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Home Reference Sports & Games Ancient Olympic Games: Banned, Revived, Roaring
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Ancient Olympic Games: Banned, Revived, Roaring
by Agha Rizvi
4.7
4.7 out of 5
Creators
AuthorAgha Rizvi
Publisher
SynopsisSynopsis:- This book portrays on a larger canvas the glories, trials and tribulations of the ancient Olympic Games. No other book has ever provided such a thorough documentation of that ancient heritage. The book opens with the chapter ‘The Legendary Origin of the Olympic Games’, which reaches back to pre-historic times. The Olympic ‘concept’ has been exhaustively traced drawing heavily from the authoritative versions of the Greek myths and original sources such as Homer’s ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’, historical writings of Herodatus and Hesiod, Pausania’s travelogues, Pindar’s Odes, to name but a few. A separate chapter is devoted to Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, describing vividly the lay-out and the environs of the Altis, - the sacred precinct. The next chapter exclusively deals with the organisation, conduct and development of the Olympic Games in ancient times under the heading ‘Olympic Regimen in Ancient Times’. Deeds and achievements of some of the outstanding performers, viz., Polydamas, Theogenes, Euthymus, Flaucus, Milo, Pisidores, have been recalled in detail in the chapter captioned ‘Heroes of Ancient Olympics’ which should make a very interesting reading. When Greece came under the sway of the Romans, the Games, slowly, yet surely, lost the sanctity and reverence surrounding them and were ultimately banned by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I in 393 AD. The circumstances culminating into the suspension of the Games form the theme of the fifth chapter. Then follows the story of how the Games were revived in the Nineteenth Century by Baron de Coubertine after several earlier attempts had ended in failure. Even though the Games were revived in 1896, certain pulls and pressures coupled with indifferent handling of subsequent Olympics by the host countries, the future of the Olympic movement seemed to be far from secure. All such factors have been bunched under the caption: “The Teething Troubles”. Curiously enough, the marathon race, a glamour attraction and a prestigious event, played a significant role in laying a solid foundation for the Games. How this came to pass has been brought out in a separate chapter: “The Marathon Story”. Having surveyed the scenario thus far it was considered appropriate to devote an entire chapter to the fundamentals of the various track and field events and present some vital information about the Olympic set-up and organisation in the next two chapters. Then begins the cavalcade of Olympic Games with a separate chapter earmarked for each Olympics of the modern era, from the first in Athens in 1896 to the eleventh in Berlin in 1936 where the organisation and conduct of the Games was perfected and thus securing the future of the Olympic Games. The chapters recount the highlights of each Games, touching on the historical background and the pomp and pageantry in which they were held. Performances of all the participating countries have been highlighted at appropriate places and in proper perspective.
