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Olympic competition was open to all male citizens and was carried out naked, or ‘gymnos’ - the root of the word ‘gymnasium’. Women were strictly forbidden from watching, let alone competing.
From a single day’s meet with one race, the Olympics grew to comprise 10 events over five days by 471BC. To the footrace were added wrestling, boxing, horse racing (with chariots and on saddles), discus, javelin and a long jump set to music. There was also a pentathlon - made up of jumping, running, javelin, discus and wrestling - and the pankration, a violent combination of wrestling and boxing with practically no rules, in which the loser was the man who was first to concede defeat.
The Games ended with a bizarre and gruelling footrace for men wearing full armour.
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