EVENT: OLYMPIC MYTHS EXPOSED

The modern Olympic games supposedly draw their inspiration from the Greek games held every four years at Olympia. All sorts of misapprehensions about the ancient games - such as that they were for amateurs, were a force for peace and goodwill, and were played in a spirit of fairness - have profoundly influenced the ideology of the modern version and even its attendant paraphernalia (such as the Olympic torch). This illustrated lecture will compare these misapprehensions with what we know about the Greek Olympics, using the literary and archaeological record to reconstruct the reality behind the modern myth.

Course Code 045051 $24 (Early Bird) $29 (Standard) Bookings on 6488 2433 or online http://www.extension.uwa.edu.au