ATHENS

FIRST ATTEMPTS

Alexandros Soutsos

Evangelis Zappas

1st Zappian Games

2nd Zappian Games

3rd Zappian Games

4th Zappian Games

1896 OLYMPICS

ISSUES

SYMBOLS

Third Zappian Games

 

1875

The third "Olympia" were organized by Ioannis Phokianos, director of the Public Gymnasium. Phokianos strongly believed that the ideal of gymnastics would soon expand to the upper classes, to the educated people. That is the reason why he was interested in the education of the Gymnasium pupils and the university students. All these studied in the Athens Public Gymnasium. Phokianos introduced a series of gymnastic exercises, inspired by the German gymnastics system.

The games took place at the Panathenaic Stadium in May 18th 1875. Despite the large number of athletes that trained in the Public Gymnasium for the games, finally only twenty-four took part. Some of them became famous both in the field of athletics and in the social and political life of the country, for example G. Orphanides, the Olympic victor of 1896, Spyros Merkouris, the future mayor of Athens and Mark Mindler, the future president of the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics.

The athlete's clothes were impressive: long trousers and white shirt with a large blue stripe. Until 1896, this was the official gymnastics costume.

Despite the preparations and the high expectations these games were not successful. The royal family did not attend the event. There was not enough space for the number of spectators that finally assembled in the Stadium. Discontent was evident and Phokianos was considered to be responsible, despite his efforts and the athletes' excellent training.

 

Modern Olympic Games:
From Athens of 1896 to Athens of 2004

Topography:
Short description of the monuments at ancient Olympia

3D reconstructions:
Some of the most important buildings in ancient Olympia rendered in three-dimensions.

VRML:
3D reconstruction of the Temple of Zeus in ancient Olympia.

Other games:
Short reference on other famous contests in ancient Greece

In the first person:
Young Ariston shares his experience in the Olympic Games

Olympic victors:
Database of the ancient Olympic victors based on each athletic event and each Olympiad

Specimen sources

Bibliography