Figure 1.--Ancient Greek boys played a variety of sports in addition to the Oympic events. This image has been dated to 510-500 BC and shows boys playing a sort of field hockey. The game, called "keretizein", was probably adopted from Egypt. As other sports keretizein was played without clothing. Source: National Museum of Athens

Ancient Greeks rather like the modern world loved sport. This is a very modern behavior. Sport did not become a major activity in our modern world until the late-19th century. A major difference is that for the Greeks, sports primarily meant indvidual rather than team sports. There were, however, some team sports. As far as we know, Greece was the first ancient civilization in which sport was a major actib\vity and any free citizen could participate. Almost all city srtates of any size had publically supported gymnasiums where citizens could gathered to train and relax. This was primarily males, both youth and men. The Greeks attached greatimportance to a healthy body. Men and boys commonly exercuzed and practised sports every day. They both enjoyed sports and saw athletic activity as a way of staying fit. Anthere was a relationship between sports nd militart training. Greek soldiers needed considerable stammina to march long distances and to carry heavy equipment. Most Greek solduers were foot solduers. ugh to march long distances, carrying all their heavy equipment, and then begin the fight with the enemy. The Greeks put on four national sports festivals where athletes from the various city states competed. Great prestige was attached to winning in these games. The most prestigious of these events was of course the Olympic Games. The name comes from the fact that they were consucted at Olympia, every four years. They were held in honour of Zeus, thevchief Greek god. The Olympics began with . sacrifices of grain, wine, and lambs to Zeus.