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Group of
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Field Courses
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Type of application
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History and Philosophy of the Olympic Games
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Description (please read carefully)
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The British School at Athens is delighted to offer a new course aimed at postgraduate students and professionals keen to understand the ancient roots of the modern Olympic Games and communicate them appropriately to their target audience.
The course travels backward through history, beginning with the modern Olympics of Paris 2024 and Athens 2004, then “digging down” through the modern Olympic revival of 1896, to arrive at the traditional origin of the Games at Olympia in 776 BCE. It is organised around elements common to the ancient and modern games: ceremonies, athletes, contests, and rewards. We look at the historical and philosophical origins of things like the Olympic flame, the athletes’ oath, and the link to peace. We ask who the athletes were, how they were trained, categorized, and selected. We compare common events, such as footraces, boxing, wrestling, javelin throwing, and equestrian events, and we examine how and why victors were celebrated with prizes, songs, images, and privileges. Participants will be able to tailor their study toward their personal interests by choosing topics to research and share either in traditional academic papers and presentations, professional exercises such as lesson-plans or news features, or digital media such as websites and blog-posts.
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Opening date
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October 17th, 2025
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Deadline
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December 1st, 2025
