ANCIENT OLYMPICS

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Books

For Teachers

Ancient Greek Athletics by Stephen Miller. (Yale University Press, 2004)
An overview of the Pan Hellenic games, exploring the events and the role the games played in society.

The Ancient Olympic Games 2nd ed. by Judith Swaddling. (University of Texas Press, 2000)
Tracing the mythological and religious origins of the games, this history describes the events, ceremonies, and celebrations of the games. It also includes a large, detailed model of ancient Olympia.

The Ancient Olympics by Nigel Spivey. (Oxford University Press, 2004)
A revealing look at the games as a military, not just a religious or social, event, as well as how Greek notions of beauty and competitiveness have influenced modern culture.

Games and Sanctuaries in Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens by Panos Valvanis. (Getty Trust Publications: J. Paul Getty Museum)
With more than 500 illustrations, this is a study of the sporting tradition in ancient Greece and the importance of the Olympic games in Greek culture.

Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete and the Olympic Spirit by John J. Hermann, Jr. and Christine Kondoleon. (MFA Publications, 2004)
With over 140 illustrations of sculptures, vases, coins, etc. this is an overview of the ancient games and the Olympic spirit through the ages.

The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life, Volume 1 edited by Joyce E. Salisbury. (Greenwood Press, 2004)
A comprehensive look at the lives of ordinary people in ancient times — their clothes, food, culture, customs, beliefs, etc.

Sport and Society in Ancient Greece by Mark Golden. (Cambridge University Press, 1998)
Key Themes in Ancient History series. A general introduction to the topic, this book includes the origin and history of the Olympic games.

For Students

Fiction

Asterix and the Olympic Games by Rene Goscinny. (Orion, 2004)
Asterix, Obelix and their friends enter the ancient Olympics. Will they triumph over the powerful Greek and Roman athletes? For younger readers.

The Courtesan's Daughter by Priscilla Galloway. (Delacorte, 2002)
Fourteen-year-old Phanos, married to Theo, tells the complicated story of her stepmother, a former courtesan in Athens. For older readers.

Goddess of Yesterday by Caroline B. Cooney. (Delacorte, 2002)
Anaxandra, companion of the crippled Princess Callisto, is the only survivor after pirates attack their small island home. Taken to Troy, she becomes involved in the intrigue that leads to war between Sparta and Troy.

Mr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folktale retold by Anthony L. Manna. (Atheneum, 1997)
In this folktale, Princess Areti is not satisfied with any of her suitors so she decides to make a man of her own.

Pandora of Athens, 399 B.C. by Barry Denenberg. (Scholastic, 2004)
The Life and Times series. Pandora is approaching the age at which she must marry the man her father has chosen. Will a chance meeting with the wise teacher Socrates change her life?

Say Cheese, Medusa! by Kate McMullen. (Hyperion, 2002)
Myth-o-mania series. The story of Perseus and the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa is retold with a twist.

The Talisman by Lynne Ewing. (Hyperion, 2003)
Daughters of the Moon series. As Maggie's life is nearing its end, she reflects on her girlhood in ancient Athens.

Nonfiction

Ancient Greece by Matilde Bardi. (Peter Bedrick Books, 2000)
Art and artifacts from ancient Greece show how people lived, traded, entertained, and fought their enemies — and how all of this has influenced how we live now.

Ancient Greece and the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce. (Random House, 2004)
This companion book to the fictional Hour of the Olympics describes the research and facts that Osborne used to write the novel.

Ancient Greek Olympics by Richard Woff. (Oxford University Museum, 1999)
An examination of the games, covering each of the five days of the athletic and religious festival.

Ancient Greek Women by Haydn Middleton. (Heinemann, 2003)
People in the Past series. The everyday domestic tasks and responsibilities of women in ancient Greece are described, as well as the rare occasions when they were able to appear in public. Other titles include Ancient Greek Children, Ancient Greek Homes, Ancient Greek Jobs, and more.

Ancient Medicine: From Sorcery to Surgery by Michael Woods. (Runestone, 1999)
A look at the medical practices and innovations in ancient Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, Greek, and Roman cultures and how they have influenced medicine today.

Ancient Olympics by Jackie Graff. (Heinemaan, 2004)
Information about the history, rules, and organization of the ancient Greek Olympics.

The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus by Aliki. (HarperCollins, 1994)
Introduces 15 major Greek gods and goddesses with descriptions of their special talents and responsibilities.

Olympia, Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece by Dyan Blacklock. (Walker, 2000)
In the eighth century B.C.E. the Greek city-states were embroiled in bloody and seemingly endless war with each other. King Iphitus of Elis revives the ancient athletic competition to distract the warriors. For younger readers.

The Olympic Games: Athens 1896–Athens 2004 by the editors at Dorling Kindersley. (Dorling Kindersley, 2004)
Hundreds of action photographs chronicle the modern Olympics, including personal and public triumphs and tragedies such as the hostage-taking at the 1972 games held in Germany.

The Original Olympics by Stewart Ross. (Peter Bedrick Books, 1996)
The history, customs, and events of the ancient Greek games.

Spend the Day in Ancient Greece by Linda Honan. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998)
Visit a fictional family in the summer of 432 B.C.E., join two children in the family in their typical activities, and make several projects to understand life in ancient Athens.

Swifter, Higher, Stronger: A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics by Sue Macy. (National Geographic, 2004)
Photographs portray the rebirth of the ancient games, women in the Olympics, outstanding athletes, controversies that have arisen, and surprises at the games.

A Visitor's Guide to Ancient Greece by Lesley Sims. (Usborne, 2003)
If you could time travel, this book has all you'd need for Athens: maps, tips on where to stay, what to see, shopping, a section about side trips, and a traveler's advisory to avoid Sparta!

Poetry

Ancient Greece by Susan Altman and Susan Lechner. (Scholastic, 2001)
Modern Rhymes About Ancient Times series. Contains 27 poems about famous people, gods, goddesses, buildings, myths and other aspects of life in ancient Greece.

Web Sites

Ancient Greece
http://www.ancientgreece.com/
Explore various topics about ancient Greece, such as the Olympics, architecture, mythology, people, and more.

The Ancient Olympics
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/
Created as a tribute to the 1996 Centennial Olympic games in Atlanta Georgia, this digital library project from Tufts University allows users to compare ancient and modern Olympic games, learn about famous athletes at the ancient games and more.

Ancient Greece – Olympic
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ancientgreece/classics/olympics/intro.shtml
This interactive comic book presents interesting facts about the ancient games as part of a scavenger hunt game.

BBC History – The Ancient Greek Olympic Gallery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/greek_olympics_gallery.shtml
Explore ancient artifacts and artwork depicting the Olympic games.

Daily Life in Ancient Greece
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Greeklife.html
Learn about daily life, meet some famous characters from ancient Greece, and run an Olympic simulation for your students.

Zeus
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/z/zeus.html
Learn about Zeus, the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and the other Greek gods who lived there.

Mythography – The Greek God Zeus in Myth and Art
http://www.loggia.com/myth/zeus.html
This site offers forums, information, and artwork about Greek, Roman, and Celtic myth and art.