How Did Panhellenic Games Affect Today's Society

1534 Words7 Pages

Panhellenic Games

Ancient Greece loved violence in the Panhellenic Games, and fans admired athletes and their tenacious will to fight and win the games. Athletics thrived in ancient Greece, the country that became known as the creator of the Olympic Games. Athletics was a significant part of ancient Greece due to the multiple events and festivals. The Panhellenic festival was the most popular festival which attracted people from all parts of the Greek world. Athletics was more than just a game for the athletes and the fans, it was a way for them to escape warfare. Athletics negatively impacted ancient Greece's society due the banning of women in the Olympics, the athlete’s training regimen, the impact of winning and losing, social hierarchy, …show more content…

This mistreatment of athletes exhibited the worst of humanity. The abusive nature of the games attracted the fans and made the fans seem brutal and crazy. According to Crowther, contestants of the games would try various strategies to gain an edge, including alcohol and meat diets. They wrote on the cursed tablet to pray to the gods. The training period for some athletes was too hard which made them withdraw from the competitions. The games negatively impacted athletes due to their need to win the games due to its high level of importance; the athletes tried too hard to prepare for the games due to them using plenty of strategies to make sure they were in top physical and mental shape. The athletes did not view the Olympics as a game but as an opportunity to become a powerful member in society. The game was of such high importance to the athletes they prayed on cursed tablets so that their god would bring harm to other athletes. Athletes seemed to lose morality during the training period due their need to win the games. Athletes saw the Olympics as more than just a game but wore the invite as a badge of honor. They exuded pride and exhibited bravery as they competed in the most dangerous and brutal games. Athletes training for the games messed with the athlete's sanity due them needing a large amount of physical …show more content…

According to Sacks in every city, the gymnasium was an important public institution, where the wealthier men would socialize and have discussions, as well as sports practice. The Greeks' serious approach to sports was an aspect of Greek culture that attracted many non-Greek peoples. Every Greek city had a gymnasium but only the wealthy could access Gymnasiums. Which was unfair to the lower class due to them not having equal facilities. The upper-class use of gymnasiums led them to win lots of the games. Which led them to be able keep their high status while the lower class was blocked from their status to rise. The lower class not having the same facilities before the training period started in Elis was unfair and made it close to impossible for them to win. The addition of gymnasiums also had a tremendous effect on the upper-class athletes due to them having superior training facilities they were expected to win the games. According to Christian The expenses of traveling and training for the Olympics confined the Olympics to only upper-class members. This passage shows that the games did not want the lower class to compete in the competitions. The game makers purposely made the games hard to access so only the wealthy and powerful could attend the games. It wasn't until long after the games started that it was possible for the