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Learning about the Olympic Games

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paharo45

paharo45

Active member
It's an Olympics year so I thought I would chat a bit about the Olympic Games!

The original Olympic Games, held in Olympia, Greece, were primarily a festival celebrating Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. These games began around 776 BC and featured a range of athletic competitions, from foot races to combat sports like wrestling and boxing. Interestingly, the games were so significant that wars were put on hold, and conflicts paused to allow athletes and spectators to travel safely to Olympia. This ancient tradition of the Olympic Truce or "Ekecheiria" is a testament to the power of sport in fostering peace and unity, a principle that remains at the heart of the Olympics today.

I find it absolutely intriguing how these ancient games laid the groundwork for the modern Olympics, introducing concepts of sportsmanship, excellence, and the idea of bringing people together through the universal language of sport.

Has anyone visited ancient Olympia? Do you guys enjoy watching the Olympic Games?
 
I love this, too. I alway loved the Olympics. I am personally intrigued by the flame ceremony - but I love watching the games too. The flame ceremony is so cool:

The flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, in a ceremony that reflects the ancient rituals. A high priestess captures the sun's rays, using a parabolic mirror, to ignite the flame, symbolizing purity and the endeavor for perfection. This flame then travels across continents, in a relay that ends at the Olympic stadium of the hosting city, where it lights the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony.

Beyond the spectacle and the ancient rites, the Flame Ceremony embodies the Olympic spirit of peace, unity, and friendship. It’s a powerful reminder of the Olympics’ ability to bring together nations and cultures that might otherwise stand divided.

It will be happening this year on April 16th! I am hoping to find a broadcast of it so I can watch.
 
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Learning about the history of the Olympics

It's an Olympics year so I decided to learn a little bit about it.

Specifically, I'm drawn to its roots in Greece, where it all began. The tales from Olympia, where athletes from city-states across Ancient Greece competed, not just for glory but for the favor of the gods, paint a vivid picture of society's value system and cultural priorities at the time.

Yet, despite the bits and pieces of information I've gathered, I realize there's so much more depth and nuance to understand about how these games influenced, and were influenced by, Greek society and beyond. From the types of events that were held, the athletes who competed, to the very ethos that powered these competitions - each element seems to carry its own story.

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Rightly succeeding his mentor on this list, Plato's Academy saw him birth the first "university" of its kind. His unabashed idealism, immortal Forms, allegories like the Cave, and the pursuit of 'The Good' in moral philosophy set the stage for much intellectual discourse.

#3 Aristotle

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#4 Heraclitus

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