Title: The Olympic Games | Ancient Greece
Headings: The Olympic Games
The Olympic Games
The Olympic Sporting Events
The End and the Beginning

Content: Rules were few and rarely enforced. Boxing could continue even if the opponent was beaten or offered to quit. Many contestants died or were severely injured during dangerous events such as wrestling, boxing, javelin throwing and chariot racing. The popular Pankration, combined boxing and wrestling and was similar to today’s martial arts whereby the contestant could attack without specific rules and inflict serious bodily damage or death to his foe. Many Greeks believed this event was started by the hero Theseus himself, the warrior who defeated the mighty Minotaur in the depths of the labyrinth. However, the risk of injury was outweighed by the chance for glory of winning and thereby honoring the gods, your country and your family. Winning athletes were honored and celebrated much like our baseball, football, soccer and basketball athletes are glorified today. Moreover, ancient Olympic winners earned much money and were given gifts and military or political promotions for their success. The End and the Beginning
The Olympics became and continued to be a phenomenal success across the expanding Greek civilization around the Mediterranean and Black Seas. As Greek power grew and their empires expanded, more peoples were exposed to the Games.