Near Olympia, on the banks of the Alpheus, there was a huge rock from which women who entered the sacred Olympic Games were supposed to be thrown.

Women not only did not participate in the Olympic competitions, they were even prohibited from attending the Games as spectators under penalty of death, because the athletes performed completely naked.
(An exception was made only for one woman - the priestess of the goddess Demeter)

Nevertheless, women could become Olympic champions in absentia - simply by sending their chariot.

After it once became clear that the training of the famous fist fighter was led by his mother, dressed in men's clothing, coaches and athletes were obliged to come to competitions completely naked.


We are talking about the legendary Callipathera. A native of the island of Rhodes, she herself trained her son Poseidor in fist fighting. Arriving at Olympia and having no doubt that the young man would win, Callipatera wanted to see his triumph at any cost. Dressed in a man's dress, she mingled with a group of pedotribes (trainers) and entered the stadium. When Poseidor defeated five rivals one after another and became an Olympian, the happy mother could not stand it: forgetting about everything, she jumped over the barrier, rushed to her son, and hugged him. But in the rapid run, she lost her men’s outfit. By law, Callipather should have been thrown off the cliff. The judges pardoned the woman because she was the daughter of an Olympian, the sister of an Olympian and, finally, the mother of an Olympian. To prevent this from happening again, it was decided that pedotribes located in close proximity to the participants in the competition should attend the Games naked. (Ancient Greek author Pausanias in the book "Description of Hellas")

The modern Olympic Games differ in many ways from the ancient games, but perhaps the most important difference between the games is that during the ancient games women were prohibited not only from taking part, but also from observing the competitions. But history shows that any ban affects the most historical and significant events in history. With the development of humanity and society, this ban has lost its relevance; women now compete on an equal basis with men for the title of Olympic champions, although each in his own circle.

The modern Olympic Games began their history in 1896; 311 athletes from 11 countries took part in this Olympics, and not one woman, although there were more than enough of them on the podium. Only in 1900, at the Olympic Games, women took part for the first time in competitions in equestrian and sailing, golf, tennis and croquet. At the same time, women joined the IOC only in 1981.

So, during the ancient Olympic Games, women were categorically forbidden not only to take part in the Olympic Games, but even to observe the progress of the games. An exception in ancient times was made only for the priestesses of the goddess Demeter (goddess of fertility). If a woman was found in the stadium during the Games, according to the current law of those times, she had to be thrown from a high cliff. And only once was this rule broken. There are two versions of when a woman once snuck into the Olympic Games. The history of science is foggy.....

First version: A woman whose husband, brother and father were Olympic champions, training her own son, and wanting to see him perform at the Olympic Games, snuck into the games in the form of a coach. The coaches were present on the field separately, they watched their players. To avoid being identified as a woman who dared to break the ancient law, she changed into men's trainer's clothes and stood next to the trainers, watching her son with excitement. And when her son was announced as an Olympic champion, what she had been waiting for so stubbornly and for a long time, and because of all the worries, she could not stand it and ran out onto the field. She ran across the entire field to her son to be the first to congratulate him on such an honorable victory. On the way, her men's clothes fell off, and everyone saw that there was a woman in the stadium. The judges were in a very difficult position. According to the law, it was necessary to kill her, but she is a wife, sister and daughter, and besides, now she is also the mother of Olympic champions! And therefore, for the fact that she was the wife and mother of champions, she was spared, but from that day on a new Olympic rule was introduced - now at the stadium, not only athletes, but also their coaches must be present on the field completely naked in order to prevent such situations in future.

Second version: A woman, her name was Kalipateria, being the wife and mother of Olympic champions, she decided to participate in a running competition. She was identified and, according to the law, sentenced to death - the brave athlete was obliged to throw her from a cliff into the abyss. But, given that Kalipateria’s husband was an Olympic champion, and her sons were winners in youth competitions, the judges pardoned her. But the panel of judges obliged athletes to perform naked at games in the future in order to avoid a repetition of such a situation.

It should be noted, and to dispel the myth, that women during ancient times were not allowed to participate in sports competitions at all. On the contrary, girls in Ancient Greece They were not at all averse to playing sports, and they loved to compete. Therefore, games were held dedicated to the wife of Zeus - Hera. Only girls took part in these competitions, which, by the way, men were not allowed to participate in. They competed in running, wrestling and chariot racing, which took place in the same stadium a month before or a month after the male athletes competed.

"MK" continues the exclusive column of the ancient historian Nikolai Savvanidi "Ancient Greece had everything"

Panhellenic sport competitions took place once every four years in the Peloponnese (southern part of Greece) near the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which is why they became known as the Olympic Games. In ancient times, games were part of a complex religious ritual to which only men were allowed. We find the first mention of games in Homer: Achilles, after the death of his friend Patroclus, organized a magnificent funeral feast, accompanied by games among the participants of the Trojan campaign.

Ill.: Yu.V. Andreev. "The price of freedom and harmony." St. Petersburg, "Aletheia", 1998/aletheia.spb.ru/sno.pro1.ru.

Victory at the Olympics was valued no less, and perhaps even higher, than military exploits. Holders of the treasured laurel wreaths were equated with gods; Monuments were erected to them along with the gods, they were supported until the end of their days at the expense of the community, they were given truly unearthly honors. They were believed to be marked by the gods. It must be said that for the Hellenes it was important only to take first place, that is, to be the best. They didn’t have second and third places like today.

The games were a purely male affair - women were not only prohibited from participating in the competition, but even their presence as spectators was punishable by death. It would seem that a woman could sneak into the number of participants by wearing a man's suit. However, this was impossible, because the participants in the games did not have any “tracksuit” other than “bronze skin” - they performed naked (by the way, the word “gymnastics” itself comes from “gymnos” - naked).

The judges - they were called "Hellanodics" - were the most respected and authoritative citizens of different policies, which completely excluded any corruption.

And, despite the taboo, we still know one Olympic champion: the inscription and the monument erected in her honor in Olympia were observed back in the 2nd century. AD famous Greek historian Pausanias.

How did she do it?

The lot of most Greek women was home, caring for the family, etc. Only in Sparta did women enjoy greater freedom. There is a known case when an Athenian reproached a Spartan for the lack of democracy in their state, to which the latter replied: “First establish democracy in your family.” The freer position of Spartan women compared to women of other Greek states is also evidenced by the fact that in Sparta there was a whole layer of citizens who were called “parthenians.” It is believed that these were children born to Spartan women as maidens (that is, before marriage), which was not condemned by society.

The woman who managed to win the competition among men was a Spartan from a noble royal family. Her name was Kiniska and she was the sister of the Spartan king Agesilaus, under whom Sparta (late 5th - early 4th centuries BC) reached the peak of its power and influence in the Mediterranean.

Kiniska was breeding horses. This hobby was supported by her famous brother, although he did not take it very seriously. However, the four horses entered by Kiniska at the Olympic Games finished first. And since the owner of the team was considered the winner, Kiniska was entitled to a laurel wreath and all the honors associated with victory.

Thus, Kiniska became an “Olympian” - this is how Olympic champions were called, and we do not know whether there was a female version of this word.

The barely legible inscription, which Pausanias, more than five centuries after this event, was able to write down in his “guidebook” to Hellas, preserving it for us, has the following content:

My fathers and brothers were Spartan kings,

I won a victory with a team of fleet horses

And I, Kiniska, erected this monument.

I say I'm the only woman in,

The winner of this wreath.

Some historians, however, reproach Kiniska for not mentioning in her laudatory inscription even the name of the driver, who, in fact, achieved victory for the owner of the Olympic team. But Kiniska, apparently, considered that “this is not the king’s business.”

Especially for "MK"

Candidate of Historical Sciences, archaeologist, ex-IHMC RAS

Nikolai Savvanidi

The current Olympic Games are very different from the ancient games, however, probably the most important difference between the games is that during the ancient games women could not only take part, but also observe the competitions.

With the development of humanity and society, this ban has lost its relevance, and women now compete on an equal basis with men for the title of Olympic champions.

The modern Olympic Games have their history since 1896. 311 athletes from 11 countries took part in this Olympics, and not a single woman, but there were many of them on the podium. It wasn't until 1900 that the Olympic Games included women's participation in equestrian, sailing, golf, tennis and croquet for the first time. However, women were only included in the team in 1981.

During the ancient Olympic Games, women were prohibited from doing anything there, but an exception was made only for the priestesses of the goddess Demeter (goddess of fertility). If a woman was found in the stadium during the Games, then, according to the law of those times, she was thrown from a high cliff into the abyss. But one day this rule was broken. There are 2 versions of how a woman began to take part in the Olympic Games.

1. A woman whose husband, brother and father were Olympic champions, training her son, and wanting to see him perform at the Olympic Games, snuck into the games in the form of a coach. She changed into men's trainer's clothes and stood next to the trainers, watching her son with excitement. And when her son was announced as an Olympic champion, what she had been waiting for so stubbornly and for a long time, and because of all the worries, she could not stand it and ran out onto the field. She ran across the entire field to her son to be the first to congratulate him on his honorable victory. On the way, her men's clothes fell off, and everyone saw that there was a woman in the stadium. The judges were in a difficult position. According to the law, it was necessary to kill her, but she is a wife, sister and daughter, and besides, now she is also the mother of Olympic champions! And therefore, for the fact that she was the wife and mother of champions, she was spared, but from that day on a new Olympic rule was introduced - now in the stadium, not only athletes, but also their coaches must be present on the field completely naked to prevent such situations in future.

2. A woman named Kalipateria, who was the wife and mother of Olympic champions, decided to participate in a running competition. She was identified and, according to the law, sentenced to death - she was to be thrown from a cliff into the abyss. But the judges pardoned her. After this incident, all athletes were required to perform naked at the games in order to avoid a repetition of this situation.

Time ago. The first female champion, the six-month Olympics and other details of the Olympic Games 1900

The second Olympic Games amazed with its disgusting organization, amazing sports and the first women champions.

The second Olympic Games amazed with its disgusting organization, amazing sports and the first women champions.

WHERE AND WHEN

Location: Paris, France

HERO

American Alvin Kranzline won four gold medals in individual competitions at this Olympics. And to this day, for more than a hundred years, this figure is a record among track and field athletes. Kränzlein won the 60-meter race (the discipline was abolished after 1904), the 110-meter hurdles, the 200-meter hurdles, and the long jump. Having won the long jump, Kränzlein, in addition to the medal, also received a punch in the face from his compatriot, Mayer Prinstein, who missed the final. Prinstein, who represented at the Olympics sport Club Syracuse University, this same university did not allow me to compete in the finals for religious reasons, since the decisive competition fell on Sunday.

OUR

The Olympic Games in Paris were the first where Russian athletes competed. Five athletes were delegated to the Games in France. Three took part in a fencing tournament, two took part in demonstration, unofficial performances in equestrian sports. Julian Michaud and Petr Zakovorot took fifth and seventh places respectively in the saber competition among the maestro. All that is known about the third fencer is that he dropped out in the first round.

HAPPENING

At the Games in Paris, athletes competed in very unusual sports. The Olympic program included: motorcycle racing, balloon racing, cricket, croquet, Basque pelota, 200-meter steeplechase swimming, equestrian polo, tug-of-war, pigeon racing, lifesaving* and others. For many sports, this appearance in the Olympic program was the first and only. And some competitions were demonstration ones and, according to official statistics, they were never included in the Games program.

*Lifesaving is the activity of water rescuers, considered an organized sport.

SCANDAL

The Olympics in Paris is considered the worst in terms of organization in the entire history of the modern Games. The competitions were timed to coincide with the events of the World Exhibition, and often had their own separate names. Some athletes did not even know that they were competing at the Olympic Games. The Olympics lasted for as long as six months and did without opening and closing ceremonies. And the decision to hold competitions on Sundays caused a lot of protests from American colleges and universities, which sent their representatives to Paris: for religious reasons educational establishments they didn’t want their athletes to compete on Sunday. Some competition winners did not receive medals, but were instead given cups or other prizes.

RECORD

Women received the right to compete at the 1900 Olympics. In some sports, separate women's tournaments were organized for them, while in others they had to compete with men. Tennis player Charlotte Cooper became the first Olympic champion in history, winning the women's singles and mixed doubles. By this time, she was already a four-time winner of Wimbledon. However, at the Games in Paris, women were not awarded medals.

1. France – 101 medals (26 gold – 41 silver – 34 bronze)

2. USA – 47 (19 –14 – 14)

3. Great Britain – 30 (15 – 6 – 9)

4. Belgium – 15(5 – 5 – 5)

5. Mixed team – 12 (6 – 3 – 3)

6. Switzerland – 9(6 – 2 – 1)

7. Germany – 8(4 – 2 – 2)

8. Denmark – 6 (1 –3 – 2)

9. Australia – 5(2 – 0 – 3)

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