winged goddess of Victory Nike, in her left hand was a scepter crowned with an eagle. The sculpture stood in front of a marble pool filled with olive oil. This gave the statue a unique shine and grandeur. Leveque P.A. Hellenistic world - M.: Nauka, 1989, p. 63.

To the north of the temple of Zeus there was a hill surrounded by a fence - Pelopion - the sanctuary of Pelops. And behind the temple grew a sacred olive tree, planted, according to legend, by Hercules himself. In Altis Square there was another temple, smaller in size and more modest in appearance, built in honor of Zeus' wife Hera. There was a disk with the text of the agreement on Ekeheria. At the end of Altis, on the terraces of the Kronos Hill, there were many treasuries where jewelry was kept as a gift to the gods. Throughout Altis Square there were statues of Zeus, other gods and heroes of Greek mythology, as well as sculptures of the winners of the Olympic Games.

At the foot of Kronos Hill there was a stadium connected to Altis by a 32-meter tunnel-crypt, through which competitors and judges entered it. The stadium itself was a compacted and sand-strewn area measuring approximately 214×30 m. The starting point for the runners was paved with stone slabs 80 cm wide. The slabs were cut across with two parallel small grooves at a distance of approximately 16 cm from each other, presumably to support the legs runners. At the end ends of the stadium, small pillars a meter high were dug into the ground at a distance of 124-141 cm from each other, apparently dividing the tracks at the start and finish points. There were no stands, the spectators, and there were up to 50 thousand of them, were located right on the slopes of Kronos Hill in tents, marquees, or even just on the ground. For judges and the most distinguished guests there was a special marble dais where there were chairs.

For equestrian competitions, one of the largest Greek hippodromes was built, the length of which was 1154 m. In the middle of the hippodrome there were stalls for teams, and between them there was an altar to Poseidon, the patron of horse breeding. At the hippodrome there was an original starting device in the form of an eagle with outstretched wings and a dolphin. At the moment of launch, the eagle “flew” up, and the dolphin “dive” down. At the far end of the hippodrome, at the most dangerous turning point for the chariots, another altar was built - to the evil horse demon Taraxippus (“horse horror”), where the charioteers participating in the races brought gifts to appease the demon. According to a manuscript found in Constantinople, the hippodrome was adjacent to the stadium, and the judges sitting on the dais had only to turn their chairs to find themselves on the starting line of the equestrian races.

The sports facilities of Olympia also included the gymnasium and the palaestra, located along the Kladei. The gymnasium, with an area of ​​200×120 m, was surrounded by a colonnade. Inside there were tracks for running, places for throwing, jumping and wrestling. There were shady alleys along it where athletes rested after exercise. The alleys were decorated with marble sculptures of the most famous Olympians. There was also a building of the palaestra measuring 66.35 by 66.76 m. The palaestra had rooms for ball games, with bags for training fist fighters, rooms for massage, lubricating the body with oil and sprinkling sand - this is what athletes did before exercises. There were baths and baths where they could take a warm or cool bath. Adjacent to the gymnasium and palaestra to the south was a hotel for the accommodation of athletes arriving for the Games. There were other service and utility rooms.

Who were the competitors at the Olympic Games? According to the rules established in Olympia, only free-born men of Hellenic origin could participate in the competition, except for those who had ever been convicted or guilty of dishonest acts. At first, only adult athletes participated in the competition, but from the 37th Olympiad (632 BC) this right was also granted to young men.

Slaves could not participate in competitions. It is known that they were allowed only as riders in equestrian competitions, where the winner was not the rider, but the owner of the horse.

Foreigners - barbarians, as the Greeks called them - were also prohibited from participating in the holiday.

The limitation of the participants to only free-born Greeks is explained by the fact that the Olympic Games were, for all their cultic origins, a review, a test physical training Greek athletes-warriors. By participating in competitions, they demonstrated to all of Greece the power of the armies of their policies, whose warriors could only be free Greeks. Participants in the Games acted as representatives of policies, and their victory in the competition was perceived as a triumph of one or another policy. Naturally, neither slaves nor foreigners had anything to do with this.

But not all Greek citizens were given free birth to participate in the Games. A number of requirements imposed on the participants actually made it impossible for working poor Greeks - small landowners, traders or artisans - to compete. By Olympic rules Each athlete who expressed a desire to participate in the festival had to prove that he had been systematically preparing for the competition for at least 10 months before the games. In addition, he was obliged to arrive in Elis a month before the start of the games and, under the guidance of gymnastics teachers - gymnasium leaders, continue preparations. He had to take part in the sacrificial ceremonies, paying at his own expense all these expenses, including round trip travel, food, hotel accommodation, etc. Thus, participation in Olympic competitions was associated with a long break from work and considerable expenses, which was affordable only to wealthy citizens. However, there are known cases when poor people were among the participants and winners of the Games. Their maintenance was undertaken by policies interested in being represented by talented athletes.

The rules of the Olympic Games did not allow women to participate in competitions. Moreover, under threat of execution, they were forbidden to attend them even as spectators. Only one - the priestess of the goddess Demeter - was allowed to attend the festival. Those found guilty of violations faced severe punishment: they were thrown into the abyss from Mount Tipayon, which rose along the road to the sea. This taboo was a consequence of the patriarchal worship of Zeus, and no one dared to break it. Women could only exhibit teams or horses for equestrian competitions, but were not present at them themselves. And yet, in the history of the Games there is a known case when this prohibition was violated. This happened at the Games of the 94th Olympiad in 404 BC. e. Callifatheria, or Ferenice as many called her, sneaked into the stadium in the garb of a gymnasiumist to see the performance of her son Peysedor, a participant in a youth fisticuffs competition. When her son won the victory, she, unable to contain her joy, rushed to congratulate him and was exposed. A severe punishment awaited her, but considering that she was the daughter of the famous Olympian Diagoras, whose sons were also Olympic champions, her life was spared. And so that similar situations would not arise in the future, the gymnasium leaders were also ordered to be present at the stadium naked.

But the ban on women visiting Olympia was valid only for the duration of the games. Here, in Olympia, after their completion, in September, competitions were organized for unmarried girls in honor of Zeus' wife Hera - the heroidas. According to legend, they were founded by Hippodamia. The girls competed in a race over a distance equal to 5/6 of the length olympic stadium. Petrov M.K. Ancient culture. - M.: ROSSPEN, 1997, p. 252.

The leadership of the Olympic Games was entrusted to the Hellanodic judges. They were chosen by lot a year before the competition from among the most honorable citizens of Elis. Over the course of 10 months they passed special training, carefully studying all the rules associated with the Games. The responsibilities of the Hellanodics were very responsible, and their rights were almost unlimited. All other organizers of the Games and their assistants were subordinate to them. Their word was decisive and final. They determined the procedure for organizing the holiday, monitored the preparation of competition sites, the selection of participants, kept a record of those wishing to participate in competitions and checked their eligibility. With the onset of the Games, they monitored the progress of the competition, the exact observance of the rules, and those guilty of collusion, bribery, and intentional injury were severely punished, imposing a fine or expelling them altogether. By the way, figurines of gods were built with “fine money”; they were called zans. The inscriptions were carved on the curtains: “Olympic glory is achieved not with money, but with the speed of one’s feet and strength.” The Hellanodics awarded awards and presented them to the winners. The position of the Hellanodics was honorable; they wore purple robes and occupied specially designated places in the stadium.

In Paris in Great hall The Sorbonne convened a commission to revive the Olympic Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin became its general secretary. Then the International Olympic Committee - the IOC - was formed, which included the most authoritative and independent citizens of different countries.

The first modern Olympic Games were originally planned to be held in the same stadium in Olympia that hosted the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece. However, this required too much restoration work, and the first revived Olympic competitions took place in the capital of Greece, Athens.

On April 6, 1896, in the restored ancient stadium in Athens, the Greek King George declared the first Olympic Games of modern times open. The opening ceremony was attended by 60 thousand spectators.

The date of the ceremony was not chosen by chance - on this day, Easter Monday coincided with three directions of Christianity at once - Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. This first opening ceremony of the Games laid the foundation for two olympic traditions- opening of the Games by the head of state where the competitions are taking place, and the performance of the Olympic anthem. However, such indispensable attributes modern Games, like the parade of participating countries, the ceremony of lighting the Olympic flame and the recitation of the Olympic oath, there was no; they were introduced later. There was no Olympic Village, the invited athletes provided their own housing.

241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the First Olympiad: Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary (at the time of the Games, Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary, but Hungarian athletes competed separately), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy , USA, France, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden.

Russian athletes were quite actively preparing for the Olympics, but due to lack of funds, the Russian team was not sent to the Games.

As in ancient times, only men took part in the competitions of the first modern Olympics.

The program of the first Games included nine sports - classical wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, athletics, swimming, shooting, tennis, weightlifting and fencing. 43 sets of awards were drawn.

According to ancient tradition, the Games began with athletic competitions.

Athletics competitions became the most popular - 63 athletes from 9 countries took part in 12 events. The largest number of species - 9 - were won by representatives of the United States.

The first Olympic champion was American athlete James Connolly, who won the triple jump with a score of 13 meters 71 centimeters.

Wrestling competitions were held without uniform approved rules for conducting fights, and there were also no weight categories. The style in which the athletes competed was close to today's Greco-Roman, but it was allowed to grab the opponent's legs. Only one set of medals was played among five athletes, and only two of them competed exclusively in wrestling - the rest took part in competitions in other disciplines.

Since there were no artificial swimming pools in Athens, swimming competitions were held in an open bay near the city of Piraeus; the start and finish were marked by ropes attached to the floats. The competition aroused great interest - by the start of the first swim, about 40 thousand spectators had gathered on the shore. About 25 swimmers from six countries took part, most of them naval officers and sailors of the Greek merchant fleet.

Medals were awarded in four events, all swims were held “freestyle” - you were allowed to swim in any way, changing it along the course. At that time, the most popular swimming methods were breaststroke, overarm (an improved way of swimming on the side) and treadmill style. At the insistence of the Games organizers, the program also included an applied swimming event - 100 meters in sailor's clothing. Only Greek sailors took part in it.

In cycling, six sets of medals were awarded - five on the track and one on the road. The track races took place at the Neo Faliron velodrome, specially built for the Games.

In competitions on artistic gymnastics Eight sets of awards were awarded. The competition took place on outdoors, at the Marble Stadium.

Five sets of awards were awarded in shooting - two in rifle shooting and three in pistol shooting.

Tennis competitions took place on the courts of the Athens tennis club. Two tournaments were held - singles and doubles. At the 1896 Games there was no requirement that all team members represent the same country, and some pairs were international.

Weightlifting competitions were held without division into weight categories and included two disciplines: squeezing a ball barbell with two hands and lifting a dumbbell with one hand.

Three sets of awards were competed for in fencing. Fencing became the only sport where professionals were also allowed: separate competitions were held among “maestros” - fencing teachers (“maestros” were also admitted to the 1900 Games, after which this practice ceased).

The highlight of the Olympic Games was the marathon running. Unlike all subsequent Olympic marathon competitions, the marathon distance at the Games of the First Olympics was 40 kilometers. The classic marathon distance is 42 kilometers 195 meters. The first to finish with a result of 2 hours 58 minutes 50 seconds was the Greek postman Spyridon Louis, who became a national hero after this success. In addition to the Olympic awards, he received a gold cup established by the French academician Michel Breal, who insisted on including marathon running in the program of the Games, a barrel of wine, a voucher for free food for a year, free tailoring of a dress and the use of a hairdresser throughout his life, 10 centners of chocolate, 10 cows and 30 rams.

The winners were awarded on the closing day of the Games - April 15, 1896. Since the Games of the First Olympiad, the tradition of singing the national anthem and raising the national flag in honor of the winner has been established. The winner was crowned with a laurel wreath, given a silver medal, an olive branch cut from the Sacred Grove of Olympia, and a diploma made by a Greek artist. Second place winners received bronze medals.

Those who took third place were not taken into account at that time, and only later the International Olympic Committee included them in the medal standings among countries, but not all medalists were determined accurately.

The Greek team won the largest number of medals - 45 (10 gold, 17 silver, 18 bronze). Team USA came second with 20 medals (11+7+2). The third place was taken by the German team - 13 (6+5+2).

The material was prepared based on information from open sources