November 2013
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This chapter provides a basic overview of the contests, contexts, categories, terms, and rules of sport in Archaic and Classical Greece. It focuses on “ athletics,” a term derived from the Greek words for contest (athlos) and prize (athlon). The chapter begins with a discussion on some matters of perception and approach. The ancient Olympics, with their wreath prizes, huge crowds, and famous victors, were the pinnacle of Greek athletic competition. The ancient Olympics, in fact, had no medals or second prizes, no team or women's events, no winter or water sports, and no ideology of universal brotherhood and peace. Next, the chapter concentrates on the events at the ancient Olympics because such events were fairly standard and practiced in most ancient Greek communities. The chapter further talks about the gymnic and hippic contests, and local or civic games.