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Sport In Ancient Greek Culture

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In the Ancient Greek world there were many traditions and ways of life that proved who they were and what they valued. Art and philosophy were the most common ways but a new way to show pride for your hometown was to compete in world wide sports held in Elis. Sports in Ancient Greek displayed individual as well as community virtues by showing how to honor and support your home through physical achievement as well as beating all obstacles in one's way. For one person the games were a way to show what they were made of and a way to prove they were worthy to be compared to the gods. Boys and men would train nearly a year just to qualify in the games, and by doing so this proved their dedication and commitment to their hometowns. The games were …show more content…
People would travel for weeks at a time just to watch the games. People either came to support someone or compete and continue the tradition of honor and glory. Lots of time and effort was thrown into the games, which displayed how much the games meant to them. It was a sense of unity and peace as the world forgot was going on outside and took an opportunity to come together and practice the virtues of their ancestors. The different games gave people more chances to increase their skills and find what worked for them as well as giving experts a chance to have a protégé and create a great warrior. Judges were the ones that had a lot of pressure on them because they wanted to maintain their integrity and family name by judging fairly. This added a sense of accountability, which was another virtue the Greeks had grown to appreciate after all the harsh and terrible kings that ruled over Greece.
The virtues of the people started the Olympic Games and “emerged from the association between athleticism and personal standing that defined masculine identity in Greece” (Potter, 160). Whenever anyone stepped into the games it continued the traditions of the world but also gave them a sense of identity, pride, and a chance to demonstrate the virtues they were

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