The Lore Surrounding the Olympic Games

**Discussion begins at 7:00**The Olympic Games originated in 776 BC in Greece.  Back then, religious and athletic festivals were held every 4 years in Olympia at the sanctuary of Zeus.  It took place almost exclusively in late August/early September, because the midpoint always took place during the second full moon after the summer solstice (after the annual harvest but before the picking of the olives).  The first 13 games included only a foot race, and were only open to “legitimate sons of free-born Greek parents”.  After Rome took over Greece, the games evolved to feature any man who spoke Greek, and included events like foot races, wrestling, boxing, and chariot racing.  Still, participants trained for years, and the champions received a wreath made from the sacred olive tree in the precinct of Zeus.  That’s it… nothing else except personal pride.  The Games were held every four years for nearly 1,200 years, shaping Greek culture and politics and reaching the height of success around the 5th or 6th centuries BC.  The games were eventually banned  sometime between 393 AD when the Roman emperor Theodosius I banned Pagan rituals, and 426 AD when his successor Theodosius the II mandated the destruction of all Greek temples.  The idea of the Olympics lay dormant until the 19th century, when interest in classical Greece and international sport revived the concept.  Several “Olympic-style” competitions appeared across Europe, but the true rebirth came through French educator Pierre de Coubertin, who believed sport could promote peace, education, and international cooperation.  His efforts led to the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894 and the staging of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. Though small and imperfect, these Games established the core structure of the Olympics: international participation, multiple sports, and recurring competition.Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the Olympics grew into one of the world’s largest global events, reflecting both athletic excellence and international tension.  The Games expanded to include women, professional athletes, and a wide range of new sports, while also giving rise to the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.  Since the first modern Olympics in 1896, the competition has gone from 241 male athletes from 14 countries, to over 10,000 male and female athletes from over 200 countries.  They have gone from 43 events in 9 sports, to over 300 events from 30+ sports.  Today we are discussing the interesting Olympic lore, including some bizarre and strange tales.    Send us Fan MailSupport the showTheme song by INDA