This medal from the 1896 Olympics illustrates the conscious associations between the revived Olympics and the Ancient Greek Games. The obverse (left) shows the Athenian Acropolis and Parthenon.
The reverse (right) shows Zeus holding a globe, upon which stands the goddess of victory (Nike) brandishing a wild olive branch.
Tags - Olympic Coin
23/08/21 The Legacy - Ancient Games
Ancient Games | Modern Games
Despite many differences, we are experiencing the irony of parallels between Ancient and Modern Olympics. While our recent Modern Olympics had to struggle with the safety challenges of covid-19, the site of Ancient Olympics is threatened with raging wildfires now threatening the Olympic Academy in ancient Olympia, in western Greece. https://www.politico.eu/article/greece-wildfires-august-2021-crisis-evia/?aid=app_feed&utm_source=pocket_mylist
Tags - covid-19, Modern Olympics, Ancient Olympics, fire
16/08/21 The Legacy - Ancient Games
Ancient Olympics
Ruins of Temple of Zeus at Olympia at the site of the first Olympic games near Athens Greece. In the late 19th century, inspired by German excavations in Olympia and the introduction of Physical Education programmes in schools, the French baron Pierre de Coubertin campaigned for the revival of the Olympics. The Ancient Games had been banned in the 390s CE by Theodosius I (along with all other expressions of non-Christian cults.
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/health/sport-and-fitness/the-ancient-olympics-bridging-past-and-present/content-section-1Tags - Temple of Zeus, 1st Olympic games, first Olympic games
A series of underlying principles and values inherited from Ancient Greece are still central to the modern Olympic spirit. For example, the London 2012 theme of ‘truce’ echoed the Ancient Olympic tradition of ekecheiria (sacred peace)
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/health/sport-and-fitness/the-ancient-olympics-bridging-past-and-present/content-section-0?intro=1
Tags - Ancient Olympics, Modern Olympics
Ancient Olympics dress code (only men were allowed to compete) was in the raw. Marriageable women were not allowed to attend the Ancient games. Modern Olympics still has controversial issues of dress (some female athletes protest bikini requirements), resulting in fines.
Tags - Dress Code, Gender
