Sublime

Even as chariots began disappearing from the battlefield, however, they retained their association with kingly power and divine status. The gods were still assumed to ride chariots—the Greek sun god Helios was said to drive one across the sky every day, for example—and they were ridden in ceremonial processions by triumphant Roman generals, who

So when you watch the Tokyo Games in 2020, remember that this seeming competition between nations actually represents an astonishing global agreement. For all the national pride people feel when their delegation wins a gold medal and their flag is raised, there is far greater reason to feel pride that humankind is capable of organizing such an