ABSTRACT
The Olympic Games sustained that cultural significance and symbolic value of excellence throughout all of Greco-Roman antiquity for well over a thousand years. Although, in many ways, they are the same, our modern Olympics have important differences. The inaugural event of the ancient Games, was the 200 m dash, known as the stade, one length of the long, ancient stadium. Somewhat indicative of the cultural significance of the Games, there are records of every 200 m victor, every 4 years, for a thousand years of Olympics. The second event of the games was the 400 m, the diaulos, or two lengths of the ancient track. Coubertin's version of the history of the modern Olympic Games insisted that the festival burst forth fully grown, fully supported, and already popular. Once again, in Soutsos’ next poem, the ghost of the ancient military hero, Leonidas, explicitly advises Greece to revive its Olympic Games.
