Page 15 - Olympism in Socialism

position next to the stadium altar. Kyniska,
daughter of King Archidamos of Sparta, was the
first woman to be listed as an Olympic victor in
Antiquity. Her chariot won in the four-horse
chariot race in the 96 and 97 Olympiads, (396
th
th
B.C. AND 392 B.C. respectively). In the Olympic
Games, it was forbidden for women to be present
and Kyniska broke with tradition. Since in the
equestrian events, the victory wreath, or kotinos,
was won by the owner, not the rider, of the horse.
From 776 B.C. onwards the games were held
regularly once in four years until 394 A.D. when
Emperor Theodosius I of Rome prohibited, by
decree the celebration of Olympic Games.

MODERN OLYMPIC GAMES

The first Olympics Games was held at Athens
in the year 1896 A.D. Only a few countries took
part in this first Olympic game. Baron Pierre De
Coubertin, a Frenchman, who is called the father
of Modern Olympic Games. He felt that
international unity and brotherhood could be
achieved through competitions in sports and
games among the youth of the various countries
at one place similar to the ancient Olympic
Games, On 6 April 1896, 80,000 Athenians
th
witnessed the rebirth of the Olympics, The
Olympic Anthem was composed by the Greek,
Spyros Samaras and conducted by him, The
games were held under the Royal Patronage of the
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