From our research this is how the Ancient & Modern Olympics compare. Run your mouse over the image to see how things have changed.

Thank you to Morris, Malody, Mervin, Claudia, Phong & Imdina for making this page !

Ancient

Modern

Where did the Olympic games come from ?

The One myth says that the guardians of the infant god Zeus held the first footrace, or that Zeus himself started the Games to celebrate his victory over his father Cronus for control of the world. In the Iliad, the famous warrior Achilles holds games as part of the funeral services for his best friend Patroclus. The footrace was the sole event for the first 13 Olympiads. Over time, the Greeks added longer footraces, and separate events. The pentathlon and wrestling events were the first new sports to be added, in the 18th Olympiad.

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What do the Olympics mean today?

Many people think the Olympics Games are a good way of bringing the world together in peace. The 5 interlocking Olympic rings symbol represents the five continents. Our Olympics are, like those of the ancients, a magnificent sporting and cultural event, a source of national pride, and a showcase for outstanding individual achievement. Some people are more cynical and think that these days the Games are more about making money and less about sport

Why were they held at Olympia?

Every four years messengers travelled throughout the Ancient Greek world proclaiming a sacred truce, affording safe passage through any state for all travellers to and from the games. All Greeks were invited to attend or compete in the great festival and games at the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. Athletics were only part of a religious festival at Olympia that honoured Zeus with processions and sacrifices.

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Which country holds the Olympics today?

In 2004 the Olympic Games were held in Athens. Thousands of athletes from around the world compete in the Games which happen every 4 years. The 2000 Games were held in Sidney, Australia. It is considered a great honour to be selected by the Olympic Committee to be the host city.
It's London's turn in 2012!!

Were there other contests like the Olympics?

There were 3 other major games which were held on 2- or 4-year cycles: the Isthmean Games at Corinth, the Pythian Games at Delphi, and the Nemean Games at Nemea. Because it started 200 years before the other competitions, the Olympics remained the most famous athletic contest in the ancient Greek world.

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What other major games are there nowadays?

There are the Winter Olympic Games for winter sports and the Paralympic Games for athletes with a disability. There are also the Commonwealth Games, which, when they started used to be called the British Empire Games

Who could compete in the Olympics?

The Olympics were open to any free- born Greek in the world. Athletic training was a basic part of every Greek boy's education, and any boy who excelled in sport might set his sights on competing in the Olympics. Ancient writers tell the stories of athletes who worked at other jobs and did not spend all their time in training.

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Who can compete in the Olympics?

Anyone in the world who is an amateur athlete can represent their country and compete in the Olympic Games. This means they have other jobs , like in Ancient Times.

Were women allowed at the Olympics?

Women were not allowed to compete in the Games themselves. Married women were also barred from attending the games, under penalty of death.

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Are women allowed at the Olympics in the 21st century ?

Nowadays of course all women are allowed to compete in and attend the Olympic Games ! Even in 1900, women competed in just three sports: tennis, golf, and yachting. Things have changed now, for example in 1996, 6500 men compared to 3700 women competed.

How were the athletes trained?

Olympic athletes had to undergo supervised training for ten months. They had to swear an oath about this at the start of the games.

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How do athletes train now?

Most athletes have personal trainers and train for many hours a week over the 4 years leading up to the Games. It takes a lot of determination to succeed.

What prize did Olympic victors get ?

A wreath of sacred wild olive branches cut by a golden sickle by a boy whose parents were both living, was given to the victor and he was entitled to have a statue of himself set up at Olympia. Although he did not receive money at the Olympics, the victor was treated much like a modern sports celebrity by his home city. His success increased the fame and reputation of his community in the Greek world. It was common for victors to receive benefits such as having all their meals at public expense or front-row seats at the theater and other public festivals. One city even built a private gym for their Olympic wrestling champion to exercise in.

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What do they win these days ?

They now give gold medals, silver medals and bronze medals these days.Olympic athletes nowadays are also treated like celebrities.They also get commercial contracts and endorse different products – which means they can earn a lot of money advertising certain things eg. sports wear, trainers etc…

Cheating in the Ancient Games?

Athletes, as well as their trainers, swore upon slices of boar's flesh that in nothing would they sin against the Olympic games. The athletes also swore that for ten successive months they strictly followed the regulations for training. Penalties included fines, exclusion from the games, and corporal punishment. If an athlete could not afford the fines, his city would pay in order not to be excluded from the games. The revenue from the fines was used to make the statues of Zeus

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How do athletes cheat now ?

There are random tests to test athletes to see if they have taken any drugs to improve their performance. They can get disqualified for cheating these days and sometimes get their medals taken off them. This is considered a disgrace , as in ancient times, to their country. They use steroids to get stronger, faster or give them more stamina to give them a competitive advantage over their rivals.Some people even think that in the future, athletes will use microchip implants and cell-sized devices enabling them to jump higher or farther, run faster or lift more weight