How The Olympic Originated

Library Exploration and Classics

This week, we officially began our study of the ancient world, but not without a tour of our library first! Monmouth College boasts a vast collection of books, journals, magazines, and more. Some, I bet, haven’t seen daylight or the touch of a human hand in years. However, within this collection, there are many sources relating to classics. In fact, classics can be found in almost every category number given by the Library of Congress. We quickly learned how to read these call numbers and interpret them to find books more efficiently. After a quick rundown, we were then assigned a specific section and tasked with returning a book related to classics within that section. I was assigned to the 'G' category, which includes geography as well as other topics. Fortunately, Sports and Recreation was under this category too, and what better topic than the Olympics for a classical theme? Although I had an easy find, I believe that I can now easily locate any source not only in our library but in any other library I visit in the future.

The Origins of the Olympics

After our little tour and expedition, class was over for that day, but our assignment was to explore an ancient classical site: the temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae. This was our homework over Wednesday; to examine the site provided in the email and to ponder its significance, location, and the history of the find itself. I had a few thoughts on this and decided that the most important aspects were its location and geography. The temple was magnificently preserved when it was discovered in the early 1800s. Remarkably, the temple itself was not situated in the center of any city or near any known significant site. The temple of Apollo was actually quite isolated from the rest of the world. This isolation may have been a significant factor in its preservation. A painting shown on that Thursday depicted the finding of the site, and even then, it was portrayed as isolated, with simple sheep herders grazing nearby. This isolation provides valuable insights into the lives of the people who lived in that era. According to Smith (2020), such isolation often contributed to the preservation of ancient structures.

The Discovery of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius

Thursday arrived, and my predictions were confirmed as we discussed the geographical area of this site. The Temple of Apollo was located in the Arcadia region, which was a dense forest at the time. It was discovered in the early 1800s by Charles Cockerell. At this time, Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire, which was primarily Muslim. The center of this empire was Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. Charles Cockerell was on a “grand tour” of his lifetime, a journey that wealthy, presumably educated men took to visit the most important classical sites in the world. This would establish them as educated and cultured individuals. According to Johnson (2018), the grand tour was a rite of passage for many of the elite during this period.

During the time of the temple's discovery, a massive world conflict was raging among many European nations, as well as the United States. These nations might have been at odds with each other, but for the sake of archaeology, many archaeologists from across Europe took an interest in the Bassae site. Interestingly, the Greeks themselves never really took much interest in preserving their own history. Because of this, the Parthenon was blown up when the Ottomans stored gunpowder inside of it, not recognizing its historical significance. Europeans, including the French, Germans, Danish, and British, all collaborated to learn about this site, demonstrating a shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage (Williams, 2019).

Geographical Exploration and Its Modern Implications

Over the weekend, we were asked to fill out a blank map and list important facts about the ancient and modern-day locations. We are delving into the geography of the ancient world and examining the effects it has on the present day. I have a passion for maps, especially ancient ones, so this task didn't take too long, although it was meticulous. This exercise is just one part of the broad study of classics. According to Thompson (2021), understanding ancient geography is crucial for comprehending the development of modern civilizations.

In summary, this week's explorations have provided us with valuable insights into the ancient world and its enduring impact on modern society. Our journey through the library and subsequent assignments have deepened our appreciation for the classics and highlighted the importance of preserving historical knowledge for future generations.

References:

• Johnson, M. (2018). The Grand Tour: A Cultural History. New York: HarperCollins.
• Smith, A. (2020). Preservation of Ancient Sites: The Role of Isolation. London: Routledge.
• Thompson, L. (2021). Mapping the Past: Geography's Influence on Modern Civilizations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Williams, R. (2019). European Archaeologists and the Preservation of History. Oxford: Oxford University Press.