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Why Is The Olympic Games Important To Religion

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Assignment 6-Ancient History
The ancient Olympics also known as the site of Olympia is where the world’s first Olympic Games were played. The site informs us about the ancient Olympic Games, their role in politics and religion and how the site reinforced an elite, wealthy male cliché.
The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not an important part of a ceremony. They had a secular character and aimed to show the physical qualities and evolution of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion.
At the Games they even discussed any important …show more content…

Thucydides describes a 100-year military treaty the Athenians, Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans entered into, which was recorded in public inscriptions on stone pillars at the first three cities, and on a bronze pillar at Olympia.
Sports contests always took place in the context of a religious festival in honour of a god and near a sanctuary. The origin of the contests was also explained by the intervention of gods and mythical heroes. The Olympic Games lasted five days, but only on two days there were contests. On the first day, the athletes and the hellanodikai swore not to offend the rules in a solemn oath to Zeus. On the third day, the climax of the festival, the contests gave way to a large sacrifice to Zeus.
All free male Greek citizens were entitled to participate in the ancient Olympic Games. Orsippos, a general from Megara; Polymnistor, a shepherd; Diagoras, a member of a royal family from Rhodes; Alexander I, son of Amyndas and King of Macedonia; and Democritus, a philosopher, were all participants in the Games meaning all men were allowed to compete regardless of status. Married women however were not even allowed to watch the games. Unmarried and virgin were allowed to watch and were often brought in by their fathers in hope of getting them married to the

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