Chronology of the ancient Olympic Games

Chronology of the sport

the sport in ancient Egypt
the ancient Greek sport
Chronology of the sport in ancient Rome

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1500 av. J. - C. . Low-reliefs crétois attesting sporting practice: fight, race and combat against bulls in particular. Certain historians consider that Crétois unloaded as of this period with Olympie where they set up a stage and disputed races on foot there.

884 av. J. - C.. Legend making state of a plague devastating Greece. Iphitos, king d' Élide, consult Pithye with Delphes which advises to him to organize Olympic Games in order to alleviate the anger of the gods.

776 av. J. - C.. According to Hésiode, began again by Pierre de Coubertin, foundation of the Olympic Games. It is year 1 of the Greek calendar adopted in 260 av. J. - C.. The Olympic Games are most prestigious, but nearly 300 competitions of the same type are born thereafter: the Pythiques Plays, the Plays Néméens, the Panathénées and the Isthmian Plays in particular. These competitions are exclusively reserved to the men and the women are even prohibited to attend the tests. The women generally have their plays which also take place every four years, in September on the site of Olympie, fifteen days after those reserved to the men: the Plays Héréens.

776 av. J. - C.. Coroebos is Olympic champion of the pedestrian race of the stage (approximately 192 m).

752 av. J. - C.. From the seventh Olympiad, the Olympic champion receives a wild crown of olive-tree, a red wool ribbon, the tænia, and a branch of palm tree. Messénien Daikles is the first Olympic champion honoured thus.

752 av. J. - C./736 av. J. - C.. Messéniens trustent the victories with the Olympic Games. After the annexation of Messénie by Sparte, Messéniens do not take part any more in the Plays.

724 av. J. - C.. the diaulos, race pedestrian of the double stage (approximately 384,5 m), makes its appearance with the program of the Olympic Games. Hypnos gains the first Olympic title of this discipline.

720 av. J. - C.. the dolichos, pedestrian race basic of 24 stages (approximately 4600 m), makes its appearance with the program of Olympic Games. Akhantos gains the first Olympic title of this discipline.

720 av. J. - C.. First victory of an athlete of Sparte to the Olympic Games. Of 720 av. J. - C. with 576 av. J. - C., on 81 Olympic champions, 46 Spartans are crowned.

720 av. J. - C.. According to the legend, Orrhipos de Mégare is the first athlete to be presented naked to the Olympic Games. He loses in fact his loincloth in full race, but gains however the test. Following this “sign of the gods”, the Greeks adopted nudity for the athletes. Other sources suggest that the Spartans are at the origin of this evolution.

708 av. J. - C.. the pentathlon (disc, javelin, long jump, race and fight) and the fight make their appearance with the program of the Olympic Games. Lampis gains the first Olympic title of pentathlon. The throw of javelin was present in two forms: launching with a target and a distance throwing using a support. The initial javelin was made of wood of olive-tree. It measured between 2.30m and 2.40m and weighed approximately 400 grams

688 av. J. - C.. pugilism makes its appearance with the program of the Olympic Games. Onomaste gains the first Olympic title of this discipline.

680 av. J. - C.. the races of quadrigae (quadrigas) are introduced with the program of the Olympic Games. Pagondas gains the first Olympic title of this discipline queen.

648 av. J. - C.. the pancrace (sport of mixing combat boxes and fights) and the horse-races assembled make their appearance with the program of the Olympic Games. Lygdamis gains the first Olympic title of pancacre; Crauxidas that of the horse-race.

632 av. J. - C.. Of the tests reserved to the juniors (race and fight) is introduced with the program of the Olympic Games.

588 av. J. - C.. First Olympic victory for an athlete of the city of Crotona.

586 av. J. - C.. Revival in Delphes of the Pythiques Plays which dispute from now on every four years, against once all eight or nine years previously. In order to launch this new great Greek sporting appointment effectively, the champions of this first edition of the Pythiques new handsets receive considerable rewards.

582 av. J. - C.. launched Perfectly by an imposing edition, the organizers of the Pythiques Plays can from now on be satisfied to offer to the winners a simple laurel wreath. Very quickly, the fame of these plays equalizes that of the famous Olympic Games.

581 av. J. - C.. has Corinth, the Isthmian Plays, founded according to the legend by Thésée, dispute from now on one year out of two against once every four years previously. A crown of pine is given to the winners of these plays.

580 av. J. - C.. has Athens, Solon promulgates a law specifying that each Athenian Olympic winner will receive 500 drachmas. This measurement which aims at motivating the Athenian sportsmen officializes professionalism already largely widespread in all Greece. The currency is an old innovation of less than one century… The cities show thus more generous the ones than the others, covering with gold and honors the champions who carried high their colors. The transfers of athletes of a city to the other spread at this period… with the greatest anger of the citizens - supporters who express, sometimes very violently, their dissatisfaction vis-a-vis these authentic treasons…

572 av. J. - C.. Elect, helped by Sparte, crushes Pisa which controlled the site of Olympie up to that point.

573 av. J. - C.. First edition of the Plays Néméens in Némée, village depend on the city of Argos. These competitions take place every two years. A crown of Céleri is given to the winners of these plays. The calendar of the four great Greek sporting appointments is complete: Olympic Games, Isthmian Pythiques Plays, Néméens Plays and Jeux. An athlete who manages to gain the titles in these four go receives the title of periodonikes. Behind these tests of Large Slam, there exist several hundreds of more modest competitions through all Greece.

566 av. J. - C. or 565 av. J. - C.. First edition of the Panathénées Plays in Athens.

540 av. J. - C.. First Olympic title of fight for Milon of Crotona as juniors.

532 av. J. - C.. First Olympic title senior for Milon of Crotona in fight. Raise of Pythagore, this athlete emblematic of the Olympic Games of Antiquity then manages to preserve its crown fights about it at the time of the four following Olympic Games, thus changing to six the number of its Olympic victories!

520 av. J. - C.. the race of hoplites (pedestrian race in military behavior) made its appearance with the program of the Olympic Games. This test encloses the plays. The program of the Olympic Games is from now on complete: races on foot, throws, pentathlon, fight, pugilism, pancrace, races of tanks and races assembled.

516 av. J. - C.. Milon of Crotona takes down its 6th Olympic title of fight. For this prize list which makes of him the most famous fighter of the history, it is advisable to add 7 titles to the Pythiques Plays, 9 titles with the Néméens Plays and 10 titles with the Isthmian Plays.

512 av. J. - C.. Milon of Crotona is beaten finally fight at the time of the Olympic Games.

500 av. J. - C.. First mention in Greece of the play of Sphairistica ball. C `is an old form of the play of palm.

488 av. J. - C.. Astylos of Crotona is double champion Olympic (stage and diaulos). After this triumph, it is committed defending as of the following Olympic Games the colors of the city of Syracuse.

480 av. J. - C.. Théagène de Thasos is Olympic champion of boxing.

476 av. J. - C.. Théagène de Thasos is Olympic champion of pancrace. Hiéron Ier Olympic champion of quadriga.

476 av. J. - C.. Hiéron of Syracuse east Olympic champion of horse-race assembled on Phérénicos. The Pindare poet devotes its first great poem to him. The assembled and harnessed horse-races are practiced among Greeks while the Romans are satisfied with harnessed races.

464 av. J. - C.. Diagoras of Rhodos is Olympic champion of boxing. Diagoras, whose children and grandchildren will be also Olympic champions, incarnates all qualities of the athlete. The Pindare poet dedicates an ode to him.

464 av. J. - C.. Xénophon de Corinthe Olympic east double champion (stage and pentathlon).

431 av. J. - C./404 av. J. - C.. Peloponnesian War; Sparte is temporarily excluded from the Olympic Games in 420 av. J. - C..

420 av. J. - C.. Alcibiade Olympic champion of quadriga.

416 av. J. - C.. Alcibiade again Olympic champion of quadriga.

408 av. J. - C.. Polydamas de Skotoussa is Olympic champion of pancrace. This athlete enjoys a great fame.

396 av. J. - C.. As an owner of the attachment, Kyniska, princess of Sparte, gains the Olympic title of the race of tanks. It cannot however not go to seek its price…

388 av. J. - C.. Institution of the oath to the Olympic Games. Many cases of cheating of all kinds are recorded for a long time already… Doping with the corruption of the referees or adversaries, the Olympic Games does not escape the drifts related to the stakes.

The Olympic oath:

I. To be prone free Helene, neither slave, nor wog.
II. Not to be neither begun again of justice, nor of a doubtful morality.
III. To be registered in advance with the one month training course of the gymnasium of Ellis.
IV. Any latecomer will be except contest.
V. Prohibition with the married women to attend the plays or to show themselves in Altis under penalty of being precipitated rock of Typaion.
VI. During the exercises, the Masters (trainers) of the athletes will have to be parked and naked.
VII. Defense to kill its adversary or to seek to kill it.
VIII. Defense to push it out of the limits.
IX. Defense to intimidate it.
X. Any corruption of referee or adversary will be punished whip.
XI. Any competitor against which will not be presented the indicated adversary will be declared victorious.
XII. Defense with the competitors to express against the public or the judges.
XIII. Any competitor dissatisfied with a decision can call some with the Senate against the referees: those will be punished or their reverted decision if she is considered to be erroneous.
XIV. Except contest any member of the College of the Judges will be.

384 av. J. - C.. Crétois Sotades gains the race of the dolichos to the Olympic Games. After this triumph, it engages with Éphèse of which it will defend the colors at the time of the following Olympic Games causing the anger of Crétois…

364 av. J. - C.. the crowned truce of the Olympic Games is violated. Arcadiens seize Olympie.

356 av. J. - C.. Philippe II of Macedonia is Olympic champion of quadriga.

340 av. J. - C.. Philippe II of Macedonia makes set up in Philippopolis (Thrace) a monumental white marble stage. The Pythiques Plays are held to with it every four years.

333 av. J. - C.. Alexandre Large the is named general-in-chief of all the Greeks at the time of the Isthmian Plays (Corinth).

332 av. J. - C.. Athens temporarily excluded from the Olympic Games. One of its athletes, Callippos, is convinced of cheating and is seen imposing a fine. Callippos is insolvent and its city must pay its fine; Athens refuses and is temporarily excluded from the Plays!

210 av. J. - C.. the crowned truce of the Olympic Games is violated. Olympie is plundered under the reign of the tyrant Machanidas Spartan.

164 av. J. - C.. Léonidas of Rhodos gains three titles at the time of the Olympic Games: the race of the stage, the double stage and the race of hoplites. Léonidas enters the legend by renewing its victories at the time of the three following plays, thus not capping less than 12 Olympic crowns! It is quasi-déifié.

146 av. J. - C.. the Romans take part from now on in the Olympic Games.

October 26th/November 1st 80 av. J. - C.. the Olympic Games are truncated by the organization in Rome of plays to the Greek mode wanted by the consul Sylla. The Greek professional athletes indeed prefer to go to run the seal to Rome where Sylla did not haggle over the amounts of the premiums in order to propose a better spectacle. The sports known as “Greek”, primarily the athletics, are a certain success in Rome but do not manage to export itself elsewhere in the Empire.

4 av. J. - C.. the future Tibère emperor is Olympic champion of race of tanks (quadriga).
49 Melankomas de Caria is Olympic champion of pugilism. It is the single Olympic crown for this puglist who dies very young person. In spite of this very short career, its name remains famous because of its incomparable talent for the practice of pugilism.

67 Néron, authenticates impassioned sports not hesitating to take share itself with the races of tanks, is crowned Olympic champion of the race of quadriga. This victory in fact is bought by the Roman Emperor who is the only participant in the test with an attachment of 10 horses!! This very discussed victory was thereafter striped prize lists.

369 known Last edition of the Olympic Games. It is however extremely probable which the competitions had place until 393, included.

394 Under the pressure of Christian morals (St-Ambroise, bishop of Milan, in particular), from now on official religion of the Empire Romain, the Roman Emperor Théodose Ier abolishes the Olympic Games. On 4237 Olympic champions honoured in 1168 years, only 921 is known today, that is to say 21%. Taxed, wrongly, of paganism (the religion is the junior by the concern of the sportsmen and the supporters), the sport, pillar of the romanity pre-Christian woman, are sacrificed on the furnace bridge of Christianity. It is necessary to await the extreme end of the XIXe century to witness a reconciliation between sport and Christianity in occident.

395 Goths plunder Olympie.

426 the Roman Emperor of the East Théodose II fact of setting fire to the installations of Olympie.

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