Olympic Games

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The Sanctuary of Olympia, home of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games of ancient Greece were a series of sporting contests held in celebration of and for Zeus within the Sanctuary of Olympia in Elis, Greece. Originally a festival, events such as a footrace, a javelin contest, wrestling matches, and chariot racing were later added.

Traditionally held in Elis on the Peloponnese, the Olympic Games were open to contestants from poleis across the ancient Greek world. Due to this, and the fact that they were considered sacred, even during the Peloponnesian War the Games enforced a truce that harshly punished anyone who broke the peace.

History

Early history

The stadium in Olympia

The first recorded Olympic Games took place in 776 BCE, where it introduced the stadion race. The event saw Koroibos, an Elean baker, winning the event.

In the 54th Olympic Games in 564 BCE, Arrachion, a previous winner of the pankration events in 572 BCE and 568 BCE, died due to an illegal suffocation by his opponent. As a result, Arrachion was proclaimed the winner after event, winning the game posthumously.

428 BCE Olympics

Kassandra defeating Dorieus at the 428 BCE Games

During the Peloponnesian War, Sparta sent its prospective pankration champion Testikles to the 428 BCE Olympic Games in Elis. He was escorted there by the Spartan misthios Kassandra and her shipmate Barnabas.

Through unforeseen circumstances, Testikles was unable to compete and so Kassandra became Sparta's contender for the Olympic wreath. After defeating Orion, Erastos, and the reigning champion Dorieus of Rhodes, she brought the Olympic wreath home for Sparta.

The games continued to be held till the 4th century CE until the city eventually declined and was abandoned.

Modern history

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics

In 1766, the site of Olympia was rediscovered by English antiquarian Richard Chandler (antiquary), with the first excavation carried out in 1829. The reports of the excavation inspired Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who sought to bring back the games and its athletic ideals, hoping it would inspire competitiveness and team spirit amongst nations. Eventually, interest in the revival of the games led to the first iteration of the modern Olympic Games held in 1896 in Athens.

Behind the scenes

Historically, in the year Kassandra competed, Dorieus won the pankration while Sparta took a wreath home in the four-horse chariot race.

In the novel, Alkibiades beats Kassandra in the stadium, though historically, the wreath for this event was awarded to Symmachos of Messene. Alkibiades is recorded as having been an Olympic champion, albeit for chariot racing in the 416 BCE games.

In real life, women were not allowed to participate in the Olympic games of antiquity before the victory of Cynisca of Sparta in 396 BCE. This fact is acknowledged in the game's loading menus, but is largely ignored during the course of gameplay, should Kassandra be the chosen protagonist. Despite this, the fact that married women were not allowed to view the games unless a male relative of theirs was competing is addressed in the side mission "Kallipateira". However, there was a related athletic event for women, called Heraia and held in the honor of the goddess Hera.

Throughout Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, statues featuring athletes participating in Olympic sports can be found everywhere, but especially near gymnasiums. The statue of a Discobolus, or a disc thrower, seems to be based on the so-called Townley Discobolus, a Roman marble copy of a 5th century BCE Greek original. The statue featuring two pankratiasts likewise seems to be based on a Roman marble copy of a lost 3rd century BCE Greek original, making its presence in the game anachronistic.

Gallery

A painted statue of a discobolus in 5th century BCE Greece

A statue featuring wrestlers

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey novel
• Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
• Assassin's Creed: Mirage (mentioned in Database entry only)
• Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR (mentioned in Database entry only)
• Echoes of History (mentioned only)