A Chronology of Games: Part 2 (700 B.C. - 100 B.C.)
What can I expect to find in a Chronology of Games?
From the dawn of civilization, men and women have found increasingly interesting ways to entertain themselves. This hub set will encompass all of the major portions of history which have led us to where we are today in the following six categories:
- Board Games
- Sports
- Card Games
- Dice Games
- Video Games
- Mixed-Media games
Games
in the above categories have been the jumping board for all
entertainment as we know it today. So, without further ado, allow me to
introduce
A chronology of Games: Part 2 (700 B.C. - 100 B.C.)
700 B.C. - 1371 A.D.
X
| Board Games
| Sports
| Dice Games
|
|---|---|---|---|
700 B.C.
| Cubical Dice Invented
| See Part 1 for Previous Information in this category
| -
|
675 B.C.
| ^
| First record of a Boxing Contest
| -
|
664 - 656 B.C.
| ^
| Chionis of Sparta sets records in jumping events that were not matched for nearly two hundred years
| -
|
600 B.C.
| Go arrives in Japan
| First-Recorded Polo Match
| -
|
500 B.C.
| ^
| Milo of Croton is the first man to win 6 olympic games
| -
|
488 - 480 B.C.
| ^
| Astylos of Croton successfully sets new records, becoming the first man to rival Chionis of Sparta
| -
|
396 - 392 B.C.
| ^
| Cynisca, a Spartan Princess, becomes the first woman to win an olympic event
| -
|
100 B.C.
| ^
| Cùjú is invented in China (Predecessor to Football)
| The first Dice-Gambling games are created
|
0 A.D.
| Emperor Claudius plays Tabula (Predecessor to Backgammon)
| ^
| ^
|
100 A.D.
| Backgammon is Invented
| Horse Racing begins in England
| Dice begin to be used as markers as well as randomizers.
|
300 A.D.
| Nard is Invented (Variant of Backgammon)
| ^
| ^
|
393 A.D.
| ^
| The Olympic Games were Outlawed
| ^
|
400 A.D.
| Emperor Zeno lost a game of Backgammon, Scandinavia invents Hnefltafl
| Boxing is banned in Italy
| ^
|
600 A.D.
| Go comes to Japan from China
| Kemari (Football Predecessor) is now played in Kyoto
| ^
|
700 A.D.
| Chess comes to Persia from China
| ^
| ^
|
900 A.D.
| Fidchell is invented. Tawlbwrdd is invented.
| Bandy Predecessors invented. (Bandy is a combination of Soccer and Hockey... Soccer on ice?)
| ^
|
1100 A.D.
| 3-in-a-row games appear in Europe
| Cricket predecessor is invented by children in Southeast England. Golf is invented in Scotland (Probably).
| ^
|
1174 A.D.
| ^
| First recorded Race Meeting in England.
| ^
|
1200 A.D.
| Snakes and Ladders ins invented in India
| Football is Invented.
| ^
|
1314 A.D.
| ^
| Football is banned in London.
| ^
|
1349 A.D.
| ^
| Football is banned in England.
| ^
|
1371 A.D.
| Playing Cards are Invented
| ^
| ^
|
675 B.C.
Sports
In the year 675 B.C., we see the first records of Boxing Contests in Greece. In Rome, at about this time, Gladiators participated in Boxing, but ware lead cestae over their knuckles. See a picture of a cestus to the right.
664 - 656 B.C.
Sports
Χιόνις, Chionis of Sparta, won three consecutive titles in the stade, a sprinting race that is equivalent to our 100m sprint (But probably longer than 100 meters long), and the diaulos, which is a race about 384 meters long. Chionis was also able to jump 52 feet in the triple jump. Under standard, modern, Olympic rules, his world record would have stood until 1952 A.D.
Chionis' records were not matched until the Olympics in 488 B.C.
600 B.C.
Board Games
Go arrives in Japan.Go was quite possibly the most complicated board game at the time and remained, arguably, the most complicated board game extant until the 21st century A.D..
Sports
At this time, the first recorded polo match takes place between the Turkomans and the Persians. The Turkomans won.
500 B.C.
Sports
Μίλων, Milo of Croton, was the first man to win six olympic games over the course of his lifetime. Allegedly, he ate twenty pounds of meat and twenty pounds of bread, and drank eighteen pints of wine daily. He once carried a four-year-old bull on his shoulders before slaughtering, roasting, and devouring it in a single day. He is said to have been able to hold a pomegranate without bursting it while challengers tried to pry his fingers from it. He is also said to have been able to burst a band tied around his head merely by inhaling and causing his temple veins to swell. He is said to have been able to stand on a well-oiled discus while others tried to push him off of it. I suppose, to a man like this, the Olympics would be a cake-walk.
488 - 480 B.C.
Sports
Ἄστυλος, Astylos of Croton, was the equivalent of Milo, but without the rigorous diet. In all serious, however, while he won three consecutive Olympic games and matched Milo in every record, he died a lonely man. Because he agreed to participated in the 484 and 480 B.C. Olympic Games as a Syracusan citizen, he was exiled from Croton and all respect previously afforded him was revoked. His house was turned into a prison after he died as a sign of disrespect.
396 - 392 B.C.
Cynisca, Princess of Sparta, was the first woman to win the wreath in the chariot events at the Olympic Games. Her name means "female puppy" in ancient Greek. This is quite a feat because the Ancient Olympic Games were entirely male-only events. Women were forbidden to even enter the stadium. Women were only allowed to enter the equestrian events, but only by owning the horses. Cynisca employed men who rode the horses and entered the team at the Olympic Games. She won, but she was not allowed into the stadium to see her victory.
100 B.C.
Sports
Cùjú is invented in China at this time. Cùjú translates literally to "Kick Ball". This game was typically a performance performed during diplomatic events, or to celebrate the emperor's birthday. There were between twelve and sixteen players on each side. The teams started with a certain amount of points. The field was enclosed with a thread, and each team took turns kicking the ball within the thread. If the ball wasn't kicked far enough to reach the other team, points were deducted. If the ball was kicked too far, points were deducted. Kicking the ball to high or low led to points being deducted. Whichever player had the most points remaining at the end of the game was the winner.
End of Part 2
This section of the Chronology of Games is complete. Please leave a comment in the comments section if there is anything above that you particularly enjoyed reading about. I will link to other parts of the chronology in the Links section below, as I write them. Thanks for reading!
