Στην εποχή μας (In Our Time, 1925)

Μία εμβληματική συλλογή κειμένων του Έρνεστ Χέμινγουεϊ

Του Γεωργίου Νικ. Σχορετσανίτη //

Ancient Greek Olympics Gallery / Greeks bbc

Amphora depicting three long-distance runners

By Judith Swaddling,

Last updated 2011-02-17

 

The Greeks believed that athletic skills and prowess were gifts of the gods, and all their sports events were therefore held in honour of a god.

The four major events were the Games of Apollo at Delphi, Poseidon at Nemea and Corinth, and most important and prestigious of all, the Games in honour of Zeus at Olympia.

The major Panathenaic Games were also held at Athens, in honour of Athena. Collectively the Games were known as the periodos, or circuit, and throughout them all, prayers and sacrifices were offered to the gods.