What sports were available to women in Ancient Greece (6 photos)

We owe a lot to ancient civilizations. Papyrus, which became the first paper, came to us from Ancient Egypt; according to many sources, it is known that concrete came to us from the Romans. The Greeks gave a huge layer of philosophy, developed democracy, and achieved a lot in art, literature and medicine. And the Greeks gave birth to such a phenomenon as mass sports competitions.





The same Olympic Games, which today are divided into winter and summer and are held every four years. They attract sportsmen and women from all over the world. In Ancient Greece, the division was different: only men were allowed. But the Heraic Games were specially invented for women.



The first Olympic Games took place in 776 BC, and the most recent in 393 AD. Participants in terms of popularity became on the same level as philosophers, scientists, politicians and poets. They even began to deify them and it was believed that statues of athletes could help in healing various kinds of ailments.

Wrestling, pentathlon, and fist fighting have survived to this day from ancient Greek sports. They, of course, have already modified it somewhat. The Olympic Games were known to everyone and you can still find information about the great winners of those games and the records set by the athletes.

But not much is known about the Heraic Games.





They were named after the goddess Hera. Mostly young girls took part in the competition. There is evidence that they were more like some kind of initiation rite before the start of adulthood.

According to some evidence, these games stopped being held in the 4th century BC, when Emperor Theodosius I the Great declared that all such competitions and events were outlawed.



Ancient Greek women had limited rights (in all cities except Sparta). They were not allowed to participate in elections, they could not own land and real estate, and in general their task was considered to be childbirth and keeping the hearth. Only girls from very wealthy families could receive education, and even then not always. But no one forbade them from maintaining themselves in excellent physical shape - after all, this way they only became healthier and could give birth to healthy offspring. A strong and athletic woman was considered beautiful and no one could stop them from having a competition among themselves to see who was stronger. Basically, they competed in running, which cannot be compared with men's games.



The writer and geographer from Ancient Greece Pausanias mentioned in his notes that girls competed in hippios, stage, dolichos and diaula.

Gippios is a four-time crossing of the track. A stage is a 200 meter run. Dolichos - running over a distance from 7 to 24 stages (data vary). Diaul - running one stage, then turning around and running back.

The winner was awarded a laurel wreath and a good part of a cow carcass (the entire cow was sacrificed to the goddess Hera).



The official champion of the Olympic Games was Kiniska from Sparta, who was the daughter of King Archidamus II - in 396 and in 392 BC. her horse teams won the quadriga races. They were, of course, driven by a hired driver, because the woman faced the death penalty if she appeared in the territory of the Olympic Games. The owner of the team was then declared the winner. It was in honor of Kiniski, who so cleverly circumvented the rules of participation in the Olympic Games, that monuments were erected. Several other girls followed her example, but none could even come close to the record of the pioneer Kiniski.