altis: grove

athlete: one who competes for a prize

athlon: prize

athlos: contest

dekadrachm: ten drachmai

diaulos: a foot race equal to two lenghts of the stadion

dolichos: a distance race varying from place to place, generally 12 to 24 lengths of the stadion (ca. 1.5 to 3 miles)

drachma: standard of Greek currency, meaning literally "a handful of spits"

dromos: running place or racecourse

gymnasion: place of naked people

halteres: jumping weights

hellanodikai: Greek judges

himantes: boxing gloves

hippodromos: racecourse for horses

hoplite: armed soldier

hoplitodromos: race in armor

keles: horse race

Nike: Victory; goddess of victory

palaistra: place of wrestling

pale: wrestling

pankration: an athletic event combining aspects of wrestling and boxing

pantheon: all the gods

pentathlon: five contests (discus, javelin, long jump, wrestling, and foot race)

peplos: a loose outer robe worn by women in ancient Greece

periodonikes: circuit victor

pugme: boxing

stadion: linear distance equal to 600 feet; a foot race 600 feet long; place of athletic contests, literally "the standing place"

tethrippon: four-horse chariot

tetradrachm: four drachmai

 

Ancient Olympics FAQs

when were the first Games? | were the athletes amateurs or pros?
were women allowed to compete? | how political were the Games?
how commercial? | sources/credits | starting block