Download or read book A Visitor s Guide to the Ancient Olympics written by Neil Faulkner and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2012-04-24 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The essential handbook for the 21st-century citizen seeking a lively guided tour of the ancient Greek Olympics. Travel back to the heyday of the city-state and classical Greek civilization. Enter this distant, alien, but still familiar culture and discover what the Greeks did and didn’t do during five thrilling days in August, 388 B.C. In the Olympic Stadium there were no stands, no shade—and no women allowed. Visitors sat on a grassy bank in the searing heat of midsummer to watch naked athletes compete in footraces, the pentathlon, horse and chariot races, and three combat sports—wrestling, boxing, and pankration, everyone's favorite competition, with virtually no rules and considerable blood and pain. This colorfully illustrated volume offers a complete tour of the Olympic site exactly as athletes and spectators found it. The book evokes the sights, sounds, and smells of the crowded encampment; introduces the various attendees (from champions and charlatans to aristocrats and prostitutes); and explains the numerous exotic religious rituals. Uniquely detailed and precise, this guide offers an unparalleled opportunity to travel in time, back to the excitement of ancient Olympia. “Splendidly captures the excitement, the razzmatazz, the intensity, glamour and squalor of the ancient Olympics. Packed with anecdotes and intriguing facts, the careful scholarship behind this wonderful little book is presented with gusto.”—Philip Matyszak, author of Ancient Athens on Five Drachmas a Day “Ultimately the ancient Olympics were more of an epic frat party full of booze and sex than a prestigious sporting competition, and Faulkner paints that picture well.”—Moira E. McLaughlin, The Washington Post
Download or read book The Ancient Olympics written by Nigel Spivey and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2012-06-14 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The word 'athletics' is derived from the Greek verb 'to struggle for a prize'. After reading this book, no one will see the Olympics as a graceful display of Greek beauty again, but as war by other means. Nigel Spivey paints a portrait of the Greek Olympics as they really were - fierce contests between bitter rivals, in which victors won kudos and rewards, and losers faced scorn and even assault. Victory was almost worth dying for, and a number of athletes did just that. Many more resorted to cheating and bribery. Contested always bitterly and often bloodily, the ancient Olympics were not an idealistic celebration of unity, but a clash of military powers in an arena not far removed from the battlefield.
Download or read book The Ancient Olympic Games written by Judith Swaddling and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over one thousand years between 776 B.C. and A.D. 395, princes, statesmen, and famous athletes gathered every four years at Olympia in western Greece to compete for the olive crowns of the ancient Olympic Games. Judith Swaddling traces the mythological and religious origins of the games and describes the events, religious ceremony, and celebrations that were an essential part of the Olympic festival. The book also features a large, detailed model of the site of ancient Olympia, where, alongside religious and civic buildings, there grew an elaborate sports complex with a stadium for 40,000 spectators, indoor and outdoor training facilities, hot and cold baths, a swimming pool, and a race course. This fascinating description of Ancient Olympia and the Games is superbly illustrated with vases, sculpture and other works of art, views of the site and photographs of the unique model.
Download or read book Welcome to the Ancient Olympics written by Jane Bingham and published by Heinemann-Raintree Library. This book was released on 2008 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title discusses topics such as the ancient Olympic events, what the stadium looked like and ancient Olympic ceremonies.
Download or read book The Ancient Greek Olympics written by Richard Woff and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1999 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes the history, traditions, and competitive events connected with the Olympic games held in ancient Greece.
Download or read book The Ancient Olympic Games written by Jhonny Núñez and published by Wayland. This book was released on 2019-04-29 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Travel back in time to Ancient Greece to discover the origins of the Olympic Games. Bright, bold and dynamic artwork bring to life the origins of the Olympic Games. Find out about the legend behind the games, the original events and the excitement that filled Olympia during the Olympic Festival. See how the competitors used to train and learn about each of the original events that took place, including chariot racing, wrestling, the discuss, javelin and boxing. Get the Olympic buzz from all the excitement of the hippodrome, Olympic ceremonies and celebrations, and learn about the importance of the Heraia - the competition for women organised by women. This book provides a brilliant and striking introduction to the Ancient Olympics for children aged 7+.
Download or read book Olympia written by Robin Waterfield and published by Landmark Library. This book was released on 2018 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the northwestern corner of the great peninsula of the Peloponnese, close to the meeting point of the Cladeus and Alpheus rivers, lies a peaceful river valley overlooked by the steep-sided Hill of Cronus. Here, between the eighth century BCE and the fourth century CE, rival athletes competed for glory in the ancient Olympic Games. Every four years, and from every corner of the Mediterranean world - from Samos to Syracuse and from Sparta to Smyrna - they descended on this quiet corner of southern Greece sacred to Zeus, seeking to excel in disciplines as diverse as sprinting, boxing, wrestling, trumpet blowing and chariot and mulecart racing. The victors of these ancient games may have been awarded crowns of olive leaves in recognition of their achievements, but these original Olympics were no idealistic celebration of the classical aesthetic of grace and beauty shared by all of the participating Greek city-states, but often a bitterly contested struggle between political rivals. Robin Waterfield paints a vivid picture of the reality of the ancient Olympic Games; describes the events in which competitors took part; explores their purpose, rituals and politics; and charts the vicissitudes of their remarkable thousand-year history.
Download or read book The Naked Olympics written by Tony Perrottet and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2004-06-08 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What was it like to attend the ancient Olympic Games? With the summer Olympics’ return to Athens, Tony Perrottet delves into the ancient world and lets the Greek Games begin again. The acclaimed author of Pagan Holiday brings attitude, erudition, and humor to the fascinating story of the original Olympic festival, tracking the event day by day to re-create the experience in all its compelling spectacle. Using firsthand reports and little-known sources—including an actual Handbook for a Sports Coach used by the Greeks—The Naked Olympics creates a vivid picture of an extravaganza performed before as many as forty thousand people, featuring contests as timeless as the javelin throw and as exotic as the chariot race. Peeling away the layers of myth, Perrottet lays bare the ancient sporting experience—including the round-the-clock bacchanal inside the tents of the Olympic Village, the all-male nude workouts under the statue of Eros, and history’s first corruption scandals involving athletes. Featuring sometimes scandalous cameos by sports enthusiasts Plato, Socrates, and Herodotus, The Naked Olympics offers essential insight into today’s Games and an unforgettable guide to the world’s first and most influential athletic festival. "Just in time for the modern Olympic games to return to Greece this summer for the first time in more than a century, Tony Perrottet offers up a diverting primer on the Olympics of the ancient kind….Well researched; his sources are as solid as sources come. It's also well writen….Perhaps no book of the season will show us so briefly and entertainingly just how complete is our inheritance from the Greeks, vulgarity and all." --The Washington Post
Download or read book Ancient Greek Athletics written by Stephen Gaylord Miller and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presenting a survey of sports in ancient Greece, this work describes ancient sporting events and games. It considers the role of women and amateurs in ancient athletics, and explores the impact of these games on art, literature and politics.
Download or read book The Olympics and Philosophy written by Heather Lynne Reid and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2012-06-21 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1973, Wilson Carey McWilliams (1933Ð2005) published The Idea of Fraternity in America, a groundbreaking book that argued for an alternative to AmericaÕs dominant philosophy of liberalism. This alternative tradition emphasized that community and fraternal bonds were as vital to the process of maintaining political liberty as was individual liberty. McWilliams expanded on this idea throughout his prolific career as a teacher, writer, and activist, promoting a unique definition of American democracy. In The Democratic Soul: A Wilson Carey McWilliams Reader, editors Patrick J. Deneen and Susan J. McWilliams, daughter of the famed intellectual, have assembled key essays, articles, reviews, and lectures that trace McWilliamsÕs evolution as a scholar and explain his often controversial views on education, religion, and literature. The book also showcases his thoughts and opinions on prominent twentieth-century figures such as George Orwell and Leo Strauss. The first comprehensive volume of Wilson Carey McWilliamsÕ collected writings, The Democratic Soul will be welcomed by scholars of political science and American political thought as a long-overdue contribution to the field.
Download or read book A Brief History of the Olympic Games written by David C. Young and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For more than a millennium, the ancient Olympics captured the imaginations of the Greeks, until a Christianized Rome terminated the competitions in the fourth century AD. But the Olympic ideal did not die and this book is a succinct history of the ancient Olympics and their modern resurgence. Classics professor David Young, who has researched the subject for over 25 years, reveals how the ancient Olympics evolved from modest beginnings into a grand festival, attracting hundreds of highly trained athletes, tens of thousands of spectators, and the finest artists and poets.
Download or read book The Olympics Ancient to Modern written by Joe Fullman and published by Wayland. This book was released on 2017-05-16 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Olympics Ancient to Modern is a fascinating look at the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from the first events in Ancient Greece right the way up to London 2012 and Sochi 2014. It focusses on when and where each Games has been held, and some key stats, such as how much it cost, how many athletes competed, and how many spectators came to watch. The book explains how all the Games - Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics and Paralympics - came into being, and how the Olympic Games were revived in Paris at the end of the 19th century. It compares the ancient and modern Games, looking at the sports and athletes involved then and now, and at how the modern Games are continuosly evolving. It also looks at key moments in the Games' history, and at some of the tragedies and controversies that have rocked it - from doping scandals, boycotts and cheating to the Berlin Olympics of 1936, and the Munich Massacre. The book celebrates the achievements of star Olympians, and gives the lowdown on the most popular and exciting Olympic sports, from cycling and rowing to skiing and wheelchair basketball. Fun, fact-filled text and a bright, engaging design make this the perfect Olympic title for children of 9+. If you've enjoyed finding out about the history of the Olympics, why not try learning all about key Olympic sports in Going for Gold: A Guide to the Summer Olympics, another title in the series.
Download or read book The Naked Olympics written by Tony Perrottet and published by Random House. This book was released on 2004-06-08 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What was it like to attend the ancient Olympic Games? With the summer Olympics’ return to Athens, Tony Perrottet delves into the ancient world and lets the Greek Games begin again. The acclaimed author of Pagan Holiday brings attitude, erudition, and humor to the fascinating story of the original Olympic festival, tracking the event day by day to re-create the experience in all its compelling spectacle. Using firsthand reports and little-known sources—including an actual Handbook for a Sports Coach used by the Greeks—The Naked Olympics creates a vivid picture of an extravaganza performed before as many as forty thousand people, featuring contests as timeless as the javelin throw and as exotic as the chariot race. Peeling away the layers of myth, Perrottet lays bare the ancient sporting experience—including the round-the-clock bacchanal inside the tents of the Olympic Village, the all-male nude workouts under the statue of Eros, and history’s first corruption scandals involving athletes. Featuring sometimes scandalous cameos by sports enthusiasts Plato, Socrates, and Herodotus, The Naked Olympics offers essential insight into today’s Games and an unforgettable guide to the world’s first and most influential athletic festival. "Just in time for the modern Olympic games to return to Greece this summer for the first time in more than a century, Tony Perrottet offers up a diverting primer on the Olympics of the ancient kind….Well researched; his sources are as solid as sources come. It's also well writen….Perhaps no book of the season will show us so briefly and entertainingly just how complete is our inheritance from the Greeks, vulgarity and all." --The Washington Post
Download or read book Ancient Greece and The Olympics Children s Ancient History written by Baby Professor and published by Speedy Publishing LLC. This book was released on 2017-04-15 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Did you know that the ancient Greeks were also the first ones to come up with the idea of the Olympics? The idea was originally crafted to honor Zeus. From then on, the world caught on and the Olympics is now the biggest and most prestigious sports gathering worldwide. Read more details in the pages of this book.
Download or read book Hour of the Olympics written by Mary Pope Osborne and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2010-06-15 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! No girls allowed at the Olympic Games! That's the rule when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to ancient Greece. But when Annie tells jack to go to the games without her, he knows she's up to something. Will Annie find a way to see the games? Or will she get herself—and Jack—into Olympic-size trouble? Find out in Hour of the Olympics. Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures
Download or read book The Ancient Olympic Games written by Judith Swaddling and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over one thousand years between 776 B.C. and A.D. 395, princes, statesmen, and famous athletes gathered every four years at Olympia in western Greece to compete for the olive crowns of the ancient Olympic Games. Judith Swaddling traces the mythological and religious origins of the games and describes the events, religious ceremony, and celebrations that were an essential part of the Olympic festival. The book also features a large, detailed model of the site of ancient Olympia, where, alongside religious and civic buildings, there grew an elaborate sports complex with a stadium for 40,000 spectators, indoor and outdoor training facilities, hot and cold baths, a swimming pool, and a race course. For this revised edition, three new chapters have been added, covering the diet and medical treatment of athletes; sponsorship, patronage, and propaganda; and revivals of the games. Superbly illustrated with vases, sculpture, and other works of ancient art, and with new views of the site, the new edition of this indispensable account of Ancient Olympia and the games now includes color reproduction for over half the illustrations, as well as many additional pictures.
