In what year did the Olympic Games take place? History of the Summer Olympics

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OLYMPIC GAMES OF ANCIENT GREECE– the largest sport competitions antiquities. They originated as part of a religious cult and were held from 776 BC. to 394 AD (a total of 293 Olympiads were held) in Olympia, which was considered a sacred place by the Greeks. The name of the Games comes from Olympia. The Olympic Games were a significant event for the whole of Ancient Greece, which went beyond purely sporting event. The victory at the Olympics was considered extremely honorable both for the athlete and for the policy he represented.

From the 6th c. BC. Following the example of the Olympic Games, other all-Greek competitions of athletes began to be held: the Pythian Games, the Isthmian Games and the Nemean Games, also dedicated to various ancient Greek gods. But the Olympics were the most prestigious among these competitions. The Olympic Games are mentioned in the works of Plutarch, Herodotus, Pindar, Lucian, Pausanias, Simonides and other ancient authors.

At the end of the 19th century The Olympic Games were revived at the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin.

The Olympic Games from inception to decline.

There are many legends about the origin of the Olympic Games. All of them are associated with the ancient Greek gods and heroes.

The most famous legend tells how the king of Elis Ifit, seeing that his people were tired of endless wars, went to Delphi, where the priestess of Apollo conveyed to him the command of the gods: to arrange pan-Greek athletic festivals pleasing to them. After that, Iphitus, the Spartan legislator Lycurgus and the Athenian legislator and reformer Cliosthenes established the procedure for holding such games and entered into a sacred alliance. Olympia, where this festival was to be held, was declared a sacred place, and anyone who enters its borders armed is a criminal.

According to another myth, Zeus' son Heracles brought the sacred olive branch to Olympia and instituted the Games of Athletes to commemorate Zeus' victory over his ferocious father Cronus.

There is also a legend that Hercules, having organized the Olympic Games, perpetuated the memory of Pelops (Pelops), who won the chariot race of the cruel king Enomai. And the name Pelops was given to the Peloponnese region, where the "capital" of the ancient Olympic Games was located.

Religious ceremonies were an obligatory part of the ancient Olympic Games. According to the established custom, the first day of the Games was set aside for sacrifices: athletes spent this day at the altars and altars of their patron gods. A similar ceremony was repeated on the final day of the Olympic Games, when awards were presented to the winners.

During the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece wars stopped and a truce was concluded - ekecheria, and representatives of the warring policies held peace negotiations in Olympia in order to resolve conflicts. On the bronze disk of Ifit with the rules of the Olympic Games, which was stored in Olympia in the temple of Hera, the corresponding paragraph was recorded. “On the disk of Ifit is written the text of the truce that the Eleans declare for the duration of the Olympic Games; it is not written in straight lines, but the words go around the disk in the form of a circle ”(Pausanias, Description of Hellas).

From the Olympic Games 776 BC (the earliest Games that have come down to us - according to some experts, the Olympic Games began to be held more than 100 years earlier) the Greeks had a special "Olympic chronology" introduced by the historian Timaeus. Olympic holiday celebrated in the "holy month", starting with the first full moon after the summer solstice. It was to be repeated every 1417 days that made up the Olympiad - the Greek "Olympic" year.

Starting as a competition of local importance, the Olympic Games eventually became an event of a pan-Greek scale. Many people came to the Games not only from Greece itself, but also from its colonial cities from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

The games continued even when Hellas fell under the control of Rome (in the middle of the 2nd century BC), as a result of which one of the fundamental Olympic principles, which allowed only Greek citizens to participate in the Olympic Games, and even some Roman emperors were among the winners (including Nero, who “won” chariot races drawn by ten horses). It affected the Olympic Games and began in the 4th century BC. the general decline of Greek culture: they gradually lost their former meaning and essence, turning from a sporting event and a significant social event into a purely entertainment event, in which mainly professional athletes participated.

And in 394 AD. The Olympic Games were banned - as a "remnant of paganism" - by the Roman emperor Theodosius I, who forcibly propagated Christianity.

Olympia.

It is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Here was Altis (Altis) - the legendary sacred grove of Zeus and the temple and cult complex, finally formed around the 6th century BC. BC. On the territory of the sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, athletic facilities and houses where athletes and guests lived during the competition. The Olympic sanctuary remained the center of Greek art until the 4th century BC. BC.

Shortly after the ban on the Olympic Games, all these structures were burned by order of Emperor Theodosius II (in 426 AD), and a century later they were finally destroyed and buried by strong earthquakes and river floods.

As a result of those held in Olympia at the end of the 19th century. archaeological excavations managed to find the ruins of some buildings, including sports purpose such as the palestra, the gymnasium and the stadium. Built in the 3rd c. BC. palestra - a platform surrounded by a portico where wrestlers, boxers and jumpers trained. Gymnasium, built in the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC, - the largest building in Olympia, it was used for training sprinters. The gymnasium also kept a list of winners and a list of the Olympics, there were statues of athletes. The stadium (212.5 m long and 28.5 m wide) with stands and seats for judges was built in 330–320 BC. It could accommodate about 45,000 spectators.

Organization of the Games.

All free-born Greek citizens (according to some sources, men who could speak Greek) were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. Slaves and barbarians, i.e. persons of non-Greek origin could not participate in the Olympic Games. “When Alexander wished to take part in the competition and for this he arrived in Olympia, the Hellenes, the participants in the competition, demanded his exclusion. These contests, they said, were for the Hellenes, not for the barbarians. Alexander, on the other hand, proved that he was an Argive, and the judges recognized his Hellenic origin. He took part in the running competition and reached the goal at the same time as the winner” (Herodotus. Story).

The organization of the ancient Olympic Games included control not only over the course of the Games themselves, but also over the preparation of athletes for them. Control was exercised by the Hellanodics, or Hellanodics, the most authoritative citizens. For 10-12 months before the start of the Games, the athletes underwent intensive training, after which they passed a kind of examination by the Hellanodic commission. After fulfilling the “Olympic standard”, future participants in the Olympic Games prepared for another month special program- already under the leadership of the Hellanodics.

The fundamental principle of the competition was the honesty of the participants. Before the start of the competition, they swore an oath to abide by the rules. The Hellanodics had the right to deprive the champion of the title if he won by fraudulent means, the offending athlete was also subject to a fine and corporal punishment. In front of the entrance to the stadium in Olympia, copper statues of Zeus stood as a warning to the participants - cast with money received in the form of fines from athletes who violated the rules of the competition (the ancient Greek writer Pausanias indicates that the first six such statues were erected in the 98th Olympiad, when the Thessalian Evpol bribed three wrestlers who competed with him). In addition, persons convicted of a crime or sacrilege were not allowed to participate in the Games.

Entry to the competition was free. But only men could visit them, women, under pain of death, were forbidden to appear in Olympia during the entire festival (according to some sources, this ban only applied to married women). An exception was made only for the priestess of the goddess Demeter: for her in the stadium, in the most honorable place, a special marble throne was built.

Program of the Ancient Olympic Games.

At first, there was only a stadium in the program of the Olympic Games - running for one stage (192.27 m), then the number of Olympic disciplines increased. Let's note some cardinal changes in the program:

- at the 14 Olympic Games (724 BC), the program included diaulos - a run for the 2nd stage, and 4 years later - a dolichodrome (run for endurance), the distance of which ranged from 7 to 24 stages;

- at the 18 Olympic Games (708 BC), wrestling and pentathlon (pentathlon) competitions were held for the first time, which included, in addition to wrestling and the stadium, jumping, as well as javelin and discus throwing;

- at the 23 Olympic Games (688 BC), fisticuffs were included in the competition program,

- at the 25th Olympic Games (680 BC), chariot races were added (drawn by four adult horses, over time this type of program expanded, in the 5th–4th centuries BC, chariot races pulled by a pair of adult horses, young horses or mules began to be held);

- at the 33rd Olympic Games (648 BC), horse racing appeared in the program of the Games (in the middle of the 3rd century BC horse racing began to be held) and pankration - martial arts that combined elements of wrestling and fisticuffs with minimal restrictions on "forbidden tricks" and in many ways reminiscent of modern fights no rules.

Greek gods and mythological heroes are involved in the emergence of not only the Olympic Games as a whole, but also their individual disciplines. For example, it was believed that Hercules himself introduced the run for one stage, personally measuring this distance in Olympia (1 stage was equal to the length of 600 feet of the priest of Zeus), and pankration goes back to the legendary fight between Theseus and the Minotaur.

Some of the disciplines of the ancient Olympic Games, familiar to us from modern competitions, differ markedly from their current counterparts. Greek athletes did not long jump from a run, but from a place - moreover, with stones (later with dumbbells) in their hands. At the end of the jump, the athlete threw the stones sharply back: it was believed that this allows him to jump further. This jumping technique required good coordination. Javelin and discus throwing (over time, instead of a stone one, athletes began to throw an iron disc) was carried out from a small elevation. At the same time, the spear was thrown not for distance, but for accuracy: the athlete had to hit a special target. In wrestling and boxing there was no division of participants according to weight categories, and the boxing match continued until one of the opponents recognized himself defeated or was unable to continue the fight. There were also very peculiar varieties of running disciplines: running in full armor (i.e., in a helmet, with a shield and weapons), running of heralds and trumpeters, alternating running and chariot racing.

From the 37th Games (632 BC), young men under the age of 20 began to participate in competitions. At first, competitions in this age category included only running and wrestling, over time, pentathlon, fisticuffs and pankration were added to them.

In addition to athletic competitions, an art competition was also held at the Olympic Games, which has become an official part of the program since the 84th Games (444 BC).

Initially, the Olympic Games took one day, then (with the expansion of the program) - five days (this is how long the Games lasted during their heyday in the 6th-4th centuries BC) and, in the end, "stretched out" for a whole month.

Olympionics.

The winner of the Olympic Games received universal recognition along with an olive wreath (this tradition went from 752 BC) and purple ribbons. He became one of the most respected people in his city (for the inhabitants of which the victory of a fellow countryman at the Olympics was also a great honor), he was often released from state duties and given other privileges. Olympionics were given posthumous honors in their homeland. And according to the introduction in the 6th c. BC. In practice, the three-time winner of the Games could put his statue in Altis.

The first Olympian known to us was Koreb from Elis, who won the race for one stadia in 776 BC.

The most famous - and the only athlete in the history of the ancient Olympic Games who won 6 Olympiads - was "the strongest among the strong", the wrestler Milo from Croton. A native of the Greek city-colony of Croton (south of modern Italy) and, according to some sources, a student of Pythagoras, he won his first victory at the 60th Olympiad (540 BC) in competitions among young men. From 532 BC by 516 BC he won 5 more Olympic titles - already among adult athletes. In 512 BC Milon, who was already over 40 years old, tried to win his seventh title, but lost to a younger opponent. Olympionic Milo was also a repeated winner of the Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean Games and many local competitions. Mentions of him can be found in the works of Pausanias, Cicero and other authors.

Another outstanding athlete - Leonidas from Rhodes - at four Olympiads in a row (164 BC - 152 BC) won in three "running" disciplines: in running for one and two stages, as well as in running with weapons.

Astil from Croton entered the history of the ancient Olympic Games not only as one of the champions in the number of victories (6 - in the race for one and two stages at the Games from 488 BC to 480 BC). If at his first Olympics Astil played for Croton, then at the next two - for Syracuse. Former countrymen took revenge on him for betrayal: the statue of the champion in Croton was demolished, and his former house was turned into a prison.

In the history of the ancient Greek Olympic Games, there are entire Olympic dynasties. So, the grandfather of the fisticuff champion Poseidor from Rhodes Diagoras, as well as his uncles Akusilai and Damaget were also Olympionists. Diagoras, whose exceptional steadfastness and honesty in boxing matches won him great respect from the audience and were sung in the odes of Pindar, witnessed his sons' Olympic victories in boxing and pankration, respectively. (According to legend, when the grateful sons put their champion wreaths on their father's head and lifted him on their shoulders, one of the applauding spectators exclaimed: "Die, Diagoras, die! Die, because you have nothing more to wish from life!" And the excited Diagoras immediately died in the arms of his sons.)

Many olympians were distinguished by exceptional physical data. For example, the champion in the race for two stages (404 BC) Lasfen of Thebea is credited with winning an unusual horse race, and Aegeus of Argos, who won the race on long distances(328 BC), after that, running, without making a single stop along the way, he covered the distance from Olympia to his hometown in order to quickly bring good news to his fellow countrymen. Victories were also achieved due to a kind of technique. Thus, the extremely hardy and agile boxer Melancom from Caria, the winner of the Olympic Games of 49 AD, during the fight constantly kept his arms outstretched forward, due to which he avoided the opponent’s blows, and at the same time he very rarely retaliated – in the end, the physically and emotionally exhausted opponent admitted his defeat. And about the winner of the Olympic Games 460 BC. in the dolichodrome of Ladas of Argos, it was said that he ran so lightly that he did not even leave footprints on the ground.

Among the participants and winners of the Olympic Games were such famous scientists and thinkers as Demosthenes, Democritus, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Pythagoras, Hippocrates. And they competed not only in the fine arts. For example, Pythagoras was a champion in fisticuffs, and Plato was in pankration.

Maria Ischenko

Olympic Games - the most significant in the world sport competitions. They are held every four years. Every athlete dreams of winning these competitions. The origin of the Olympic Games dates back to ancient times. They were held as early as the seventh century BC. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? In which country were they first held?

The myth of the origin of the Olympic Games

In ancient times, these were the greatest national festivals. Who is the founder of the ancient Olympic Games is unknown. Myths and legends played a significant role in the social and cultural life of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that the birth of the Olympic Games dates back to the time of Kronos, the son of the first god Uranus. In a competition between mythical heroes, Hercules won on the run, for which he was awarded an olive wreath. Subsequently, the winner insisted that a sporting event be held every five years. Such is the legend. Of course, there are other legends about the origin of the Olympic Games.

The historical sources confirming the holding of these festivities in ancient Greece include Homer's Iliad. This book mentions a chariot race organized by the inhabitants of Elis, the area in the Peloponnese where Olympia was located.

Holy Truce

A mere mortal who played a significant role in the development of the ancient Greek Olympic Games was King Ifit. During his reign, the interval between the competitions was already four years. Resuming the Olympic Games, Ifit declared a sacred truce. That is, during these festivities it was impossible to wage war. And not only in Elis, but also in other parts of Hellas.

Elis was considered a sacred place. It was impossible to wage war with her. True, later the Eleans themselves invaded neighboring areas more than once. Why were the ancient Olympic Games called holidays of peace? Firstly, the holding of these competitions was associated with the names of the gods highly revered by the ancient Greeks. Secondly, the aforementioned truce was announced for a month, which had a special name - ἱερομηνία.

About the sports in the Olympic Games held by the Hellenes, scientists still have not come to a consensus. There is an opinion that initially athletes competed only in running. Later, wrestling and chariot racing were added to the sports in the Olympic Games.

Members

Among the citizens in ancient Greece were those who were subjected to public dishonor and contempt by others, i.e. atymia. They could not become participants in competitions. Only respected Hellenes. Of course, the barbarians, who could only be spectators, did not take part in the ancient Olympic Games either. An exception was made only in favor of the Romans. At the ancient Greek Olympic Games, a woman did not even have the right to be present if she was not a priestess of the goddess Demeter.

The number of spectators and participants was huge. If at the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece (776 BC) competitions were held only in running, then later other sports appeared. And over time, poets and artists got the opportunity to compete in their skills. During the festivities, even deputies competed with each other in the abundance of offerings to mythical deities.

It is known from the history of the Olympic Games that these events had a rather important social and cultural significance. Deals were made between merchants, artists and poets introduced the public to their creations.

Competitions were held on the first full moon after the summer solstice. It went on for five days. A certain part of the time was devoted to rituals with sacrifices and a public feast.

Types of competitions

The history of the Olympic Games, as already mentioned, is full of stories and legends. However, there is reliable information regarding the types of competitions. At the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, athletes competed in running. This sport was represented by the following varieties:

Distance running.
Double run.
Long run.
Running in full armor.

The first fist fight took place at the 23rd Olympiad. Later, the ancient Greeks added martial arts such as pankration, wrestling. It was said above that women did not have the right to take part in competitions. However, in 688 BC, special competitions were created for the most purposeful inhabitants in ancient Greece. the only sport in which they could compete, there were horse races.

In the fourth century BC, a competition between trumpeters and heralds was added to the program of the Olympic Games - the Hellenes believed that aesthetic pleasure and sport had a logical connection. Artists exhibited their works on the market square. Poets and writers, as mentioned above, read their writings. Sculptors were sometimes ordered statues of winners after the end of the Games, lyrics in honor of the strongest and most dexterous composed laudatory songs.

Ellanodons

What were the names of the judges who watched the course of the competition and awarded awards to the winners. Ellanodons were appointed by lot. The judges not only presented the award, but also managed the organization of the entire event. At the first Olympic Games there were only two, then nine, and later ten. Beginning in 368 BC, there were twelve Hellanodons. True, later the number of judges decreased. The Ellanodons wore a special purple robe.

How did the competition start? Athletes proved to spectators and judges that the previous months were devoted exclusively to preliminary preparation. They took an oath in front of the statue of the main ancient Greek god - Zeus. Relatives of those wishing to compete - fathers and brothers - also took an oath. A month before the competition, the athletes demonstrated their skills in front of the judges at the Olympic Gymnasium.

The order of the competition was determined by drawing lots. Then the herald publicly announced the name of the contestant. Where were the Olympic Games held?

Sanctuary of Ancient Greece

Where the Olympic Games were held is already clear from the name. Olympia is located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. This was once located temple-cultural complex and sacred grove of Zeus. On the territory of the ancient Greek sanctuary there were religious buildings, monuments, sports facilities and houses in which the participants and guests lived. This place was the center of Greek art until the fourth century BC. Later they were burned by order of Theodosius II.

The Olympic Stadium was built gradually. He became the first in ancient Greece. In the fifth century BC, this stadium received about forty thousand spectators. For training, a gymnasium was used - a structure, treadmill which was equal in length to the one that was in the stadium itself. Another platform for preliminary preparations - palestra. It was a square building with a courtyard. Mostly athletes who competed in wrestling and fisticuffs trained here.

Leonidoyon, which served as a function, was built in the fifth century BC according to the project of a well-known architect in Ancient Greece. The huge building consisted of a courtyard surrounded by columns and included many rooms. The Olympic Games played an important role in the religious life of the Hellenes. That is why here the locals erected several temples and shrines. The buildings fell into disrepair after an earthquake that occurred in the sixth century. The hippodrome was finally destroyed during the flood.

The last Olympic Games in Ancient Greece took place in 394. Banned by Emperor Theodosius. In the Christian era, these events were regarded as pagan. The revival of the Olympic Games occurred after two millennia. Although already in the 17th century, competitions reminiscent of the Olympic ones were held repeatedly in England, France and Greece.

Revival of ancient Greek traditions

The forerunners of the modern Olympic Games were the Olympia, held in the middle of the 19th century. But they, of course, were not so large-scale and had little in common with the competitions, which in our time take place every four years. French Pierre de Coubertin played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games. Why did the Europeans suddenly remember the traditions of the ancient Greeks?

In the middle of the 17th century, archaeological research was carried out in Olympia, as a result of which scientists discovered the remains of temple structures. The work continued for more than ten years. At that time, everything related to Antiquity was popular in Europe. The desire to revive Olympic traditions many public and cultural figures became infected. At the same time, the French showed the greatest interest in the culture of holding sports competitions in Ancient Greece, although the archaeological discoveries belonged to the Germans. This can be easily explained.

In 1871, the French army was defeated, which significantly undermined the patriotic spirit in society. Pierre de Coubertin believed that the reason was in a weak physical training soldier. He did not try to inspire his compatriots to fight against Germany and other European powers. The French public figure spoke a lot about the need to improve physical education, but also advocated overcoming national selfishness and establishing international understanding.

First Olympic Games: new time

In June 1894, a congress was held at the Sorbonne, at which Coubertin presented to the world community his thoughts on the need to revive ancient Greek traditions. His ideas were supported. On the last day of the congress, it was decided to hold the Olympic Games in two years. They were supposed to take place in Athens. The International Competitions Committee was headed by Demetrius Vikelas. Pierre de Coubertin took over as general secretary.

The 1896 Olympic Games were the biggest sporting event ever. Greek statesmen put forward a proposal to hold the Olympic Games exclusively in their homeland. However, the committee decided otherwise. The venue for the Games changes every four years.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Olympic movement was not widely popular. This is partly due to the fact that at that time the World Exhibition was held in Paris. Some historians believe that the Olympic ideas were saved thanks to the intermediate games of 1906, held again in Athens.

Differences between modern Games and ancient Greek

Competitions were resumed on the model of ancient sports competitions. The modern Olympic Games unite athletes from all states; discrimination against individuals on religious, racial, political grounds is not allowed. This is perhaps the main difference modern Games from ancient Greek.

What did the modern Olympic Games borrow from the ancient Greek? First of all, the names themselves. The frequency of the competitions was also borrowed. One of the purposes of the modern Olympic Games is to serve the world, to establish mutual understanding between countries. This is in tune with the ideas of the ancient Greeks about a temporary truce during the days of the competition. The Olympic fire and torch are the symbols of the Olympics, which, of course, originated in antiquity. Some terms and rules for holding competitions were also borrowed from the ancient Greeks.

There are, of course, several significant differences between the modern Games and the ancient ones. The ancient Greeks held sports events exclusively in Olympia. Today the Games are organized each time in a different city. In ancient Greece, there was no such thing as the Winter Olympics. Yes, the competition was different. In antiquity in the Olympic Games were attended not only by athletes, but also by poets.

Symbolism

Everyone knows what the symbol of the Olympic Games looks like. Five fastened rings in black, blue, red, yellow and green. However, few people know that these elements do not belong to any particular continent. sounds in Latin, translated into Russian means "faster, higher, stronger". The flag is a white cloth with rings. It has been raised at every Games since 1920.

Both the opening and closing of the Games are accompanied by a grandiose, colorful ceremony. The best organizers of mass events are involved in the development of the scenario. Famous actors and singers strive to participate in this spectacle. The broadcast of this international event attracts tens of millions of viewers around the world to television screens.

If the ancient Greeks believed that in honor of the Olympic Games it was worth suspending any hostilities, then in the twentieth century the opposite was true. sports canceled due to armed conflicts. The games were not held in 1916, 1940, 1944. Russia has hosted the Olympics twice. In 1980 in Moscow and in 2014 in Sochi.

One of the brightest and most massive events on the planet are the Olympic Games. Any athlete who manages to take the podium at the Olympic competitions receives the status Olympic champion for life and his achievements remain in the world history of sports for centuries. Where and how did the Olympic Games originate and what is their history? Let's try to conduct a brief digression into the history of the emergence and holding of the Olympic Games.

Story

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece, where they were not only a sports, but also a religious holiday. Information about the holding of the very first games and their origin has not been preserved, but there are several legends that describe this event. The first documented date for the celebration of the Olympic Games is 776 BC. e. Despite the fact that the games were held before, it is generally accepted that they were established by Hercules. In 394 AD, with the advent of Christianity as the official religion, the Olympic Games were banned by Emperor Theodosius I, as they began to be seen as a kind of pagan phenomenon. And yet, despite the ban on games, they have not completely disappeared. In Europe, local competitions were held, somewhat reminiscent of the Olympic Games. After some time, the games resumed thanks to Panagiotis Sutsos, who proposed this idea, and thanks to the public figure Evangelis Zappas, who brought it to life.

The first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896 in the country where they originated - in Greece, in Athens. To organize the Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas. Despite the fact that only 241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the first modern Games, they were a huge success, becoming a significant sporting event in Greece. Initially, it was meant to always hold the Games in their homeland, but the Olympic Committee introduced a decision that the venue would change every 4 years.

The II Olympic Games of 1900, held in France, in Paris, and the III Olympic Games of 1904, held in the USA, in St. Louis (Missouri), were less successful, as a result of which the Olympic movement as a whole experienced its first crisis after significant success. Since the Games were combined with the World Exhibitions, they did not arouse much interest among the audience, and the sports competitions lasted for months.

In 1906, again in Athens (Greece), the so-called "intermediate" Olympic Games were held. At first, the IOC supported the holding of these Games, but now they are not recognized as Olympic. There is an opinion of some sports historians that the 1906 Games were a kind of salvation of the Olympic idea, which did not allow the Games to lose their meaning and become "unnecessary".

All rules, principles and regulations are determined by the Charter of the Olympic Games, approved in Paris in 1894 by the International Sports Congress. The Olympiads are counted from the time of the first Games (I Olympiad - 1896-99). Even if the games are not held, the Olympiad receives its serial number, for example, the VI Games in 1916-19, the XII Games in 1940-43 and the XIII in 1944-47. Symbolize the Olympic Games five rings of different colors fastened together ( Olympic rings), denoting the union of the five parts of the world - the top row: blue - Europe, black - Africa, red - America, and the bottom row: yellow - Asia, green - Australia. The choice of venues for the Olympics is carried out by the IOC. All organizational issues related to the Games are decided not by the chosen country, but by the city. The duration of the Games is approximately 16-18 days.

The Olympic Games, like any strictly organized event, have their own specific traditions and rituals.

Here are some of them:

Before the opening and closing of the games, theatrical performances are held, presenting to the audience the appearance and culture of the country and city in which they are held;

ceremonial passage through central stadium athletes and members of delegations. Athletes from every country go individual groups V alphabetical order country names in the language of the host country or in the official language of the IOC (English or French). Each group is preceded by a representative of the host country who carries a sign with the name of the respective country. He is followed by a flag bearer carrying the flag of his country. This very honorable mission, as a rule, is granted to the most respected and titled athletes;

Without fail, the President of the International Olympic Committee delivers welcoming speeches. Also, the speech is delivered by the head of state in which the Games are held;

The flag of Greece is raised as the country in which the Olympic Games originated. Her national anthem is played;

The flag of the country in which the Games are held is raised and the performance of its national anthem follows; - one of the outstanding athletes of the host country of the Games takes an oath on behalf of all participants about a fair fight and competition that will comply with all the principles and rules of sports;

The opening ceremony ends with the lighting and "relay" of the Olympic flame. The initial part of the relay passes through the cities of Greece, the final part - through the cities of the country in which the games are held. The torch with fire is delivered to the city that organizes the Games on the opening day. The fire burns until the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games;

The closing ceremony is also accompanied by theatrical performances, the speech of the IOC President, the passage of participants, etc. The President of the IOC announces the closing of the Olympics, followed by the performance of the national anthem, the anthem of the Olympic Games, the lowering of the flags. At the end of the ceremony, the Olympic flame goes out.

Each country participating in the Olympic Games develops its own official emblem and mascot of the Games, which become part of the souvenir products.

The following sports are included in the program of the Olympic Games

crossbow sport

B: Badminton , Basketball , Running , Skating , Bobsleigh , Biathlon , Billiards , Boxing , Freestyle wrestling , Greco-Roman wrestling

IN: Cycling, Water polo, Volleyball

G: Handball , Artistic gymnastics , Rhythmic gymnastics , Alpine skiing , Rowing, Rowing and canoeing

D: Judo

TO: Curling, Equestrian

L: Athletics ,Ski race , skiing

H: Table tennis

P: sailing,swimming, Diving , ,Ski jumping

WITH: luge,

In time immemorial organized by Hercules in the 1210s. They were held once every five years, but then for unknown reasons this tradition was interrupted and was revived under King Ifit.

The first Olympic Games in Greece were not numbered, they were called solely by the name of the winner, and in the then only type of competition - running a certain distance.

Ancient authors, based on materials, began counting the competitions from 776 BC. e., it was from this year that the Olympic Games became known by the name of the athlete who won them. However, there is an opinion that they simply failed to establish the names of the earlier winners, and therefore the holding itself could not be considered a valid and reliable fact at that time.

The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia - a town located in southern Greece. Participants and tens of thousands of spectators from many cities of Hellas traveled to the place by sea or by land.

Runners, as well as wrestlers, throwers of discs or spears, jumpers, fisticuffs participated in competitions in agility and strength. The games were held in the hottest month of the summer, and at this time wars between the policies were forbidden.

Heralds throughout the year carried the news to the cities of all Greece about the announcement of the sacred world and that the roads leading to Olympia were safe.

All Greeks had the right to participate in the competition: the poor, and the noble, and the rich, and the humble. Only women were not allowed to attend them, even as spectators.

The first, as well as the subsequent ones, in Greece were dedicated to the great Zeus, it was an exclusively male holiday. According to legend, a very brave Greek woman in men's clothing secretly entered the city of Olympia to watch her son perform. And when he won, the mother, unable to restrain herself, rushed to him in delight. The unfortunate woman was supposed to be executed according to the law, but out of respect for her victorious offspring, they were pardoned.

Almost ten months before the start of the Olympic Games, everyone who was going to participate in them was required to start training in their cities. Day after day, for ten consecutive months, the athletes practiced continuously, and a month before the opening of the competition they arrived in southern Greece and there, not far from Olympia, continued their training.

Usually, most of the participants in the games were usually wealthy people, because the poor could not afford to train for a whole year and not work.

The first Olympic Games lasted only five days.

On the fifth day, a table made of ivory and gold was set up in front of the temple of the main god Zeus, and awards for the winners were placed on it - olive wreaths.

The winners approached one by one to the supreme judge, who placed these award wreaths on their heads. When publicly announced the name of the athlete and his city. At the same time, the audience exclaimed: “Glory to the winner!”.

The fame of the Olympic Games has survived many centuries. And today every inhabitant of the planet knows five rings, which mean the unity of the continents.

The first Olympic Games of modern times laid the foundation for the tradition of taking the oath. There is also another wonderful tradition: to light the Olympic flame in Greece, as in ancient times, and then carry it in a relay race through the countries in the hands of people devoted to sports, to the venue of the next Olympics.

And although as a result of a strong earthquake all Olympic buildings of antiquity were wiped off the face of the earth, however, in the 18th century, as a result of excavations in ancient Olympia, many attributes of the then games were found.

And already at the end of the 19th century, the permanent and first Baron de Coubertin, inspired by the works of the archaeologist Curtius, revived the games, and also wrote a code that defines the rules for their conduct - the “Olympic Charter”.

The Summer Olympic Games are the biggest international competitions in summer and all-season sports, held once every four years under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The revival of the Olympic movement in modern times is associated with the name of Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

The first modern summer Olympic Games were held from 6 to 15 April 1896 in Athens (Greece).

At the opening of the Games of the I Olympiad, the Olympic Hymn was performed for the first time, composed by Spyros Samaras (music) and Kostis Palamas (lyrics). This olympic anthem is still performed at all opening ceremonies.

241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the Games of the I Olympiad. A total of 43 sets of medals were played.

Since the games of the I Olympiad, a tradition has been established of performing the national anthem in honor of the winner and raising the national flag. The winner was crowned with a laurel wreath, he was awarded a silver medal, an olive branch cut in the Sacred Grove of Olympia, and a diploma made by a Greek artist. The second place winners received bronze medals.

Third-place finishers were not counted at the time, and only later were included by the International Olympic Committee in the country medal standings, however, not all medalists were accurately identified.

According to the IOC, largest number medals were won by the Greek team - 46 (10 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze). Team USA has won 20 awards (11 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze). The third place was taken by the German team - (6 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze).

1900

The II Summer Olympic Games were held in Paris (France) from May 14 to October 28, 1900. The Games were timed to world exhibition held at that time in the French capital. The games were attended by 997 athletes from 24 countries. For the first time, women participated in the games (there were 22 in total). 95 sets of medals were played. The French team won the most medals - 91 (23 gold, 36 silver, 32 bronze). The US team is in second place with 47 awards (19 gold, 14 silver, 14 bronze). The third place was taken by Great Britain - 29 awards (14 gold, 6 silver, 9 bronze).

1904

The III Summer Olympic Games were held in St. Louis, USA from July 1 to November 23, 1904. 651 athletes from 12 countries participated in the games. A total of 95 sets of medals were played.

The 1904 Olympic Games were the first to officially award gold, silver, and bronze medals for first, second, and third place. The US team won the most medals - 238 (78 gold, 82 silver, 78 bronze), the German team was in second place - 13 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze). The third place was taken by the Cuban team - 9 awards (4 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze).

1908

The IV Summer Olympic Games were held in London (Great Britain) from April 27 to October 31, 1908. The games were originally supposed to take place in Rome, Italy, but were moved to London when it became apparent that Rome would not be ready. 2008 athletes participated in the games, representing 22 countries. For the first time, a parade of delegations took place at the opening ceremony: the athletes marched under the flag of their country in sportswear. 110 sets of medals were played.

The UK team won the most medals - 127 medals (50 gold, 44 silver, 33 bronze), followed by the US team - 46 medals (22 gold, 12 silver, 12 bronze). The third place was taken by the Swedish team - 25 awards (8 gold, 6 silver, 11 bronze).

1912

The V Summer Olympic Games were held in Stockholm (Sweden) from May 5 to July 27, 1912. 2407 athletes from 28 countries participated in the games. For the first time, athletes from all five continents participated in the Games. 102 sets of medals were played.

The Swedish team won the most medals - 64 medals (23 gold, 24 silver, 17 bronze), followed by the US team - 63 medals (25 gold, 19 silver, 19 bronze). The third place was taken by the team of Great Britain - 40 medals (10 gold, 14 silver, 16 bronze).

1916

The VI Summer Olympic Games were scheduled to be held in Berlin (Germany). The games were canceled due to the outbreak of the First World War.

1920

The VII Summer Olympic Games were held in Antwerp (Belgium) from April 20 to September 12, 1920. 2622 athletes from 29 countries participated in the games. At the games of the VII Olympiad during the opening ceremony was raised for the first time olympic flag with five interlaced rings of blue, yellow, black, green and red. For the first time, an Olympic oath was also taken by an athlete on behalf of all participants. A total of 156 sets of medals were played.

The USA team won the most medals - 94 (41 gold, 27 silver, 26 bronze), the Swedish team won 64 medals (19 gold, 20 silver, 25 bronze). Team Great Britain took the third place with 41 awards (13 gold, 15 silver, 13 bronze).

At the Games of the VII Olympiad, the Italian fencer Nedo Nadi achieved the only result in the history of world fencing: he won 5 gold medals - in individual foil and saber fencing competitions and in team fencing competitions in rapiers, sabers and swords.

1924

The VIII Summer Olympic Games were held in Paris (France) from July 5 to 27, 1924. 3088 athletes from 44 countries participated in the games. A total of 126 sets of medals were played. Athletes from the United States won the most medals - 98 (45 gold, 26 silver, 27 bronze), the French team was in second place - 39 medals (13 gold, 16 silver, 10 bronze). The third place was taken by the Finnish team - 38 medals (14 gold, 13 silver, 11 bronze).

At the Games of the VIII Olympiad, the athletes were accommodated in the Olympic Village for the first time. For the first time, the games were broadcast on television. At the closing ceremony of the Games, for the first time, a ritual was introduced that involves the hoisting of three flags: the flag of the International Olympic Committee, the flag of the host country and the flag of the next host country of the Olympics.

1928

The IX Summer Olympic Games were held in Amsterdam (Netherlands) from May 17 to August 12, 1928. 2883 athletes from 46 countries participated in the games. For the first time, the Olympic flame was lit at the opening ceremony. A total of 109 sets of medals were played. The US team won the most medals - 56 (22 gold, 18 silver, 16 bronze), followed by the German team - 30 medals (10 gold, 7 silver, 13 bronze). The Finnish team took third place - 25 awards (8 gold, 8 silver, 9 bronze).

1932

X Summer Olympic Games were held from July 30 to August 14, 1932 in Los Angeles (USA). 1334 athletes from 37 countries took part. 117 sets of medals were played.

Athletes from China took part in the Games of the X Olympiad for the first time.

The US team took first place with 103 medals (41 gold, 32 silver, 30 bronze), second place went to Italy with 36 medals (12 gold, 12 silver, 12 bronze), and third was Finland with 25 medals (5 gold, 8 silver, 12 bronze).

1936

XI Summer Olympic Games were held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin (Germany). 3963 athletes from 49 countries took part. 129 sets of medals were played.

Adolf Hitler tried to use the Olympics to prove his theory of Aryan racial superiority. However, the hero of the Games was American black athlete Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals.

The Olympic torch relay was held for the first time. More than three thousand runners participated in the delivery of the torch from Olympia to Berlin.

The first place was taken by the German team with 89 medals (33 gold, 26 silver, 30 bronze), the second by the United States with 56 medals (24 gold, 20 silver, 12 bronze), and the third by Italy with 22 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, 5 bronze).

1940

XII Summer Olympic Games were to be held from September 21 to October 6, 1940 in the capital of Japan - Tokyo. However, due to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the IOC moved the Games to Helsinki (Finland), where they were scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 4, 1940. But after the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the Games were finally cancelled.

Despite the cancellation of the Games, they, like the VI Summer Olympic Games that did not take place in 1916, were assigned their own serial number.

1944

The XIII Summer Olympic Games, according to the decision of the IOC, adopted in June 1939, were scheduled to be held in 1944 in London (Great Britain). They were supposed to take place in the year of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the International Olympic Committee. The Games were canceled due to World War II. London hosted the first post-war Games in 1948, gaining this right without an election.

1948

The XIV Summer Olympic Games were held in London (Great Britain) from July 29 to August 14, 1948. 4104 athletes from 59 countries took part. 136 sets of medals were played.

The best athlete of the XIV Olympiad was recognized as the Dutch athlete Fanny Blankers-Kuhn, who won four gold medals in four sprint distances.

Seventeen-year-old American Bob Mathias won the decathlon and became the youngest athlete in Olympic history to win the men's track and field tournament.

One of the heroes of the Olympics was the Soviet weightlifter Yuri Vlasov.

my first gold medal conquered american boxer Cassius Clay, later transferred to professional boxing and became known as Muhammad Ali.

Soviet athletes won 15 out of 16 possible medals in gymnastics, and Larisa Latynina won 6 awards (4 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze).

The Soviet team took first place, winning 103 awards (43 gold, 29 silver, 31 bronze). The United States came in second with 71 medals (34 gold, 21 silver, 16 bronze), and the United German Team came in third with 39 medals (12 gold, 16 silver, 11 bronze).

1964

The XVIII Summer Olympic Games were held in the capital of Japan, Tokyo, from 10 to 24 October 1964.

5152 athletes from 93 countries took part. 163 sets of medals were played.

Australian swimmer, champion of Melbourne and Rome, Dawn Fraser won the third Olympic victory. She became the first female swimmer to win a total of eight Olympic medals.

For the first time in the long history of the Olympics, one athlete managed to become the winner of the marathon distance for the second time in a row. They became an athlete from Ethiopia Abebe Bikila.

Athletes of the USSR retained the championship in the unofficial team standings, winning 96 medals (30 gold, 31 silver, 35 bronze). The US team was second with 90 medals (36 gold, 26 silver, 28 bronze), while the United German team was third with 50 medals (10 gold, 22 silver, 18 bronze).

1968

XIX Summer Olympic Games were held in the capital of Mexico - Mexico City from October 12 to October 27, 1968.

5516 athletes from 112 countries took part. 172 sets of medals were played.

The choice of Mexico City as the venue for the Olympic Games proved controversial due to the high altitude of the city - 2300 meters above sea level.

The hero of the Olympics was the American Bob Beamon, who in the long jump showed a result of 8 meters 90 centimeters, exceeding the world record by 55 centimeters at once.

The Games of the XIX Olympiad are considered a turning point in the history of high jump - American Richard Fosbury established a new Olympic record, jumping over the bar in a new way - back to front. The technique was called "Fosbury flop" and began to be used around the world.

The first place in the unofficial team standings was taken by athletes from the United States, who won 107 medals (45 gold, 28 silver, 34 bronze). Athletes from the USSR took second place, winning 91 awards (29 gold, 32 silver, 30 bronze), in third place was the Hungarian team, which won 32 medals (10 gold, 10 silver, 12 bronze).

1972

7234 athletes from 121 countries took part. 195 sets of medals were played.

The Olympics were almost derailed by tragedy. On September 5, 1972, terrorists from the Black September organization broke into Olympic village, killed two members of the Israeli team and took nine hostages. In the ensuing battle, all nine Israeli hostages were killed.

The hero of the Games was the American swimmer Mark Spitz, who became the first person to win 7 gold medals. Olympic medals in one game.

The first place was taken by the USSR national team, having won 99 medals (50 gold, 27 silver, 22 bronze). The United States came second with 94 medals (33 gold, 31 silver, 30 bronze), and the German Democratic Republic came in third with 66 medals (20 gold, 23 silver, 23 bronze).

1976

The XXI Summer Olympic Games were held in Montreal (Canada) from July 17 to August 1, 1976. 6084 athletes from 92 countries took part. 198 sets of medals were played. The games were boycotted by 22 African countries in protest of the New Zealand rugby team's violation of the boycott of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

At the Games of the XXI Olympiad, women's basketball was presented for the first time; the first in history Olympic champions were Soviet basketball players.

Soviet athlete Viktor Saneev for the first time in the history of Olympic competitions became the best in the triple jump for the third time in a row.

The USSR confirmed its title of Olympic leader by winning 125 medals (49 gold, 41 silver, 35 bronze). The second team of the Olympics was the GDR team, which won 90 awards (40 gold, 25 silver and 25 bronze), the US team for the first time was in third place in the medal standings (34 gold, 35 silver, 25 bronze).

1980

XXII Summer Olympic Games were held from July 19 to August 3, 1980 in Moscow (USSR). 5179 athletes from 80 countries took part in the Games, 203 sets of medals were played. The United States, Germany, Japan and several dozen other countries boycotted the Olympics in protest against the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan. At the Moscow Olympiad, Alexander Dityatin became the only gymnast in the world to have medals in all evaluated exercises in one competition: he won three gold, four silver and one bronze medals.

The USSR athletes became the leader in the number of medals, they won 195 awards (80 gold, 69 silver, 46 bronze), in second place were athletes from the GDR, who won 126 medals (47 gold, 37 silver, 42 bronze), the third place was taken by the Bulgarian team - 41 medals (8 gold, 16 silver, 17 bronze).

1984

XXIII Summer Olympic Games were held from July 28 to August 12, 1984 in Los Angeles (USA). 6829 athletes from 140 countries participated, 221 sets of medals were played. The program of the Games included rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming. Soviet athletes and athletes from 13 countries declared a boycott of the Olympics in connection with the boycott of American athletes Summer Games 1980 in Moscow. Total (due to the boycott of most of the countries of the socialist bloc) in Olympic competitions 125 world champions failed to take part. The Chinese team competed at the Olympics for the first time after a 32-year absence.

Most of the medals were won by American athletes (83 gold, 63 silver, 32 bronze), the team from Germany was in second place, winning 59 medals (17 gold, 19 silver, 23 bronze), and the Romanian team was in third place with 53 medals (20 gold, 16 silver, 17 bronze).

1988

XXIV Summer Olympic Games were held from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul ( South Korea). 8397 athletes from 159 countries participated,