Why Greek? Project or have your students click here to view a graphic of the Athens Olympic medal. Alternatively, distribute printed paper copies of both sides of the medal. Explain to your students that the characters appearing on the medal are Greek letters. Inform your students that beginning with the Athens games, all Olympic medals will showcase Greece's connection to the Olympics.
Then, at the end of the nineteenth century, a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin had the idea of reviving the Olympic tradition by holding an international competition for amateur athletes. The first modern Olympics were hosted by Athens, Greece in Help your students understand some basic similarities and differences between the ancient and modern Olympics by drawing on information presented in the ancient Olympics exhibit from the EDSITEment-reviewed Perseus Project website.
Activity 2. Cracking the code Have your students open the EDSITEment-created Greek Alphabet animation , and have them use the animation to read off the names of all the Greek letters appearing on the two Greek words on the medal's obverse side. Students will need to mouse-over each Greek letter to reveal the letter's name. Going by the names of the Greek letters, have the students try to sound out the two Greek words appearing on the front obverse side of the medal e.
Remind your students to be careful: some letters might not sound like the English letters they appear to be. The words on the front of the medal should read: Olumpiada Athena. Now have your students turn to the reverse side of the medal. Tell your students that the text in front of them is the opening lines of a poem written in BCE by a famous poet named Pindar to honor the victory of an Olympic wrestler named Alkimedon.
First, have your students name the Greek letters appearing on this side of the medal. Note: There is one letter that students will have trouble with. In the inscription, the letter theta appears in a more ancient form, as a circle with two intersecting lines, rather than as an oval with a single horizontal line. Please inform your students accordingly. You may tell them that the archaic form of theta appearing on the medal shows that the Phoenician alphabet provided the model for many of the Greek letters.
To demonstrate this point, you may show the class an EDSITEment-created animation presenting the relationship between the Greek and Phoenician alphabets. Then, going by the names of the Greek letters, have the students try to transcribe the Greek text by substituting the equivalent English letters. Next, students can compare their own work to a transliteration of Pindar's Ode available through the Perseus Project Digital Library. Students will note that the medal contains only the first seven words of the ode.
Have your students read the seven words in transliteration a few times, and then see if they can read them directly off the medal itself. With the transliteration in front of the students, ask them to identify any words that sound like English words. In this ode written in Ancient Greek in Pindarian meter, the poet gave vent to the most noble sentiments, which only an ardent love and knowledge of Ancient Greece could have inspired him.
The King lent a most attentive ear to the recital of those beautiful verses, and the audience cheered heartily when the poet had finished speaking. After having warmly congratulated Mr Robertson the King stepped on a sort of platform, erected before the Royal seats, and richly decorated with carpets and flags. On a small table were placed the olivebranches, to remind one of the ancient Altis, some laurel branches and the different diplomas, written on blue or white paper and folded up in long rolls.
The medals, struck in silver for the first, and in bronze for the second prizes, were real masterpieces of workmanship ; the model being engraved by the celebrated artist Chaplain. On the table lay also the presents for the winners, amongst them were a rich silver cup, given by Mr Breal and an antique vase presented by Mr Lambros, both destined for the winner in the Marathon Race. Mr John Lambros had on this occasion addressed the following letter to the Crownprince. Your Royal Highness, The distinction, which the Marathon Race is called upon to give to the Olympic Games, joined to the ancient reminiscences, which this difficult race is sure to awake, have suggested to me the idea of offering as a most appropriate prize to the winner, who will be worthy of so much glory, an ancient vase, which I have in my collection; on it are represented a dolichodrome under the guidance of Hellanodices.
May I hope that Your Royal Highness will allow me to add this prize to the silver cup,which Professor Breal has given.
Antiquity seems in this way to contribute to celebrate the victory of the winner of the Marathon Race. In front of the stand were drawn up in one line the Olympionic winners, wearing simple morning attire, conspicuous amongst them stood Louis, his slender figure dressed in a fustanella of spotless white.
When he entered the Stadion, he had received a warm reception from all sides. Captain Hadjipetros R. He mentioned at the same time the country of each and the contest in which he had distinguished himself. After each call the winner mounted the stand and bowing before the King, who had a few kind words to say to everyone, received the diploma, the prizemedal and the olive branch.
The King shook hands with each winner, who after a respectful bow retired to make room for the next champion. Each competitor receibed of course an ovation from the assembled crowd. When the herald called out the name of Louis, and when the victor in the Marathon Race ascended the platform, the Stadion resounded with cheers which seemed to take no end.
Pigeons adorned, with ribbons of the national colours of Greece, were let flying accross the Stadion; national flags and handkerchiefs were agitated in the air ; nobody can even attempt to describe the joy, the enthusiasm of the Greek people ; the foreign guests were not a little astonished by it. But the Hungarian, American and German prizewinners were not forgotten, they all received their full share of enthusiastic acclamations and cheers. After this followed the distribution of the second prizes.
The King presented each winner with a bronze medal and a laurel branch. Some winners of first prizes in special contests received also some presents: Louis, a silver cup, given by Mr. Breal and an ancient vase presented by Mr J. The King presented also Mr Robertson with a laurel branch.
The ceremony of the distribution of the prizes being over, Mr Gebhardt, representative at the Olympic Games in Athens for Germany, presented to the Crownprince a laurelwreath, tied with ribbons of the national colours of Germany and Greece. In offering the crown, Mr Gebhardt pronounced a warmly felt allocution which the Crownprince answered in German with a few appropriate words of thanks.
After this came the procession of the champions, as it was the usual costum in ancient times. Which events are in the modern Olympic Games that were not in the ancient Olympic Games? Who is the founder of the modern Olympic games? When did the modern olympic games begin? When did the Ancient Olympic games become the Modern Olympic games? When was the first Olympic games?
When and where were the first modern Olympic games? When and where were the first modern olympic games held? Who is known as the father of the modern olympic games? Why did the modern Olympic games originate? What were the prizes in the Olympic Games BC? How many Olympic events are alike in the modern Olympic games and the ancient Olympic games? When was the first modern olympic games opened to woman?
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