What started around the campfire is now an entire industry. The history of events goes back a long way. Nevertheless, the basic idea has remained the same to this day.
People were already holding events in the Stone Age. Of course, not in the classical sense by which we define events today. Instead of gathering in front of a stage to view a light show, people met around the campfire and exchanged stories. A little later in history, our early ancestors came together especially for private events, to honour spiritual forces, or for special occasions such as the celebration of the beginning of spring.
Decadent date
Moving forward to the advanced civilisations in 3000 to 500 BC, the Egyptians were way ahead of their time. They recognised the power of events early on. Assemblies were not only used to inform, but also to entertain and influence groups or individuals. Cleopatra once organised a grandiose boat trip on the Nile to win over her suitor, the Roman general Marcus Antonius.
Bloody entertainment
This leads us on directly to antiquity. Under the Roman Empire, the gathering of groups of people was exploited even more for political ends. One good example of this is the gladiator fights, which were held for the amusement of the people – and, of course, with the object of securing the ruler’s power.
Entertainment with a purpose: gladiator fights served political ends. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Citius, altius, fortius
The roots of what is probably the world’s most famous sports competition also lie in antiquity: the Olympics. The best athletes in Greece competed in Olympia every four years to pay homage to Zeus, the father of the gods. Today, athletes no longer compete for God’s blessing, but for the glory and honour of their home country, and usually for a handsome sum of money.
Want to know more about the history of events? Then listen to our RADAR podcast on the topic of event history.
Economic relevance increases
Advertising for the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris attracted several million people. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
The transformation of events into a serious industry came, among other things, together with industrialisation, the development of transport means and media dissemination. Did you know that around 32 million people visited the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889? Incidentally, the Eiffel Tower was constructed for the occasion. But events were not always used with positive intentions. In the Third Reich, public stagings were used to instrumentalise people for the regime’s own political ends. And even today, authoritarian regimes flex their muscles through orchestrated parades to show and maintain their power. Does that seem a bit Roman to you, too?
In short, the motives behind events have remained the same over the centuries – and even over millennia, no matter whether they were used to the benefit or the detriment of the participants. The focus is on information, exchange, consolidation of power, the furthering of interests and commercial purposes. Underpinned by the basic idea common to all good events: telling a story.
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