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Department of Greek & Latin

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Religion and Athletics

We should always keep in mind that athletic festivals such as the Olympics were never freestanding events, unlike modern games, but always took place within the framework of religious cult, such as that of Zeus(Olympics, Nemean Games), Poseidon (Isthmian Games) or Apollo (Pythian Games). Greek gods were anthropomorphic and could be expected to enjoy the kind of spectacle which would appeal to a mortal; but in addition the physical prowess of the competitors offered another way (like sacrifice and dedicatory offerings in temples) to offer the gods what is excellent.

This is one of the biggest differences between the Ancient and the Modern Olympics: apart from having second and third-place prizes, and not competing in the nude, the secularisation of the modern Olympics would have been baffling for the Greeks. For them, religion was central in any athletic context.