Relationship Between Religion And Athletics In Ancient Greece
What was the relationship between religion and Athletics in Ancient Greece? On balance, were the Ancient Games vastly different from modern olympics? How did greek attitudes towards sports differ from present day attitudes? What does the role of games in Ancient Greece suggest about the significance of sports in any society? All the answers to these questions can be found in the informational noval “Organized Greek Games” written by William J. Baker.
So, what was the relationship between religion and Athletics in Ancient Greece?
The olympic games, as Baker points out, were “originally mixtures of religious ceremony and athletic competition”(59). For example, located on page fifty-nine, Baker describes some of the ways Ancient Greece intertwined sports and religion. He says, “The Pythian Games, held every four years at the sacred site of Apollo in Delphi, crowned victory with a laurel wreath. The Isthmian Games at Corinth in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea, were conducted every other year, providing a victor’s wreath of pine from a nearby sacred grove. The Nemean Games at Nemea, honoring Zeus every second year, awarded a sacred wreath of celery. The …show more content…
The role of games in Ancient Greece suggests this because of the pride, honor, and legacy that is left on display for everyone to observe. On page sixty-five, Baker says, “The professionalism of the athletes and the honor they derived from their victories resemble the culture of sports in our present society.” In past societies and current societies, sports have become a tradition that brings professionalism and honor to the athletes and their families. This glorious tradition will not fade easily; the pride, honor, and legacy of such achievements will not be forgotten. They are continually announced and never unspoken after they have been accomplished. People’s pride alone will never allow the significance of sports and athletic’s to
So, what was the relationship between religion and Athletics in Ancient Greece?
The olympic games, as Baker points out, were “originally mixtures of religious ceremony and athletic competition”(59). For example, located on page fifty-nine, Baker describes some of the ways Ancient Greece intertwined sports and religion. He says, “The Pythian Games, held every four years at the sacred site of Apollo in Delphi, crowned victory with a laurel wreath. The Isthmian Games at Corinth in honor of Poseidon, the god of the sea, were conducted every other year, providing a victor’s wreath of pine from a nearby sacred grove. The Nemean Games at Nemea, honoring Zeus every second year, awarded a sacred wreath of celery. The …show more content…
The role of games in Ancient Greece suggests this because of the pride, honor, and legacy that is left on display for everyone to observe. On page sixty-five, Baker says, “The professionalism of the athletes and the honor they derived from their victories resemble the culture of sports in our present society.” In past societies and current societies, sports have become a tradition that brings professionalism and honor to the athletes and their families. This glorious tradition will not fade easily; the pride, honor, and legacy of such achievements will not be forgotten. They are continually announced and never unspoken after they have been accomplished. People’s pride alone will never allow the significance of sports and athletic’s to