Varazdat

[Arpa]

Ancient Olympics

 

In detail: Ancient Olympic Games

 

The origin of the Ancient Olympic Games has been lost in time, although there are many legends surrounding its origins. The first recorded celebration of the Games in Olympia was in 776 BC, although this was certainly not the first time they were held. The Games were then mostly a local affair, and only one event was contested, the stadion race.

 

From that moment, the Games slowly became more important throughout ancient Greece, reaching their zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The Olympics also had religious importance, honouring Zeus, of which a huge statue stood at Olympia. The number of events increased to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were admired and were immortalised in poems and statues.

 

The Games gradually lost in importance when the Romans took power in Greece. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were seen as a "pagan festival", and in 393, emperor Theodosius forbade the Olympics, ending a period of over thousand years in which the Olympics had been held every four years.

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Did you know that the classic Olympics were closed with an Armenian as champion and reopened with an American taking that title?

Varazdat, Arshakuni king of Armenia, 374-378 AD, succeeded his uncle King Pap . During his yoiuth he was fostered and educated by Bat Saharuni. He was sent to Rome for further education and development and was crowned as king by the Emperor Vales..... he was defeated , imprisoned and probably killed following the wars with the Sasanian Persians.......He is best remembered as the champion olympic boxer/werstler/archer/fencer, an all-around athlete. A plaque bearing his name is still evident at the Olympiad.

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http://www.kalluritimes.com/kalluri/sports...home.jsp?fn0=37

 

Did you know that . . .

1. The first final to be held in the 1896 Games was the triple jump (hop, step and jump)?

 

2. Connoly, was the first modern Olympian, successor to the long line that had ended with the ancient boxer Varastad? Connoly was a college freshman who had been refused a leave of absence from Harvard to compete in the Athens Games, quit school. He traveled to Athens at his own expenses.

 

3. Connoly's victory was saluted by the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and the raising of the American flag? Those practices have been part of all Olympic ceremonies ever since.

 

4. The Olympic Motto Citius, Fortius, Altius, which stands for Faster, Strongest, Highest was inspired by Michel Breal and introduced in the Games of 1896?

 

5. 13 countries participated in the First Olympic Games? Those were:

Australia

Austria

Bulgaria

Denmark

France

Great Britain

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Italy

Switzerland

Sweden

USA

 

6. About 245 athletes (all men) that participated in the First Modern Olympiad in Athens?

 

7. Thomas Burke of USA, the gold winner of 100m and 400m was the first athlete

[Arpa]

Soon possibly the most memorable Olympic Games of modern times will open in Athens where it all began some 25 centuries ago. Although this will not be the first time as the modern games were relaunched in Greece 110 years ago, the most significant aspect of this one will be the number of participating countries and nations. We know well that in 1894 Armenia did not participate, technically speaking there was no Armenia at that time. As this one will be the official reopening of the festivities since it closed in 396AD, we hope that Armenia and Armenians will be featured as the last recorded champion at the closing of the original series was King Varazdat of Armenia Virtually Armenians closed the original series and they will reopen the modern one.

 

I have been reading Michael Chamichian's History of Armenia with much amusement and at times great surprise. (As promised elsewhere I will bring some vignettes).

 

Here is an expanded bio.

 

In chapter XXIII we read;

Varazdat the Arsacian, who, at the time of the flight of the Armenian chiefs from the tyranny of Shapuh, took refuge in Greece; and who, as we have related, was appointed to a situation in the emperor's household, succeeded Pap on the throne of Armenia, by order of Theodosius.** He was but a youth at the time of his assuming the crown, yet remarkable for the possession of a dauntless mind, Herculean strength***, and admirable address in the use of all the weapons employed by men, of that age, in war. He more than once bore off the prize in wrestling at the Olympic games, and in public arena he frequently engaged and overcame alone most furious beats of prey, such as lions, tigers etc.; by these exploits he became a great favourite with the Grecian populace. It is also related, that in a battle between the Greek sand Longobardians he engaged five persons at once, and slew them without receiving the smallest injury. Besieging a castle with a detachemnet of Grecian troops he killed, in the course of a few hours, by his skill in archery, seventeen men, who were stationed on the battlements, and was the principal cause of its speedy surrender , none of its garrison daring to appear on the walls through dread of his arrows. On his arrival on the confines of Daranaghy, he discovered a band of Syrian robbers, who had for a long period infested the country. He immediately attacked them; they fled, and he pursued until the fugitives arrived on the banks of the river Euphrates****. The robbers passed over on the trunk of a large tree, which they used as a bridge, and destroyed on their reaching the opposite side, imagining that their escape was then sure. They were, however, deceived in the valour and activity of their pursuer; for Varazdat, on discovering that no boats could be procured to transport hi troops on the other side, with amazing address leaped across the river, which was twenty two cubits broad, and engaged with double ardour in the pursuit. The robbers the found further resistance unavailing, and quietly surrendered.. From this he proceeded to Ararat, here he performed similar acts of valour, expelling the Persians whom he found there, and quelling a rebellion which had broken out just before his arrival.

** The same Theodosius who ordered the games closed.

*** Chamich is in the habit of lavishing superior physical attributes on his heroes. He describes every one of them as having Herculean stature, as giants etc. as well as of being of impeccable moral character. I will dig up some of those.

****Was Sasuntsi David modeled after Varazdat?

 

:clap:

[Arpa]

Hey! How come!

Only two days to the opening and we still don't know what Team Armenia is made of. Who? How many? And what games?

 

It may be too late now, I hope they had the presence of mind to feature Varazdat as their macot, or at least dress in period costumes.

 

Here is the list of Armenian olympians;

 

http://www.cilicia.com/armo11.html

[Armen]

Arpa has this thread declared its independence from "Olympic Games 2004 Athens" thread? If yes, I hereby recognize its sovereignity over "Olympic games" and propose to establish diplomatic relations.

[Arpa]

Arpa has this thread declared its independence from "Olympic Games 2004 Athens" thread? If yes, I hereby recognize its sovereignity over "Olympic games" and propose to establish diplomatic relations.

Funny you say that.

I had a mind to ask the mods to perhaps merge the two, however, as you can see Varazdat is more historical. In fact when I initiated it I was debating where to post, I decided on the sports in hoping that it would be expanded, or even start a movement to nickname the Team Armenia in his name.

As to "idependence" you notice that this thread began on July 22, a whole week before the "olympic" thread.

 

Thanks for your comment.

[Armen]

Yes, it started before but it is in Sports and Recreation, while it is more appropriate in Famous Armenians. Anyway, I posted a "Varazdat" info in the Olympics thread because it is on the Athens 2004 official web-site.

 

Just coordinating...

 

Thanks