A Philosophycal Analysis Of The Ancient Greek Athletics

The ancient Greek athletics is up to the present the most glorious in the world's athletics history.It is an inevitable outcome of ancient Greece's old religion, military and ethnicity life. In the city-nation Period, the ancient Greek athletics developed rapidly with the blendness of different religions and cultures,and the development of philosophy and politics.The scale of athletics tournament which offered sacrifices in the traditional festivals had become more and more large.Various matches in and between the city-nations became very popular. The sports form also developed very greatly. Sport exercises became an essential part in ancient Greece citizen's daily life.The highest achievement of the ancient Greek athletics is that it began to get free and independent spiritual pursuit,which makes the ultimate value of the athletics be based on developing beautiful and kind person.While the athletics became more as an occupation,the morals corrupted continuously,and after Rome was founded, the Christianity replaced ancient Greece religions and the ancient Greek athletics also disappeared gradually.There were a lot of distinctive philosophical characteristics of the ancient Greek athletics. First, it was filled with awe of absolute being, thus had a characteristic of equality and justice. Second, it was motivated by pursuing the heroic qualities of being outstanding.Third, it created a huge and open space,providing performing satge for the public, and therefore became a typical focus point of ancient Greece citizen's public life. Fourth, it was for the city-nation and the individual a place to demonstrate beauty and power and thus to show a superiority over others and aquire great honorTherefore, the ancient Greek athletics was not only the form of body exercises, but something that held the beliefs and cultures of the ancient Greece society and the most important educational method.Its goal lied in developing sound personality and building up a perfect city-nation.As to the development of individual personality, the ancient Greek athletics ,on one hand,could prepare good body foundation for the individual happiness,and on the other hand,make the harmonious development of the mind and body and reach the result of sound personality.Athens' comprehension of harmonious development of the mind and body, is especially our models.As to building up a perfect nation, The ancient Greek athletics could explain and comprehend the noble ideal of "perfect nation",educate citizens for it,and encourage democracic notion.The ancient Greek athletics is the carrier of the ancient Greece perfect nation.