In connection with religion, it is best to consider the athletic festivals of the Greeks. True, their influence on Greek civilization was more accidental than intentional, and the pleasure principles early outweighed the religious ones. But they flow from the religion of the Greeks, remain all the time in connection with it and vividly characterize it.
Typically, the Greek gods were neither cruel nor cruelty-loving. True, in Greece there are references to human sacrifices, and sometimes the gods were represented as avenging an insult to their honor; but this does not characterize the religion of the Greeks. If we compare it with other modern religions, we are struck by its lack of cruelty. The gods of Greece could never be honored with sorrow or self-torture, and hardly even with self-denial. The beliefs of the Greeks did not constitute symbols of refusal and limitation. Respect for the gods was expressed not by sorrow, but by pleasure, not by solitary self-flagellation, but usually by noisy public fun. Therefore, in Greece, almost all forms of public worship received the form of popular festivals. All theatrical performances among the Greeks were considered religious ceremonies, and, as such, can easily find a place in this chapter. Even more noticeably, the great gymnastic festivals were originally intended to glorify famous deities.
The most important of these festivals was the Olympic one. There is no need here to look for a solid foundation for the myths that narrated its first establishment; for us it is enough to look at what it was at a completely historical time. The stage for this, undoubtedly the most important athletic festival in the history of the world, was the banks of the Alpheus, the most significant of the rivers of the Peloponnese, several miles from its mouth. Here mountain system Arcadia, as it approaches the sea, falls into the plain. On the banks of the Alpheus, which is difficult to ford in summer and flows violently in the rainy season, there was a flat place quite suitable for athletic competitions. Famous athletes from all over Greece flocked here every four years. It seems impossible to determine the exact time of the festival, but it probably fell at the end of June or the beginning of July. The choice of this time of year seems strange, since now in the Althea Valley there are unbearable heat during these months and most of the inhabitants move to the mountains. True, there may have been a slight change in the climate, but the choice of season can only be explained on unknown religious grounds.
The festival originally consisted of one race, a foot race of 1,800 feet. Nominally, it always remained the main competition, and the festival was called by the name of the winner in it. The first year in which this competition took place was taken, undoubtedly without particularly compelling reasons, to be 776 BC. It was soon joined by another race of twice the distance. Both took place in the thick dust of the Greek summer; the way was not prepared for them. Other innovations quickly followed. At the 18th festival, the pentathlon or quintuple competition was introduced. It included running, jumping, throwing a javelin and “discus” and, finally, wrestling. How exactly the award was awarded, we do not know; but the winner had to prove his superiority in most of the competitions. This was followed by the introduction of fist fighting, in which the fighters' fists and hands were wrapped in leather and iron. He had all the brutality of modern boxing and was even more dangerous than him. In 680 even more exciting competitions were introduced: four-horse chariot racing and pancratium, or a mixture of fisticuffs and wrestling, the crudest of all Olympic competitions, in which victory was determined by the inability of one of the wrestlers to continue the fight. Finally, it remains to mention the introduction in 520 of a heavily armed warrior running in full armor.
The most characteristic feature of these Greek festivals is the absence of savagery and cruelty compared to the entertainment of other peoples, ancient and modern. Without a doubt, fist fighting and pancratium were usually quite rough competitions, often costing lives. Fist fighters formed a brotherhood or school and moved from competition to competition. They must have had many of the characteristics of modern boxers, although the life of the Greek fighter was somewhat ennobled by the honor accorded him, and the fact that his victory brought glory to his homeland must have elevated his position. It should also be recognized that, over time, simple athletic competitions lost their importance and that the greatest delight began to be caused by rough fist fighting and magnificent chariot racing; the latter became in the end the most important event of the festival. But, despite all these considerations, the Olympic Games, in view of their relative humanity, in view of their dissemination of precious physical education among the Greeks, in view of the manifestation in them of the Greeks' passion for physical strength and beauty, give us the best idea of the depth and truth of their civilization . However, the Olympic festival never included any poetry or music competitions, similar to those, which we shall soon have to mention on other occasions. There were, however, competitions between trumpeters and heralds; but in them victory was achieved by the strength of the lungs, and not by any musical talent.
But if we imagine the Olympic Games only as a glorified athletic festival, then we are far from appreciating their true significance. Only here in Greece do we find a clear consciousness and real manifestation of the unity of Hellas and the ties that united the various states. No one could compete in the Olympic competitions without proving their purely Hellenic origin, and although it was difficult to determine the purity of blood, the very necessity of such a definition confirmed the existence of features that separated the Hellenes from the rest of the world. The immediate cause of the political and military weakness of Hellas was the absence of such power, spiritual or secular, that would support the consciousness of its unity. The Olympics obviously couldn't do that. Athletic competitions cannot serve as a lever strong enough for such a purpose. But they came closer to it than any other institution in Hellas. Before the festival, a sacred truce was proclaimed, similar to the peace of God in the Middle Ages. All hostilities ceased for a while. No one could disturb the wanderers going to Olympia, under the fear of all the punishments that befell the sacrilege. Truce was not a dead word. Proud Sparta had to pay a heavy fine for raising arms during the holy month. Later, Philip of Macedon himself had to justify himself about the insult inflicted by one of his soldiers on a traveler on his way to Olympia.
Further, not only athletes and people interested in their competitions gathered at the games. They also served as the occasion for a large fair, where traders from all over the world gathered on equal terms. Then, artists, poets and politicians came here to demonstrate their talents and exchange ideas. Here the orators Lysias and Gorgias tried to revive in the later Greeks common aspirations. Biographies of politicians, philosophers and poets often indicate their appearance at a great national festival.
The Olympic Games were the main festival of the Greeks, but there were three others available to the entire nation. These were the Pythian games in Delphi, the Isthmian games near Corinth and the Nemean games in the valley of this name on the Argolid peninsula. These games do not require special attention from us. In their main features they repeat the Olympic festival, although, undoubtedly, they were less visited by the people and had less influence; however, they differed from the Olympics in that they gave awards to musicians and poets.
The winners of these pan-Hellenic games were given almost incredible honors. Among the Greek states the desire for distinction was so strong that an entire city considered itself glorified when its name was combined at Olympia with the name of a victorious athlete. The awards he received were quite significant. True, the actual prize at the four main festivals was only a “perishable wreath”: olive at Olympia, laurel at Delphi, pine at Isthma and ivy at Nemea. Even at small festivals the prizes were not of great value; we only know of a silver cup, a woolen cloak, a copper shield and a small amount of money. But in all major competitions, victory brought with it great advantages. According to Solon's law, the winner at Olympia received a significant sum of money. The same custom existed in many other states. Almost everywhere the winner enjoyed freedom from taxes, social content , the best seat in the theater and various other benefits. Therefore, the life of an Olympic winner has become a proverb to denote the greatest happiness that is possible on earth. But if we want to fully imagine how highly victory at the games was valued, we only need to turn to the works of Pindar. Here we find the great poet writing odes in honor of the victors of the great games in a style that recalls sometimes Milton in the brightness of its colors, sometimes Isaiah in its prophetic fervor. True, usually, after devoting a few words to the winner and the competition, he begins to talk about the gods and heroes associated with Delphi and Olympia, Nemea and Corinth. But for all this brilliant poetry, the immediate inspiration was the victory of a young man in a race, or a fist fighter in pankratia, or the triumph of a large and rich nobleman over victory in a chariot race. It is difficult to make extracts from the odes in which Pindar praises “the Olympic Games, where they compete in the speed of the feet and in bodily strength, despising work, where the winner for his victory enjoys sweet peace throughout his entire life.” The following two passages will suffice. They, however, do not give an idea of \u200b\u200bthe brilliance of this poetry, but they show, in an almost funny way, with what deep respect the Greeks had for the physical prowess displayed at the games. Here, in the 14th Olympic Ode, Pindar glorifies Asopichus of Orkhomenes, who won the short-distance race among young men. “O you, rulers of the waters of Cephisus, inhabitants of the land of good horses, glorious queens of the rich Orchomen, Charites, ancient protectors of the Minyans, hear my prayer. Through you, mortals receive everything pleasant and sweet, whether anyone is wise, beautiful or glorious... I have come to sing in Lydian meter and verses of Asopichus, who brought Minia victory at Olympia. Run, Echo, to the gloomy dwelling of Persephone (Asopichus’s father has already died, but even after death his heart would have rejoiced at the news of his son’s victory at the games), bringing his father his glorious news, and when you see him, say that his son is in the famous valley Pisa crowned his young head with a wreath of glorious games.” In the 7th ode he sings the praises of Diagoras, a professional fighter. First, his many victories are listed. “Diagoras was crowned twice with their flowers; on glorious Isthmus he was happy four times, in Nemea twice in a row and twice in rocky Athens. And in Argos the copper shield became acquainted with him, and the works of Arcadia and Thebes, and the annual games in Boeotia and Pellene. He won six times in Aegina, and in Megara on a stone pillar he did not
a different speech is written. And you, Father Zeus, who dominates the ridges of Atabirium, glorify my anthem and the Olympic winner, who gained glory in a fist fight, grant him respectful respect from citizens and foreigners, since he walks straight along the path hostile to insolence, knowing well that what the truthful minds of the good ancestors spoke.”
Never again, we can predict with certainty, will a pugilist meet with such high poetic praise.
Greek games
ROMAN GAMES
From an early time, various festivals and performances played an important role in the public life of Rome. At first, public performances were also religious ceremonies; they were an indispensable part of religious holidays.
In the VI century. BC e. they began to organize performances of a secular (not religious) nature, and not priests, but officials began to be responsible for their conduct. The venue for such performances was no longer the altar of one god or another, but a circus located in the lowland between the Palatine and Aventine hills.
The earliest Roman civil holiday was the festival of the Roman Games. For several centuries it was the only civil holiday of the Romans. From the 3rd century. BC. new ideas are established. Great importance acquire Plebeian games. At the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. The Apollo Games, games in honor of the Great Mother of the Gods - the Megalenic Games, as well as floralia - in honor of the goddess Flora, were also established. These games were annual and regular, but in addition to them, extraordinary games could also be held depending on a successful war, deliverance from an invasion, a vow, or simply the desire of the magistrate.
The games lasted from 14 - 15 days (Roman and Plebeian games) to 6 - 7 days (floralia). The total duration of all holidays of these games (ordinary) reached 76 days a year.
Each festival consisted of several sections: 1) a solemn procession led by the magistrate who organized the games, called a pomp, 2) competitions in the circus, chariot races, horse racing, etc., 3) stage performances in the theater of Greek and Roman plays authors. The performances usually ended with a feast, a massive meal, sometimes for several thousand tables. The games device required big money. For example, funds were allocated for the Roman Games in the middle of the 1st century. BC e. 760 thousand sesterces, Plebeian games - 600 thousand, Apollonian games - 380 thousand. As a rule, the money allocated from the treasury was not enough and the magistrates responsible for organizing the games contributed their own money, sometimes exceeding the allocated amount.
Gladiator fights are gaining extraordinary development in Rome. Gladiator fights were held in Etruscan cities since the 6th century. BC e. From the Etruscans they entered Rome. For the first time in 264, a fight between three pairs of gladiators was staged in Rome. Over the next century and a half, gladiatorial games were held at the funerals of noble persons, called funeral games and had the character of a private performance. Gradually, the popularity of gladiator fights is growing.
In 105 BC. e. gladiatorial fights were declared part of public spectacles and magistrates began to take care of their organization. Along with magistrates, private individuals also had the right to fight. To give a performance of a gladiator fight meant to gain popularity among Roman citizens and to be elected to public office. And since there were many people who wanted to receive a magistrate’s position, the number of gladiator fights increased. Several dozen and even hundreds of pairs of gladiators worth several hundred thousand sesterces are already being brought into the arena. Gladiatorial fights became a favorite spectacle not only in the city of Rome, but also in all Italian, and later in provincial cities. They were so popular that Roman architects created a special, previously unknown type of building - an amphitheater, where gladiatorial fights and baiting of animals were held. Amphitheaters were designed for several tens of thousands of spectators and were several times greater than the capacity of theater buildings.
The number of performances, both private and public, in Rome and other cities and their duration constantly increased, and their importance grew more and more. At the end of the Republic, magistrates and statesmen considered the holding of public performances an important part of their government activities. In the conditions of an aristocratic republic, where all power was concentrated in the hands of a narrow elite of the slave-owning class, the ruling group considered the organization of public performances one of the means to help distract the broad masses of Roman citizenship from active state activities. It is not surprising that the growth of public performances was accompanied by a decline in the importance of popular assemblies and their political role.
GREEK GAMES.
The anagal (competitive) beginning of Greek culture gave rise to a whole system of famous Greek games. The real pearl among them were the Olympic Games, which glorified Ancient Greece for centuries.
In Greek society, the idea of victory in any competition was gradually established as the highest value, bringing honor and respect to the winner among the citizens of the polis. Even in the poems of Homer, noble aristocrats competed in strength, dexterity and perseverance, and victory in these competitions could only bring glory, not material wealth.
Games in Greece were of an aristocratic nature - only full citizens of the polis could participate in them (women, slaves, semi-frees and foreigners were excluded from this number).
The oldest and most important were the games, first held in 776 BC in the region of Olympia in southern Greece and dedicated to Zeus. From that time on, they were repeated every four years (until the 4th century AD, when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I canceled the Olympic Games, declaring them pagan fun, incompatible with Christianity, which had won in Rome). In addition to the Olympic Games in Greece, there were also the Pythian Games (in Delphi), the Isthmian Games (in Corinth) and the Nemean Games in the places where Hercules once killed the stone lion. All games were accompanied by a pan-Greek truce, and the winners were rewarded only with wreaths of olive, laurel or pine. But this modest reward meant that the recipient was the favorite of God, and in this capacity he was honored and glorified, statues were erected in his honor and hymns were composed.
Pan-Greek games and competitions played a huge role in the history of ancient art: the beautiful naked body of an athlete became one of the most common motifs in ancient Greek sculpture.
Similar abstracts:
The emergence of the polis, its state structure. Democracy. Main features of Athenian law Upbringing and education. Art, literature, theater.
Specifics of religion and culture in the ancient Greek and Roman states. The influence of philosophy and mythology in the formation of religious ideas of ancient people. The main cults of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Features of the development of religion at various stages.
The origins of holidays and spectacles in Ancient Roman civilization. The influence of foreign culture. History of local beliefs, cults and religious practices. Appearance in Ancient Rome traditions of organizing public performances and games for the entertainment of the people.
Traditions in culture: types, dynamics of development. Traditions of the peoples of the world in different periods of time. Values in culture: the system of cultural values of the Mediterranean Roman Empire in the 1st – 2nd centuries. The importance of traditions and values for the development of culture.
The unity of citizens of ancient Greek city-states was the main condition for survival. Celebrations in honor of the gods are an essential element of social life, promoting cohesion. Ancient Roman holidays. Calendar reform of Julius Caesar, Julian calendar.
Archaeological finds on the development of physical education before the 5th millennium BC. Evidence physical culture ancient world, traditions of ritual health gymnastics, dance and self-defense in India. The development of physical education in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
As a rule, when issues related to the game as a phenomenon are resolved cultural life, whether it is a scientific-theoretical or everyday context, the attributive aspect of the problem remains aside.
People have created hundreds of “indoor” games - hide and seek and forfeits, blind man's buff and ringlet, etc., etc. These games entertain both children and adults. Sometimes adults and children play together, and sometimes without interfering with each other, although the essence of the game is the same.
Main features of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and their culture.
Gladiator games arose from funeral feasts, which were held for the deceased in the belief that he would rejoice in a bloody duel. Among the Etruscans, such a duel was a high honor, which was given to a noble deceased.
If the child does not yet show Pakistan or Armenia on the map, but the parents really want this, then you can organize outdoor games for the peoples of the world for him and his friends, which are familiar to little residents of distant countries. But before we begin, we need to invite the children to find these states on the globe, and then talk about the culture and customs of the people inhabiting them, about the nuances of raising children in different countries
Children's game from Chile: “Run, Guaracha, run!”
It would be good to explain to the young company that in Chile, a state in the southwest South America, they speak Spanish, and “Guaracha” is a word that is not in the dictionary, made up for fun.
- Number of players: five or more.
- Age: over 5 years old.
- What you will need: handkerchief.
How to play: Children sit in a circle. It is forbidden to look back. The task of the leader, who is behind the circle, is to quietly place a handkerchief on the back of one of the players. If the child feels this, he must catch up with the leader, and if he succeeds, then he drops out of the game. If it is not possible to catch up, then the offending participant is removed.
Children's game from Greece: "Agalmata"
Greece, a country in southern Europe, is famous for its ancient marble statues. You can find the most famous ones on the Internet and demonstrate them to the children before the game starts.
- Number of players: from four.
- Age: over 10 years old.
How to play: One player stands with his eyes closed in the center of a large open area and slowly counts to ten. The rest at this time try to take the pose of any statue. To ensure authenticity of the image, it is not forbidden to use improvised objects, such as sticks or balls.
“Agalmata” (“statue” in Greek), the leader shouts, and the players freeze. If the “statue” does not keep its balance, it is eliminated; the presenter tries to make the players laugh. The most persistent person is announced as the new presenter. This is an ideal game for developing coordination.
Children's game from Pakistan: "Top - Bottom"
Young inhabitants of Pakistani cities, a state in South Asia, love to laugh and shout. This fun, active game helps them burn off excess energy.
- Number of players: four or more.
- Age: over 4 years old.
- What you will need: an open area with stumps, a slide, swings, stones or strong benches.
How to play. The leader is selected when he pronounces the word “Bottom”; you cannot remain on the ground - you need to jump onto a stump, bench, slide, or any other hill as quickly as possible. If the command “Top” is heard, everyone must go down to the ground. The one who was “salted” becomes the leader.
Children's outdoor game from Ghana: “Pilolo!”
Little residents of rural Ghana, a country in West Africa, have few toys, but they find many ways to have fun.
- Number of players: six.
- Age: over 4 years old.
- What you will need: sticks, pebbles or one coin per player.
Rules. A presenter and a judge are appointed, then the finish line is determined. Children turn away and wait for the leader to hide the coins or stones. When he shouts "Pilolo!" (“Search!”), the judge starts the stopwatch, and the players find coins, then run with them to the finish line. The first one to arrive gets one point. Then the coins are collected, a new presenter and judge are appointed, and the game continues. The one who scores more points wins. The judge must remember the number of points.
Children's fun from the UK: “Get a gift”
This fun is very popular among residents of the island state in northern Europe, especially at birthday celebrations. A gift in bright packaging is handed over to music.
- Number of players: 5+.
- Age: over 4 years old.
- What you will need: surprise gift, colored paper, music.
How to play: Pack fun toys in several layers of paper of different colors, sit the children in a circle and turn on music. The gift is passed around until the presenter turns off the sound. The child who holds the surprise removes the first layer of paper. The transfer continues until the packaging is completely removed. The gift goes to the winner, and a new souvenir is passed around the circle. Adults must ensure that all players receive gifts.
Australian children's game: Skipper the Kangaroo
Australia is a country and continent home to amazing animals: the Tasmanian devil, platypus, wallaby, wombat, koala, kookaburra and, of course, the favorite of all kids - the kangaroo.
- Number of players: five or more,
- Age: over 3 years old.
Rules. Children sit in a circle, the leader asks one of them to go out into the middle, sit on the floor, lean forward and close his eyes - this is the sleeping kangaroo Skipper. The rest are hunters. The presenter calls the name of one of the children, he touches the “kangaroo” and says: “Guess who caught you?” If the child says the name of the “hunter,” the players change places.
The game continues until all participants have visited the kangaroo. It is often played in Australian kindergartens: it helps children get to know each other faster and develops their hearing.
Children's game from Armenia: “Battle on eggs”
It is very popular in the Transcaucasus, where one of the former Soviet republics is located. Ukrainians are familiar with the fun as Easter.
- Number of players: two.
- Age: from 3 years and older.
- What you will need: a pair of hard-boiled eggs.
How to play: Facing each other, children push the eggs with their sharp ends until one of them cracks. Then they repeat the battle, but with blunt ends. Experience shows that hard-boiled eggs crack only after 3-4 blows and do not crack at the same time. The winner gets both eggs. After the game, the trophies are used to prepare salad or sandwiches for the whole company.
With the help of such entertaining and educational games, the child will receive not only good mood, but also new knowledge in geography. In addition, games different nations They teach you to think quickly, develop hand motor skills and hearing.
Release date: 2000
Genre: city building simulator
Zeus: Lord of Olympus is a quest in which you are invited to travel and become a city planner in ancient Greece - the country of Hercules and Achilles, Homer and Aesop, Aristotle and Archimedes. You are given the opportunity to become the head of a metropolis, like the legendary Athena or the valiant Sparta. As in any other game of this genre, the player must build a city on an empty plot of land and with a certain set of available resources.
You have to build temples and grow olives, call on heroes to help conquer foreign countries, fight monsters and make sacrifices in the name of the gods. Your path in the game “Zeus: Lord of Olympus” will be long and difficult, but the reward for this is truly great - a memory for centuries, living in the hearts of people.
Age of Mythology and Age of Mythology: The Titans
Release date: 2003
Genre: real time strategy
Age of Mythologies is a strategy game that takes the player to ancient times, when heroes fought mythological monsters. The game is based on the myths and legends of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and Scandinavian Vikings. For achievement best results and to quickly defeat the enemy, players can choose not only the historical path of development of these three great civilizations (Greeks, Egyptians and Scandinavians), but also available mythical creatures, for example, such as minotaurs, centaurs, phoenixes and Valkyries.
Like many other RTS games, the game is based on building cities, using resources, creating armies and destroying enemy armies and cities. The player must lead his tribe through several “eras”: archaic, classical, heroic and mythical eras. To go to each new era you need to pay a certain amount of resources in the main building - the city center. With the transition to the next era, new combat units and buildings are unlocked.
Will Rock
Release date: 2003
Will Rock – computer game in the first person shooter genre. A massive landslide opened the gates to Lost Olympus, the mythological empire of the ancient Greeks. Local students quickly recruit an American archaeologist named Willford Rockwell, along with Dr. Headstrong and his daughter Emma, to open the door to Lost Olympus... The unsuspecting company agreed. They did not know that these students belonged to a cult that sought to revive the ancient gods.
The game has 10 levels to play in single or co-op mode. Many reviewers noted great amount enemies on them. At some points in the game, the player may be attacked from different directions by different enemies at the same time. Almost all enemies (with the exception of flying ones) always appear suddenly. This happens very noisily and suddenly, which can easily frighten and confuse. The game has a lot of doors leading from one stage of the level to another, sometimes you have to navigate underwater.
Release date: 2004
Legion III: Gates of Troy marching historical strategy from the developers of “History of Empires” and “Legion”, dedicated to the Trojan War. Five aspects of gameplay: trade, diplomacy, research, construction and fighting. Nine game scenarios: Trojan War, Ionian Revolt, "Hot Gate", Greek Colonization, Prehistoric Period, Great Campaign involving Rome and Persia, etc. Five difficulty levels. 19 heroes of the Trojan War as generals, including Paris, Achilles and Menelaus. 62 types of combat units, 8 classes of troops. The outcome of battles is determined by the chosen tactics, experience and balance of forces.
Random and historical events. More than 100 nations, 19 ethnic groups. More than 150 types of buildings, 9 types of resources. Improved enemy artificial intelligence. Improved interface: two main display scales game card. An updated diplomacy system, the possibility of vassalizing another state through diplomacy. More than 60 types of diplomatic missions. Territory – Ancient Greece and Asia Minor, duration of action - 1500-400 years. BC.
Battle for Troy
Release date: 2004
Genre: real time strategy
Troy- the game is dedicated to a mythical event described by Homer many years before our era. dedicated to the events of the semi-mythical Trojan War. Battle for Troy will give you the opportunity to take part in the assault on the famous city of Asia Minor, undertaken in the name of the liberation of the Spartan princess Helen.
The game includes two campaigns for the Trojans and Spartans, each with 8 missions. 9 types of antique units with the ability to upgrade units (over time, everyone gains experience and becomes more effective fighters.
Alexander: The Heroes Hour
Release date: 2005
Genre: real-time strategy, action, RPG
Alexander: Age of Heroes is a game that is an amazing mixture of real-time strategy and tactical action RPG. You will be transported to Ancient Greece and participate in the heroic deeds of the great Alexander the Great. Walk with a squad of your heroes through the stunningly rendered three-dimensional landscapes of Greece, communicating with the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Persians...
Improve the skills of your fighters and complete exciting tasks, fight in the epic battles of Greece and small skirmishes on the walls of ancient cities. 4 nations: Greece, Persia, Egypt and India. Control the sea and ground forces. See up to 8,000 combat units on screen in all their 3D glory. The game is replete with additional missions and great content.
God of War series
Release date: 2005-2013
Genre: slasher, third-person action
Attention, the game is only for PS consoles, but you can find repacks for PC
Gods of war- a series of console games, the action of which is based on its own variation of ancient Greek mythology. The main character of all games in the series is Kratos, a Spartan general who challenged the gods. Kratos' main weapon is the Blades of Chaos, which can be used for a variety of various types attacks are two wide short swords with jagged edges, on long chains embedded in the forearms of the main character.
In addition to hand-to-hand combat, the game contains simple puzzles that involve moving boxes, using levers, and so on. The game has platforming elements due to the fact that Kratos can cling to depressions and ledges, as well as use the Swords of Chaos as a grappling hook, allowing him to cross large gaps. Most of the game's opponents are borrowed from Greek mythology, including Medusa the Gorgon, Minotaur, Hydra and others.
Titan Quest
Release date: 2006
Genre: action, RPG, hack and slash
Titan Quest- a game in the “Hack and Slash” genre. The setting is the mythical world of Ancient Greece and Egypt. We are promised a detailed recreation of all the sights of the ancient world. In addition, players will have to fight with such legendary monsters as cyclops, centaurs and similar creatures. The game also features a multiplayer mode, in which the heroes, wandering around the map, sort things out not only with monsters, but also with each other. The game is also included in the list.
The player, making his way through the barriers of the ancient world, must find a way to re-imprison the titans. Traveling through legendary sites such as the Parthenon, the Labyrinth of Knossos, the Great Pyramids and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the hero will battle hordes of monsters and mythical beasts. An extensive class system guarantees an almost endless number of options for developing your character. Numerous skills can be combined in many ways and will never become completely useless.
Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War
Release date: 2006
Genre: real time strategy
RiseandFall: War of Civilizations- an impressive historical strategy in which players will witness the confrontation between four great ancient civilizations (Greece, Rome, Egypt and Persia) during their military heyday. Using authentically recreated ancient weapons and embodying the tactics of his victory, the player will have to rewrite great history humanity.
The direct character control mode will allow you to take control of one of the great heroes of antiquity (Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Caesar, etc.) at the decisive moment and take part in the battle yourself. Excellent detail of damage and behavior of combat units turns every battle into a spectacular show: war elephants cut down trees and scatter enemy soldiers, and a rammed ship breaks and goes to the bottom.
Loki: Heroes of Mythology
Release date: 2007
Genre: RPG, slasher
Loki: Heroes of Mythology- the game is not entirely about Greece, the plot, atmosphere, locations and enemies are taken from the Aztec, Egyptian, Greek, and Scandinavian mythologies. The player can choose one of four characters, each symbolizing one of the mythologies; depending on the chosen hero, the order of passing the game levels differs. As the story progresses, the player will take part in such mythological and historical events as the fall of Troy, the conquest of America, Ragnarok and will meet the mythical heroes Achilles, Thor and real people: Cortes, Akhenaten.
Single player mode allows you to immerse yourself in adventure by choosing one of four heroes. With this hero you have to go through four chapters of the game. The game has three difficulty levels. Levels are randomly generated, so you won't have to go through the same path multiple times. Moreover, if you want to find out the ending of the whole story, your hero must fight in last battle, and for this he must have enough experience, he must have a full range of skills and be dressed in the best equipment that you can find.
Asterix at the Olympic Games
Release date: 2007
Genre: arcade
Asterix at the Olympic Games is an arcade computer game created based on the comedy film of the same name. This game is about the journey of Asterix and Obelix to Greece. Their travels will lead their friends to the Olympic Games, where they will have to compete with the best athletes of the Roman Empire. The brave Gauls will take part in many sports competitions in order to defeat Brutus, the Roman champion and notorious scoundrel, in the finals.
Julius Caesar - eternal headache Asterix - will interfere with his friends in every possible way and will do everything possible to ensure that the heroes are defeated. Wipe Caesar's nose! Prove that the Gauls can also be Olympic champions! Sparkling humor in the style of Asterix and Obelix! Great animation of game characters.
Rise of the Argonauts
Release date: 2008
Genre: RPG, action, adventure
Argonauts: The Golden Fleece- based on the myth of the search for the Golden Fleece by Jason and the Argonauts. The young ruler of Iolcus, Jason, announced the upcoming wedding. That's just on solemn ceremony the bride was killed by a poisoned arrow! Beside himself with grief, Jason decided to go on a journey, which had never been equal in the world, and get the Golden Fleece. With the help of a magical artifact, he hopes to return his beloved from the dark kingdom of shadows.
The whole game consists of large quantity dialogues and battles against enemies. You can use a sword, spear and heavy mace as weapons. Each of them has its own special purpose. For each fight, you need to choose the most effective weapon and change its choice depending on the situation. It is also possible to buy and upgrade the hero’s skills and abilities. There are four skill trees in the game: Ares, Hermes, Apollo and Athena. Points for purchasing skills are given for completing tasks. Dive into the heart of brutal battles, following the familiar plot of the myths of Ancient Greece!
Numen: Contest of Heroes
Release date: 2010
Genre: action, RPG
Numen: Time heroes is an action RPG set in mythical Greece. You will start the game as a young guy or girl (depending on your choice) living on the island of Leros with his sister. After a while, the sister dies from a scorpion sting, and main character takes her to Mount Parnassus to bury her. During the ceremony, a messenger of the gods contacts him with a request to become a follower of one of them. After several years of training, you have to go in search of a powerful artifact, the Sickle of Kronos.
In the game you will find an interesting game world, a fascinating plot, exciting combat system and much more. At the beginning of the game, you need to choose one of the three classes presented: warrior, hunter and mage, and then decide on a patron god (three gods for each class). A lot will depend on your choice - the character’s talents, his abilities, and even the style of the game itself, quests and secret locations.
Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece
Release date: 2012
Casual tower defense strategy in a fantasy setting. The game world represents ancient Greece, the development of which reached steam engines and the creation of robots. The player must line up long defensive lines to prevent enemy vehicles from passing through.
The game features a good choice protective structures, towers, traps and catapults, which can be improved and pumped. The player must rationally build a line of defense, otherwise the enemy will be able to enter the city. The project has several game modes, bonus missions, and a choice of difficulty level.
Sparta: War of the Empire
Release date: 2016
Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator
Browser-based multiplayer strategy, distributed according to the free-to-play model. The project was carried out in the historical setting of ancient Greece. The player acts as the leader of a small city, which needs to be developed, defended and created in it a powerful army to seize territories and increase their own influence.
PLAY
At the very beginning of the gameplay, the player must complete training tasks, for which he will be awarded start-up capital. Then, when a small city is obtained, the player can invest in development and improvements. Further actions will depend on the decision of the player himself - either he gathers an army and captures neighbors, or studies trade and becomes a peaceful power of traders and manufacturers, which is in an alliance with warlike cities.
ROMAN GAMES
From an early time, various festivals and performances played an important role in the public life of Rome. At first, public performances were also religious ceremonies; they were an indispensable part of religious holidays.
In the VI century. BC e. they began to organize performances of a secular (not religious) nature, and not priests, but officials began to be responsible for their conduct. The venue for such performances was no longer the altar of one god or another, but a circus located in the lowland between the Palatine and Aventine hills.
The earliest Roman civil holiday was the festival of the Roman Games. For several centuries it was the only civil holiday of the Romans. From the 3rd century. BC. new ideas are established. Plebeian games become of great importance. At the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. The Apollo Games, games in honor of the Great Mother of the Gods - the Megalenic Games, as well as floralia - in honor of the goddess Flora, were also established. These games were annual and regular, but in addition to them, extraordinary games could also be held depending on a successful war, deliverance from an invasion, a vow, or simply the desire of the magistrate.
The games lasted from 14 - 15 days (Roman and Plebeian games) to 6 - 7 days (floralia). Total duration of all holidays these games (ordinary) reached 76 days a year.
Each festival consisted of several sections: 1) a solemn procession led by the magistrate who organized the games, called a pomp, 2) competitions in the circus, chariot races, horse racing, etc., 3) stage performances in the theater of Greek and Roman plays authors. The performances usually ended with a feast, a massive meal, sometimes for several thousand tables. Setting up games required a lot of money. For example, funds were allocated for the Roman Games in the middle of the 1st century. BC e. 760 thousand sesterces, Plebeian games - 600 thousand, Apollonian games - 380 thousand. As a rule, the money allocated from the treasury was not enough and the magistrates responsible for organizing the games contributed their own money, sometimes exceeding the allocated amount.
Gladiator fights are gaining extraordinary development in Rome. Gladiator fights were held in Etruscan cities since the 6th century. BC e. From the Etruscans they entered Rome. For the first time in 264, a fight between three pairs of gladiators was staged in Rome. Over the next century and a half, gladiatorial games were held at the funerals of noble persons, called funeral games and had the character of a private performance. Gradually, the popularity of gladiator fights is growing.
In 105 BC. e. gladiatorial fights were declared part of public spectacles and magistrates began to take care of their organization. Along with magistrates, private individuals also had the right to fight. To give a performance of a gladiator fight meant to gain popularity among Roman citizens and to be elected to public office. And since there were many people who wanted to receive a magistrate’s position, the number of gladiator fights increased. Several dozen and even hundreds of pairs of gladiators worth several hundred thousand sesterces are already being brought into the arena. Gladiatorial fights become a favorite spectacle not only in the city of Rome, but also in all Italian cities, and later in provincial cities. They were so popular that Roman architects created a special, previously unknown famous type the building is an amphitheater where gladiator fights and baiting of animals were held. Amphitheaters were designed for several tens of thousands of spectators and were several times greater than the capacity of theater buildings.
The number of performances, both private and public, in Rome and other cities and their duration constantly increased, and their importance grew more and more. At the end of the Republic the magistrates and statesmen considered holding public performances an important part of their government activities. In the conditions of an aristocratic republic, where all power was concentrated in the hands of a narrow elite of the slave-owning class, the ruling group considered the organization of public performances one of the means to help distract the broad masses of Roman citizenship from active state activities. It is not surprising that the growth of public performances was accompanied by a decline in the importance of popular assemblies and their political role.
GREEK GAMES.
The anagal (competitive) beginning of Greek culture gave rise to a whole system of famous Greek games. The real pearl among them were the Olympic Games, which glorified Ancient Greece for centuries.
In Greek society, the idea of victory in any competition was gradually established as the highest value, bringing honor and respect to the winner among the citizens of the polis. Even in the poems of Homer, noble aristocrats competed in strength, dexterity and perseverance, and victory in these competitions could only bring glory, not material wealth.
Games in Greece were of an aristocratic nature - only full citizens of the polis could participate in them (women, slaves, semi-frees and foreigners were excluded from this number).
The oldest and most important were the games, first held in 776 BC in the region of Olympia in southern Greece and dedicated to Zeus. From that time on, they were repeated every four years (until the 4th century AD, when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I canceled the Olympic Games, declaring them pagan fun, incompatible with Christianity, which had won in Rome). In addition to the Olympic Games in Greece, there were also the Pythian Games (in Delphi), the Isthmian Games (in Corinth) and the Nemean Games in the places where Hercules once killed the stone lion. All games were accompanied by a pan-Greek truce, and the winners were rewarded only with wreaths of olive, laurel or pine. But this modest reward meant that the recipient was the favorite of God, and in this capacity he was honored and glorified, statues were erected in his honor and hymns were composed.
Pan-Greek games and competitions played a huge role in the history of ancient art: the beautiful naked body of an athlete became one of the most common motifs in ancient Greek sculpture.