Ancient Olympics: Where Cheating Was Encouraged

The Ancient Olympics refer to a sporting event held in Olympia, Greece between 776 BC and 394 AD. It was a festival dedicated to the god Zeus and was held every four years.

The games consisted of different events such as running, jumping, discus throwing, and chariot racing, among others. The athletes who participated in the games were men, and they had to be freeborn Greeks.

While the modern Olympics promotes fair play and sportsmanship, the Ancient Olympics encouraged cheating. Athletes were known to bribe the judges, use performance-enhancing drugs, and even steal from other competitors.

The most infamous form of cheating in the Ancient Olympics was the use of ‘Korykos,’ a type of oil that made the athletes’ skin slippery and difficult for opponents to hold on to during wrestling matches. Some athletes went as far as covering themselves with a mixture of dirt and olive oil to make them even harder to grip.

Another popular trick was to pretend to be injured, only to make a dramatic recovery at the last minute and win the race. Apparently, the Ancient Greeks loved a good drama.

One athlete, Eupolos of Thessaly, was so notorious for cheating that he was banned from the games for life. It was said that he got caught bribing his opponents not to show up for their events and also disqualified himself in a race he had already won by announcing that he had a cramp.

The Ancient Olympics were not just about athletics; they were also a celebration of Greek culture. The games were accompanied by feasting, singing, and dancing, and prostitutes were brought in to entertain the visitors.

In conclusion, the Ancient Olympics were a lot like a modern-day reality TV show. It was all about the drama, the scandal, and the outrageousness. If only today’s athletes could take a leaf out of their book and start using more Korykos.