Sajun.org
The '''''stadion''''' (or '''''stade''''') was an ancient foot race, part of the
Olympic Games and the other
Panhellenic Games.
The ''stadion'' was named after the building in which it took place, also called the ''stadion''. This word became ''stadium'' in
Latin, which became the
English word
stadium. There were other types of foot races, but the ''stadion'' was the most prestigious; the winner was often considered to be the winner of an entire Games. Though a separate event, the ''stadion'' was also part of the ancient
pentathlon.
At the Olympic Games, the ''stadion'' (the actual building) was big enough for twenty competitors, and the race was a 200-yard (about 180-meter) sprint. The race began with a trumpet blow, but there were officials (''agonothetes'') at the starting blocks to make sure there were no false starts. There were also officials at the end to decide on a winner and to make sure no one had cheated (if the officials decided there was a tie, the race would be re-run). Runners started the race from a standing position, probably with their arms stretched out in front of them, instead of starting in a crouch like modern runners.
bg:Стадион
da:Stadion
de:Stadion
es:Estadio
he:אצטדיון
nl:Stadion
