The Macedonian conquest and Greek upbringing

Greek schools aimed to bring up active citizens and defenders of the homeland. Boys were taught love of poetry and music from childhood and trained in gymnastics. Greek sculptors glorified the strong, trained body: that is why Heracles is usually shown naked, a hero overcoming a lion. In Athens, after general education young men received two years of military training: in the first year they learned to march in formation, bear arms and endure hunger and cold; in the second they served in frontier forts or at the port of Piraeus. When defence was needed, all citizens came out with weapons. Sport was the Greeks’ favourite pastime. From 776 BCE every four years the Olympic Games were held at Olympia (in the Peloponnese) in honour of the god Zeus. Wars stopped during the Games. Only free Greeks could take part. The pentathlon consisted of the long jump, discus and javelin throws, running and wrestling; there were also horse and chariot races. Winners received a wreath of olive branches. The Games were held until the end of the 4th century CE (about 393–394) and were revived in Athens in 1896. Today the Olympic torch is lit at Olympia with the sun’s rays.