Research On The Pythian Game In Ancient Greece

At the foot of theParnassus Mountain in the northwest of 145 kilometers away from the capital Greece--Athens, is the famous holy place of Greece--Delphic, it’s also one of the most famous city of historic sites in Greece. The other two famous historic sites are Then Acropolis and Olympia. Before BC6, Delphic was a little known village. After the first jihad, the amphictyony council decide to make it as an independent city and duty to adore the Apollo and publishing oracle. From this, Delphic began becoming famous around the whole Mediterranean.At this historical background, Pythian Games was coming out. It raised in BC600,and including music competition and competitive race, aimed to salute to Apollo killing Python. And it with bright religion nature, influenced the Mediterranean’s international games. At the beginning, it hold in each 8 years. In BC582, it hold in each 4 years.The initial organize of Pythian Games is Chryssa state. After the first jihad, the amphictyony council replace the state as the controller of the Delphicoracle、fane and Pythian Games. The reasons of the rising of Pythian Games are followed: Delphic oracle and its influence around Mediterranean; the ancient Greek nation’s character shaped by natural environment; city- state system is the key of ancient Greek’s sport civilization.Accordingto the related literature, ancient Greek Pythian Games last 5 days. The first day is religious rites with rich religious color and aimed to salute to Apollo. The second day is large-scale feast and aimed to create a good atmosphere for the game; the third day is literature and art game, including kithare play、kithare accompany, aulos-playing, aulos-singing, drama, poetry, prose, drawing, dance; the fourth day is competitive race, including dash,round trip, long-distance race, hoplitodromos, pentathlon, pankartion, boxing, wrestling; the fifth day is horse racing, including racing, tethrippon, synoris.Although the game only last 5 days,the host and the participant need to prepare it very early. The host let the envoy to tell the Greek and set up the site. The athletes also need to prepare it before its beginning. Same as the ancient Olympic games,Pythian Game had a strict national threshold to the competitors.Such as the point of dialectical materialism, everything has its progress of starting, developing and ruined. Pythian Game as the historical result, with the inside and outside reasons, moving towards perish. The outside reasons include: Macedonian invaded the city-state system of Greece which with freedom sports ideology, the Roman changed the destiny of Greece sport; the inside reasons include: the broke out of peloponnesian war, the large-scale pestilence in BC430 and the appear of professional athletes.Although Pythian Game still leave history and the world abundant precious deposits. The historical significance include: Pythian Game is the sprite link of ancient Greek, the truce promoted the stabilize of Mediterranean area, Pythian Game also improved the military skill of ancient Greek. The practical significance include: the ideology and culture of ancient Greek have the education meaning to the youth, the peace thought of Pythian Game also suitable for the nowadays society.Pythian Game and the ancient Olympic helped every city-state united closely. And helped the sprite of warrior raised to “ competition” sprite. The education thought is quite clear. But because of time,objective,item setting, the status of Pythian Game is not as high as ancient Olympic game.As the modern Olympic Games, Pythian Game will be renaissance in modern times, the name is Delphic Game. It remain waiting for discussing whether it could be developed and grew.