Ten centuries prior to the official conduct of the Olympic Games in Ancient Olympia, a series of high level athletic games took place in Minoan Crete. Athletics constituted a basic element of the Minoan culture. The archaeological and historical remains reveal athletic competitions in boxing, wrestling, racing, taurokatharpsia (bull-vaulting) as well as virtuosity skills contests that were held in the greatest social and religious feasts and ceremonies. From the founding of the Olympic Games in 776 B.C. up to early Christian times, we know of many great athletes of Crete who were crowned with victors' wreaths in the major athletic games in Olympia, at Delphi, Nemea, Isthmia and Athens. The film investigates and reveals the unknown aspect of the ancient Cretan from remotest antiquity to Roman times.
Greek spoken - English subtitled - 60 minutes