The ancient olympic games in the light of current research

When in 1875 Ernst Curtius started excavations at Olympia, its ancient games moved in the center of sport historical interest. After the revival of the Olympic Games by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 studies of its past were intensified. Until today archaeology, ancient history, classical philology and sport history are contributing new results to the most important sport festival of antiquity. This lecture gives a short survey of the progress of research done during the last generation having as starting point the publication of some standard works in 1972 written by Ebert, Herrmann, Mallwitz and Patrucco.
The sports facilities were subject of important research. They relate to the history of the stadium (Schilbach) and its starting mechanism (Valavanis, Rieger), form and extension of the hippodrome (Ebert) and date and function of the gymnasium (Wacker) to which the term „cultural center" could be ascribed.
Progress was also made in such topics as the announcement of the truce (Amandry, Perlmann) the change of program and schedule (Lee), the character (Weiler) and the preparation of the festival (Amandry) and rules (Ebert/Siewert, Crowther/Frass). The knowledge of the ancient disciplines considerably increased (Weiler). This can also be said for the ancient athletes (Young) and the Olympic victor statues (Herrman, Rausa, Lehmann). It seems that the most important discovery was an inscribed bronze plate of the late fourth century A.D. with many names of Olympic victors from four centuries (Ebert). The latest entry gives the name of the boxer Zopyros of Athens who was victor during the 291th Olympic Games (385 A.D.). The inscription proves that Olympia was even flourishing at the end of the fourth century A.D. The edict of Theodosius I. dated 393 A.D. with the prohibition of all non-christian cults struck the ancient festival in its core. This finding requires a correction of the traditional opinion that the Olympic Games started in the late third century A.D. to lose their attraction and that they were only held occasionally.