Paul Christesen on the History of the Olympics

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The professor of ancient Greek history discusses the athletic tradition.

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Graphic reading "Olympics History: Expert Series, Faculty Expert: Paul Christesen"
(Video by Chris Johnson)

This month, athletes from around the world are competing in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Paul Christesen, the William R. Kenan Professor of Ancient Greek History, discusses the history of the Olympic Games and their cultural significance.

“For an event to go on every four years for a thousand years is a pretty remarkable occurrence,” says Christesen.

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