The olive tree has always been a symbol of unity and excellence in the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games, the world’s largest multi-sport event, represent the grandest global celebration of athletics and unity.
Originating in Ancient Greece nearly 2,800 years ago, the Olympics were not merely a sporting event but also a significant cultural and political phenomenon.
According to Greek mythology, the Olympic Games are inseparably linked to the olive tree. The olive tree, gifted to Athens by the goddess of wisdom, Athena, became a symbol of the Games.
The origins of the Games trace back to the sacred site of Olympia on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, where the first recorded Olympics took place in 776 BCE.
The Games were part of a religious festival honoring Zeus, the father of the Greek gods. For the ancient Greeks, the cultivation of both the body and mind was a fundamental aspect of upbringing.
"The ideal of heroism was deeply ingrained in the minds of the ancient Greeks," said Anna Gustafsson, a Finnish archaeologist and author based in Athens, in an interview with Olive Oil Times.
"There were no team sports in the ancient Olympic Games," she added. "Instead, athletes competed for individual glory. The contests tested strength, endurance, courage, and speed—the very qualities required of a heroic soldier."
For young men from aristocratic families, sports were of great importance, preparing them for future battles.
Delegations and athletes from various Greek city-states would embark on days-long journeys to participate in the Games at Olympia. The four-year cycle of the Games allowed athletes to train and prepare for the next competition.
The Olympics were so significant in ancient Greece that time itself was measured by them. For instance, people would refer to a specific period as "the third year of the 21st Olympiad," indicating that three years had passed since the last Games.
Moreover, hostilities between city-states were temporarily halted during the Games, ensuring that athletes and spectators could attend without disruption.
"At that time, Greece did not have a centralized government," Gustafsson explained. "Instead, there were independent city-states that frequently waged war against one another. However, culturally, the Greek world was united. The Panhellenic festivals brought Greeks together for peaceful celebrations, reinforcing their shared religion and ideals."
The Olympic Olive Wreath: A Symbol of Victory
Unlike today’s gold medals, winners of the ancient Olympic Games were awarded a wreath made from the branches of wild olive trees grown in Olympia.
"There are numerous depictions of this in ancient pottery paintings," said Gustafsson.
"Additionally, winners might receive large amphorae filled with olive oil, ceremonial processions in their honor, bronze shields, or three-legged cauldrons as prestigious rewards."
In ancient Greece, the olive tree was sacred and symbolized peace and unity. Those making offerings in temples or approaching rulers often carried an olive branch as a sign of their intentions.
The olive wreath used to honor Olympic victors underscored the deep significance of the olive tree in ancient Greek culture.
In Athens, olive trees gained political importance, leading to laws that protected them. Destroying an olive tree was punishable by death. Olive tree owners were only allowed to cut a maximum of two feet (approximately 0.6 meters) of branches per year; otherwise, they faced heavy fines.
Historians point out that the relationship between the olive tree and the Attica region was foundational in organizing Athens' governance as a community controlling a specific territory.
Over time, this land control replaced kinship and wealth as the primary source of political power in Athens.
The Olive Tree in the Development of Athenian Democracy
In the 6th century BCE, Athenian statesman Cleisthenes laid the groundwork for democracy, using the strong connection between the city-state and its land to shape the constitutional framework.
From Ancient Greece to Today: The Importance of Olive Oil
For the ancient Greeks, the olive tree was not only a sacred plant but also a vital food source. Their diet primarily consisted of olives, grapes (for winemaking), and barley or wheat.
Olive oil was deeply integrated into all aspects of life, serving not only as food but also for religious and practical purposes.
"The importance of olive oil in ancient Greece cannot be overstated," said Gustafsson. "In the modern world, I don't think we have a substance that is simultaneously sacred, practical, and economically valuable in the same way."
"In sacred sites like Olympia, olive oil was offered to the gods," she added. "Athletes would rub their bodies with olive oil before training. After workouts, they would mix oil with sand, apply it to their skin, and then scrape it off to cleanse themselves."
In that era, an average citizen in a Greek city-state consumed approximately 40-50 liters of olive oil annually:
- 15-20 liters for food,
- 20 liters for personal hygiene,
- 2 liters for religious rituals,
- 3 liters for lamps, and
- 0.5 liters for medicinal purposes.
Gustafsson emphasized that olive oil, wine, and ceramics were crucial commodities in ancient Greek international trade.
"Trade with neighboring countries was one of the main drivers of Greek civilization during the Bronze Age," she said. "That’s why olive oil was at the heart of life in Greece."
The Legacy of the Olive Tree in the Olympics
The legacy of the olive tree in the Olympic Games has endured for thousands of years.
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, medalists were honored with olive wreaths, paying tribute to the ancient tradition.
In 2021, ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, an olive tree was planted in the Olympic House garden to symbolize peace and the universality of the Games.
"Some Olympic medals, such as those from the 1996 Atlanta Games, feature olive branches," Gustafsson noted. "It is recognized as a universal symbol of the Olympic spirit."
Even today, the olive tree remains a symbol of peace and a healthy lifestyle. 🫒
