公元前9-8世纪，希腊氏族社会逐步瓦解，城邦制的奴隶社会逐渐形成，并建立起200多个城邦。城邦各自为政，没有统一君主，战争连绵不断。借助古奥运会的举办，各城邦之间有了聚集在一起的机会。运动会上，人们可以讨论重大的政治问题，共同庆祝战争的胜利，甚至还结成同盟。然而，运动会不仅仅是个讨论政治的地方，同样成为了引发政治冲突和争夺地盘的导火索。

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.

(南开大学通讯员 孙伟王乐迪投稿 英语点津boeybb编辑）


相关稿件：Tradition of the Olympic Truce

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