Olympic games and Jews in the ancient era

The ancient Olympic games, which officially began to be counted as such, in ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese peninsula, were celebrated for the first time in 776 BC and were intended, among other restrictive conditions, for the people of Las, that is ancient Greece on the Balkan peninsula, and over time, for various reasons, the Olympic games were opened For everyone who has been defined directionally throughout the Mediterranean basin and in particular in the eastern part 

While we pick up and pick up every stone in anticipation of another Olympic medal winner, it is appropriate to remember the connection between Jews and the Olympic Games in the ancient era.

The ancient Olympic games, which officially began to be counted as such, in ancient Olympia on the Peloponnese peninsula, were celebrated for the first time in 776 BC and were intended, among other restrictive conditions, for the people of Las, that is ancient Greece on the Balkan peninsula, and over time, for various reasons, the Olympic games were opened For everyone who has been defined directionally throughout the Mediterranean basin and in particular in the eastern part.

As a matter of fact, there were Hellenic and Pan-Hellenic games such as the Delphic and Dorian and even the Pan-Athenian games throughout the ancient era until the collapse of Greece and its conquest by Rome in the second century BC, and this in a mathematical-chronological calculation and taking into account the classical Olympic games.

In addition. Kind of Hellenic games, or to be precise - pre-Hellenic, were held in various places, sometimes much, much before the beginning of the classical Olympic games such as in Tire or Sidon.

The first meeting between the Jews and the Hellenic-Hellenistic games in Tire took place after the Hellenistic reformation of the Greeks at the initiative of Jesus-Yason the high priest from 175 BC when the sports facilities in the Hellenistic format were established in Jerusalem, and three years later Yason sends a delegation of the youth of Jerusalem to the games of Tire , whose share is intended, perhaps to take part in competitions.

In 28 BC, King Herod inaugurated the magnificent buildings in Jerusalem, including the temple from this and the sports facilities in the Hellenistic style from this. When the competitions were held in honor of the Roman Emperor Octavian/Augustus and sixteen years later Herod inaugurated the new buildings of the city of Caesarea, including the sports buildings, more in the Roman style.

So what is between these and the Olympic Games? First - the disciplines were Olympic, except for the Roman influence of fights between gladiators. Second - there were also theater and music performances, some of them competitive, as is customary in the Olympic Games. Thirdly - and more importantly, the games were called "Quinquevarmias", we were the "Games of the fifth year" just like nicknames in Olympia. and why? The Olympic Games were held once every four years, and because of their sanctity and dedication to Zeus, the head of the Olympic family of gods, they were called the "Five Year Games". odd? Definately not! The Greeks in general feared the creation of vacuum spaces, into which corrupting demons might be swallowed, and therefore counted the year of the games twice: once as an opening year and once as a year closing the four years of the games that preceded it. From this, an artificial cyclical chain was created, without "weak links".

Calling the games conducted by Herod as quasi-Olympics, in Jerusalem and Caesarea, could have disrupted the classical Olympic gathering, but in this era the Olympic Games had faded and almost completely sunk, so Herod could have calmed down by partially shifting, at least in the nostalgic aspect, the weight from Greece to Judea.

It is not known whether Jews took part in these games, however such an option should not be completely ruled out. In any case, the fact that Herod was a Jewish king is not at all subject to controversy, since his grandfather, the father of Antipater, was forcibly converted at the time by Yohanan Hyrcanus, the first Hasmonean king.

4 years later, in the year 8 BC, Herod decided to revive the ancient Olympic games, which due to severe problems such as wars and terrible budgetary difficulties, were destined to be permanently erased from the map of ancient history. Since Herod knew that the current emperor, Augustus, was captivated by the charm of classical Hellenic culture, he could not pass up the opportunity that came his way to upgrade his status in the eyes of the emperor, and for that reason Herod made sure to close the hole in the Olympic budget and thanks to this he was appointed "Agonotet", namely Regular game editor. And the rest... is history.