Some people ask, “Why are the Olympics so called?” They have been called Olympic for quite some time. This name came from Ancient Greece. The inhabitants of this country have presented to mankind many priceless masterpieces of fine art, literature, sculpture and architecture. Do not forget about such a legacy of Hellas as the foundations of democracy and philosophy. One of the most valuable gifts for world culture was the Olympic movement.
Why are the Olympic Games called the "Olympic"?
There is a misconception that the name of these sports was given to Mount Olympus, located in northern Greece. In this place, as ancient legends say, the gods inhabited. However, in fact, these sports were held in ancient Olympia, located in the western part of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Initially, they were part of a religious cult dedicated to the supreme god Zeus. So, answering the question: “Why are the Olympic Games called the Olympic Games?” - we can say that the name was given to them by the area - Olympia, in which they were held.
By the way, at about the same time in Ancient Greece, several other competitions were held - the Nemean, Isthmian Games, the famous Pythian Games. These competitions were held in the respective places and were dedicated to various gods. However, the most prestigious were Olympic, victories on them were for athletes and the policies they represented were extremely honorable.
The first Olympics took place in a distant, sheltered by the time 776 BC. e. And the latter was held in 394 BC. e. It should be noted that sports, gymnastics, various competitions in ancient Greece were given a lot of attention. In total, 293 Olympics were held here. Information about the Olympic Games is in the works of famous ancient authors, among which are Herodotus, Lucian, Plutarch, Simonides, Pindar, etc.
A little more about the Olympics
However, the answer to the question of why the Olympic Games are so called - “Olympic” is not one point. Sports competitions were dedicated to the gods, the main of which was Zeus the Thunderer. Numerous memorial and religious buildings were erected in their honor. An example is the famous temple of Zeus, built in Olympia. The main decoration of this building was a sculpture of the supreme god, which is one of the famous 7 wonders of the world.
The landscape played an important role in choosing the competition for this particular area. Here was a natural amphitheater, located right among the wooded slopes. It was possible to sail to Olympia by ship, so among the competitors there were many “nonresident” Greeks who won and took away awards to their policies, popularizing the Olympic movement.
During these competitions a truce was declared, wars, if they occurred between policies, temporarily ceased.
Curious to know
There is interesting information regarding the Olympic Games:
1. The Olympic flame is lit in Olympia, and not on the mythical Olympus, as many people think.
2. What is the name of the code of Olympic laws? This is an Olympic charter.
3. A separate Mount Olympus in sunny Greece does not exist. But in this country there is a whole mountain range with that name. The National Park bears the same name in Greece.
Our days
At the end of the nineteenth century, inspired by ancient sports festivals, the famous French figure Pierre Coubertin proposed to recreate such competitions. There was no particular doubt about the “name”, which is why the Olympic Games are so called - “Olympic”. The first competitions were held in 1896. Currently, every two years the next Olympics (summer or winter) is held.