古代奥林匹克运动会

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古代奥林匹克运动会是一种运动和宗教性的庆典。从公元前776年至公元393年它一直在古希腊城市奥林匹亚举行。在那里曾举行了292届古代奥林匹克运动会。

目录 1 起源 2 历史 3 赛程安排 4 运动员 5 体育项目 6 著名的运动员 7 参见 8 记录 9 参考文献 10 外部连接

[编辑] 起源

有关历史上的古代奥林匹克运动会已经失传了，但是有些神话传说传流下来了。其中之一是有关于珀罗普斯的故事。他是奥林匹亚的国王，而且他是与伯罗奔尼撒的英雄齐名的，因為他首創這樣的比賽。

The Christian Clement of Alexandria asserted that "[The] Olympian games are nothing else than the funeral sacrifices of Pelops." That myth tells of how Pelops' overcame King Oenomaus, who had challenged each of the suitors of his daughter Hippodamia to a race in which second prize was decapitation. Twelve other suitors had gone to their grave when Pelops, invoking the help of Poseidon, his old lover, was provided with divine horses and chariot. Pelops then bribed Oenomaus' charioteer Myrtilus to switch the lynchpins of Oenomaus' chariot with fake ones made of beeswax: predictably the wheels flew off their axles and Oenomaus was killed. Pelops married the princess but not before murdering Myrtilus, whose curse later resulted in the fall of the house of Atreus and the sufferings of Oedipus.

另一則有關英雄海克力斯（Heracles）的神話，他在奧林匹亞的比賽上獲得了勝利，並且頒布每四年將舉辦一次比賽的規定。而另外一個說法主張這是眾神之父宙斯（Zeus）擊敗了泰坦神（Titan ）克羅納斯（Cronus）之後所設立的節慶活動。還有另一則有關伊利斯（Elis）的伊菲托斯王（Iphitos）的傳說，西元前9世紀，伊菲托斯王（Iphitos）到皮提亞（Pythia ）詢問德爾斐神諭：如何把他的人民從戰爭的苦難中拯救出來。擁有預言能力的女祭司告誡伊菲托斯王（Iphitos），要他籌辦競技比賽以彰顯對希臘諸神的榮耀。伊菲托斯王的敵方──斯巴達人，他們也決定在比賽期間停止戰爭，那些比賽被尊稱為奧林匹克，位於奧林帕斯山下舉辦，據說這座山是希臘諸神所居住的神聖之地。不管什麼樣的起源之說，這奧林匹亞競技大會是古希臘祭典的兩種核心儀式之一，另外一個儀式則是稱為伊琉希斯神秘儀式（Eleusinian Mysteries）。

[编辑] 历史

在希臘的奧林匹亞舉行的比賽，該處乃是靠近於伊利斯與皮撒城邦為希臘諸神的神聖之地（兩者在今日的伊利斯，位於伯羅奔尼撒半島上）。

The Games were held in Olympia, Greece, a sanctuary site for the Greek gods near the towns of Elis and Pisa (both in Elis on the peninsula of Peloponnesos).

奧林匹亞的宙斯神殿中，有設置一尊高12公尺，以象牙與黃金鑄造而成的眾神之父──宙斯神像，是古希臘偉大雕刻家菲迪亞斯所雕塑。此宙斯神像也是古代世界七大奇觀之一。

The Sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia housed a 12 meter high statue in ivory and gold of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods, sculpted by Phidias. This statue was one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.

奧林匹克競技大會是每四年舉辦一次，後來古希臘所採用的紀年法都與競技會有不可磨滅的關係。

The Olympic Games were held in four year intervals, and later the Greek method of counting the years even referred to these Games, using the term Olympiad for the period between two Games. The Greeks in historical times used the Olympiads to count years, much as we today use AD and BC. "Diodorus states that there was a solar eclipse in the third year of the 117th Olympiad, which must be the eclipse of 310 BC. This gives us a date of (mid-summer) 776 for the first year of the first Olympiad".^[1] Nevertheless, there is disagreement among scholars whether the games truly began at this time or not.^[2]

The only competition held then was, according to the Greek traveller Pausanias, the stadion race, a race over about 190 meters, measured after the feet of Hercules. The word stadium is derived from this foot race.

Several groups fought over control of the sanctuary, and hence the Games, for prestige and political advantage.

Pausanias writes that in 668 BC, Pheidon of Argos was commissioned by the town of Pisa to capture the sanctuary from the town of Elis, which he did and then personally controlled the Games for that year. The next year Elis regained control.

西元前364年雅典史家瑟諾芬（Xenophon）。

The Athenian writer Xenophon in 364 BC gives a contemporary record of an Elean attack during the Pentathlon final of the Games themselves, as the Pisans were again in control. The Eleans pushed the defenders almost to the altar before retreating due to missiles being thrown at them from the porticos. During that night the defending Arcadians constructed defensive palisades, and the next morning on seeing the strength of the defence the Elians retreated.

Related to the Elis/Pisa conflict, is the Heraea Games, the first sanctioned competition for women, held in Olympic Stadium. It originally consisted of foot races only, as did the men's competition. Some texts, including Pausanias's Description of Greece, c. 175 CE, state that Hippodameia gathered a group known as the "Sixteen Women" and made them administrators of the Heraea Games, out of gratitude for her marriage to Pelops. Other texts indicate that the "Sixteen Women" were peace-makers from Pisa and Elis and, because of their political competence, became administrators of the Heraea Games.

In 12 BC Herod the Great gave financial support to the Games to enable their future survival.

奧林匹亞競技大會是泛希臘競技的一部分，古希臘人在二到四年之間，會分別舉辦了四項不同的競技，但是至少每年會安排一項比賽項目。其中奧林匹亞競技大會在這競技會當中，是最重要與最具有聲望的一項活動。

The Olympic Games were part of the Panhellenic Games, four separate games held at two- or four-year intervals but arranged so that there was at least one set of games every year. The Olympic Games were the most important and most prestigious of these.

最後，奧林匹亞競技大會在歷史上的消失有兩種說法：第一者說法是由古羅馬皇帝迪奧多西烏斯一世（Theodosius I）於西元393年宣布禁止這項比賽。第二者說法是由其孫子迪奧多西烏斯二世（Theodosius II）於西元435年宣布禁止這項比賽。奧林匹亞比賽場地的舊址則是在西元6世紀所發生的大地震之中被毀壞。

[编辑] 赛程安排

古代奥林匹克运动会举办日期在夏至之后，会期共五天，前两天为祭神日，第三天及第四天为运动会比赛，最后一天为颁奖日及庆祝活动。比赛开始前一天由裁判带领参赛选手至神坛前祈祷宣誓，必须作公正比赛和公平裁判。　　

[编辑] 运动员

古代奥林匹克运动会对于运动员参赛的条件规定非常严格，必须符合以下条件才可以参加比赛

• • 参赛选手必须为纯正的希腊人，且父母必须是希腊血统。
  • 在道德上或政治上必须无缺点，没有不良纪录。
  • 必须经医师检验，证明其体格健全。
  • 必须有超过八位以上的裁判员证明其已有十个月以上的训练。

参加比赛之前，所有参加比赛的选手必须集中到奥林匹亚的健身房训练，由裁判员身兼训练员，对运动员实施训练，让运动员的体能和技能都能符合奥运会的比赛标准。古代奥运会禁止女性参赛，女性不但被禁止参加比赛，且不允许观赏比赛。如果违反此一禁令，违规者将被处以极刑。

[编辑] 体育项目

與今日的夏季奧運（或稱為現代奧運）不同的是，只限定希臘地區各城邦的男性公民才能夠參與這項古老競技盛會。Unlike the Modern Olympic Games, only men who spoke Greek were allowed to participate in the Ancient Games. They were to some extent "international", though, in the sense that they included athletes from the various Greek city-states. Additionally, participants eventually came from Greek colonies as well, extending the range of the games to far shores of the Mediterranean and of the Black Sea.

In order to be in the games one had to qualify and have one's name written down in the lists. It seems that only young people were allowed to participate, as the Greek writer Plutarch relates that one young man was rejected for seeming too mature, and only after his boyfriend interceded with the king of Sparta, who presumably vouched for his youth, was he permitted to participate. Before being able to participate, every participant had to take an oath in front of the statue of Zeus saying that he had been in training for 10 months.

Over the years, more events were added: 拳擊boxing (pygme/pygmachia), 角力wrestling (pale), 古希臘式搏擊（pankration） (regulated full-contact fighting, similar to today's mixed martial arts), chariot racing, several other running events (the diaulos, hippios, dolichos, and hoplitodromos), as well as a pentathlon, consisting of wrestling, stadion, long jump, javelin throw and discus throw (the latter three were not separate events).

Boxing became increasingly brutal over the centuries. Initially soft leather covered their fingers but eventually hard leather weighted with metal was sometimes used.^[3]

In the chariot racing event, it was not the rider but the owner of the chariot and team who was considered to be the competitor, so one man could win more than one of the top spots. The addition of events meant the festival grew from 1 day to 5 days, 3 of which were used for competition. The other 2 days were dedicated to religious rituals. On the final day, there was a banquet for all of the participants, consisting of 100 oxen that had been sacrificed to Zeus on the first day.

The winner of an Olympic event was awarded an olive branch, and was often received with much honour throughout Greece and especially in his home town, where he was often granted large sums of money (in Athens, 500 drachma, a small fortune). (See Milo of Croton.) Sculptors would create statues of Olympic victors^[4] and poets would sing odes in their praise.

It is often said that wars were halted during the Games but this is not true; however, athletes, who were often soldiers, were permitted to leave the army to participate in the Games, and were guaranteed safe passage through enemy territory.

Participation in the games was limited to male athletes; the only way women were allowed to take part was to enter horses in the equestrian events. In 396 BC and again in 392 BC, the horses of a Spartan princess named Cynisca won her the four-horse race.

The athletes usually competed naked, not only as the weather was appropriate but also as the festival was meant to celebrate, in part, the achievements of the human body. Olive oil was occasionally used by the competitors, not only to keep skin smooth but also to provide an appealing look for the participants. Male competitors may have worn a kynodesme to restrain the penis.

[编辑] 著名的运动员

• 雅典的运动员：
  • Aurelios Zopyros (Junior fist-fight)
• 罗得岛的运动员:
  • Diagoras of Rhodes (Boxing 79th Olympiad, 464 BC) and his sons Akusilaos and Damagetos (Boxing and Pankration)
  • Leonidas of Rhodes (Running: stadium, diaulos and hoplitodromos)
• 克罗同的运动员:
  • Astylos of Croton (Running: stadium, diaulos and hoplitodromos)
  • Milo of Croton (wrestling)
  • Timasitheos of Croton (wrestling)
• 其他城市的运动员:
  • Chionis of Sparta (Running: stadium, diaulos. Long and Triple Jump)
  • Koroibos of Elis (Stadion)
  • Theagenes of Thasos (Pankration)
• 非希腊的运动员:
  • Tiberius (steerer of a four-horse chariot)^[5]
  • Nero (steerer of a ten-horse chariot)
  • Varastades, Prince and future King of Armenia, (last known Ancient Olympic boxing victor during the 291st Olympic Games in 388)

[编辑] 参见

• Heraea Games (Ancient Women's Competition)
• 运动会
• 奥林匹克运动会

[编辑] 记录

[编辑] 参考文献

[编辑] 外部连接

• The Ancient Olympic Games Virtual Museum (requires registration)
• The Ancient Olympics
• The Real Story of the Ancient Olympic Games
• Heraea Games
• The Origin of the Olympics