If classical Greeks were so hoplite-oriented, why did the Olympics mostly resemble a light infantry training camp?
>>18328591Because that's cheap, but running in full armour literally was one of the events.
The Olympics were founded in the early 8th century when Hoplite warfare was only just emerging and by 7th century it had become a spectacle of its own rather than linked to military training, including chariot races. It would not be until centuries later that the Hoplitodromos was added as an event.The Olympics stand out from regular sports enjoyed by the nobility in that they involved multitudes of commoners competing and rising to fame. City states had to routinely test the physical fitness of their citizen soldiers, competitions being a good motivational tool, it seems this was the foundation of the games. The Olympics were thus a reflection of Greek society, it was not a tribal duelling, feudal jousting or the sports of royalty and high aristocracy, it was the bureaucracy of the city states that predominated, it was about finding men who were excellent sprinters, boxers and wrestlers from among the masses or supporting charioteering despite it having lost military relevance, all of which require good governance.
>>18328699Chariots were military. If an Athletic contest has a ball in it, it's a game. If it doesn't, it's training for war.
>>18328591the trend for hoplites was actually for lighter armor over time
>>18328591>Olympics mostly resemble a light infantry training campjust wait till you find out arts such as oratory or pottery skills were also displayed at olympics
