公元前9-8世紀，希臘氏族社會逐步瓦解，城邦制的奴隸社會逐漸形成，并建立起200多個城邦。城邦各自為政，沒有統一君主，戰爭連綿不斷。借助古奧運會的舉辦，各城邦之間有了聚集在一起的機會。運動會上，人們可以討論重大的政治問題，共同慶祝戰爭的勝利，甚至還結成同盟。然而，運動會不僅僅是個討論政治的地方，同樣成為了引發政治沖突和爭奪地盤的導火索。

The celebration of the Olympic Games in antiquity was an occasion for citizens of scattered Greek city-states to assemble. At the Games they discussed important political issues, celebrated common military victories and even formed political and military alliances.

But the Games were not only a forum in which to discuss political events; they were also the cause of political conflict.

Control of the Sanctuary and the Games brought with it prestige, economic advantages and, most importantly, political influence. As early as the 7th century BC we hear of disputes over the control of the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia between the city of Elis (30 miles to the north) and the small neighboring town of Pisa.

In 668 BC, according to Pausanias (a 2nd century AD Greek traveler), the powerful tyrant of Argos (named Pheidon) was asked by the town of Pisa to capture the Sanctuary of Zeus from the city-state of Elis. Pheidon, with his army of well-trained hoplites (armed soldiers), marched across the Peloponnesos, secured the Sanctuary for the town of Pisa, and personally presided over the conduct of the games. But Pisa's control of the Sanctuary was brief: by the next year Elis had regained control.

(南開大學通訊員 孫偉王樂迪投稿 英語點津boeybb編輯）


相關稿件：Tradition of the Olympic Truce

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