About the Tour
Εvery four years in mid-summer, a crowded mosaic of people from all over Greece gathered for five days in Olympia, to perform in honor of Zeus brilliant athletic events, the most renowned Games of antiquity. Their celebration dated as far back as 776 BC. and lasted well over a thousand years, until the last recorded Olympics in 393 AD!
Before the official start, three runners were sent out through the Greek world to herald the beginning of a martial truce, which had to be observed to allow safe travelling of athletes and visitors to Olympia. The ancient Olympics were thus promoted as an early and sacred symbol of brotherhood and peace!
Let’s go for a digital stroll around the glorious ruins of Olympia, in the serene, wooded Alpheus valley, and address a series of questions, while our creative imagination and augmented reality join forces:
🔴 How did the Games span the distance from myth to history over time?
🔴 What was the program of the athletic competitions like in the Classical period and which religious rituals, sacrifices, swearing-in ceremonies and processions surrounded it?
🔴 Which was the most ancient competition, which the most prestigious, which the most spectacular, and which the most dangerous of them all? How was Olympic athleticism related to the ideal of “καλοκαγαθία”, a balanced combination of physical beauty and moral virtue?
🔴 Where and how were the individual track and equestrian events held? What were the rules and regulations of the games and which officials imposed them? What sort of monuments were erected to eternalize the disrepute of those violating them? What glorious and sad records have come down us by written sources?
🔴 How were victorious athletes honored on the race field, where and when were they crowned with the humble olive wreath, and how was their victory celebrated thereafter? What honors, privileges and benefits awaited the winners back home?
🔴 Where were official or prominent visitors and athletes accommodated, and where were ordinary spectators lodged?
🔴 Where did contestants train for the Games?
🔴 Where did the sophists teach, where did the orators speak and where did the poets recite to the crowds of the festival?
🔴 Finally, how did the city-states, the kings and the victorious athletes commemorate their presence in the great sanctuary of Zeus?
Activities
Educational activities, such as games, quizzes, role-playing, and mini contests among student groups or classes, with little surprise prizes from us, will give children the opportunity for active participation and creative reflection on what they have seen and heard, completing this colorful, both literally and figuratively, experience!
How it Works
This tour is designed for a virtual presentation, hosting a group of up to 60 participants at a time. Once you book for this experience, we will send you a confirmation email with an exclusive link to join the tour. You can access the tour only through the link we provide.
Your Instructor
Dr. Anthi Dipla
Classical archaeologist/art historian who has graduated from Oxford University (MA, PhD). She has participated in excavations, scientific projects and conferences in Greece, Cyprus and abroad. Her research has been focused on Greek vase painting, iconography, and mythology, with further interests in women studies, social history, ancient Greek theatre, and cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean world.