What other events were introduced to the ancient olympic games

The long jump was rarely an event on its own, but one of the most difficult parts of the Pentathlon, according to Dartmouth's "The Olympic Games in the Ancient Hellenic World" 3 , yet the skill it demonstrated was an important one for soldiers who would need to cover long distance quickly during battle. Coordination was a requisite for the javelin throw which was often accomplished on horseback.

The throw itself was like that used by today's javelin throwers. Likewise, the discus was thrown in the same way as today. Kyle p. Wrestlers were anointed with oil, dusted with powder, and forbidden to bite or gouge. Wrestling was looked upon as a weapon-free military exercise.

Weight and strength were especially important since there were no weight categories. This was also the year the Pentathlon was introduced. In the pankration "all-in wrestling" was introduced. The Iliad 's author, known as Homer, describes a boxing event held to honor Patroklos Patroclus , the slain companion of Achilles.

Boxing was added to the ancient Olympic games in B. According to myth, Apollo invented it to kill Phorbas, a man who had been forcing travelers to Delphi through Phocis to fight him to the death. Originally, boxers wrapped self-protecting thongs around their hands and arms. Later they wore less time-consuming, pre-wrapped, ox-hide thongs known as himantes wrapped to the forearm with leather straps. By the 4th century, there were gloves.

The preferred target was the opponent's face. In B. Most of these sports are still in the Games today in a modified form. The hoplite race , which was called hoplitodromos by the Greeks, was the fourth and final foot race added to the ancient Olympics.

Unlike the other foot races, which were done in the nude, the hoplite race required athletes to wear armor which could weigh over 50 pounds consisting of a helmet, shield, and greaves — the greaves were removed in the mid 5th century BCE because they impeded leg movement.

It typically only required two lengths of the stadion track about m Like the other foot races that required more than one stadion, hoplite racers were required to run around a pole known as the kampter at the end of each lap. Pankration was the final combat sport added to the ancient Olympic Games. Of the three combat sports the other two were wrestling and boxing , pankration was the most dangerous.

It was a violent, bare-handed submission sport that had very little restrictions. According to Greek mythology, pankratos was invented by the heroes Heracles and Theseus, who used wrestling and boxing methods to defeat their opponents.

All boxing and wrestling techniques, as well as kicking, holds, locks, and chokes on the ground were acceptable.

Pankration was so dangerous that several athletes died. Although the sport was violent, it was popular for centuries and even crossed over into Roman culture. The four-horse chariot race, called tethrippon by the Greeks, was the first equestrian event added to the Olympic Games in BCE.

To accommodate for the new event, the Olympics were expanded from a one-day to a two-day event. The chariot events took place at the hippodrome , which was a wide, flat, open area where the starting and finishing line was defined by a pole.

The track also had a second smaller pole, called the nyssa, which was a difficult turn that caused many accidents. It is believed that the tethtrippon consisted of 12 laps because the poet Pindar called the event dodekadromon — the laps equaled about 14 km 8.

What's that, you ask? A series of bronze tripods have been found at Olympia, some of which may date to the 9th century BC, and it has been suggested that these tripods may in fact be prizes for some of the early events at Olympia.

Source: Deutsches Archaologisches Institut, Athen. Did you know Additional athletic events were gradually added until, by the 5th century BC, the religious festival consisted of a five-day program. For a complete list of events, click here. For a complete list of modern Olympic Game location sites, click here. Shown here is the stadium entrance at Olympia.

While the Pythian games in Delphi and Panathenian games in Athens were also held in ancient Greece, the Olympic games were by far the most important. Held every four years this tradition continued for the next 12 centuries! It occurred in the hot months of summer between August and September. However, in AD they were banned for their link to paganism as they were originally held in honour of the Greek god Zeus. In the Olympics made a comeback, and the first modern Olympic games were held in Athens.

While the ancient games were far different from the Olympics we know and love today, it is incredibly interesting to learn about their origin and history. The ancient Olympics events were an incredible show of bravery, athleticism, and sometimes downright savage absurdity. Just wait until you read about some of them! In order to participate in the ancient Olympic events there were three requirements. You had to be male, freeborn and a citizen of Greece.

Winners received nothing more than a wreath made from an olive tree branch. But in saying this the winners received something far greater that any monetary prize for their champion status, they received fame.

The men who won these ancient Olympic events were worshiped as heroes, and even as gods! Women were not allowed to compete, and only unmarried women were allowed to watch the events.

In the very beginning the ancient Olympics only consisted of one event.