Sport in the Ancient World

Ancient Greece:
Those participating in the olympic games were men, oftentimes aristocrats and laborers. Women were not allowed to participate nor watch the sporting. There was a strong sense of religion and honor that accompanied sports; those participating believed that the gods were a reflection of themselves. The athletes played naked in order to convey the beauty and strength of the human body. The main spectacle (the only spectacle at first) was the 200m sprint. Athletes had to swear under oath that they had completed at least ten months of intensive training before participating. A false start before the sprint was punished with a severe whipping, which was considered especially shameful. "Millions" were given to the winners of the events. Later, the triple jump, javelin, discus, the four horse race, and many other events were added to the olympic games.

Ancient Rome:
Gladiators participated in sporting events. Gladiators were men considered as caged performing animals, expected to kill their opponent. These men were prisoners and lived in barracks where they received extensive training similar to the Roman soldiers. The gladiator fights were ritualized spectacle fighting where viewers found entertainment from the slaughter of one of the gladiators by the other. The armor worn was elaborate, fancy, and decorated for the sole purpose of show. There was hardly any protection offered by the armor.