THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Olympia is an ancient settlement in Greece where the Olympic games started. The games were held in honour of Zeus , King of the Gods. The games were part of a great five day festival celebrated every fou r years at Olympia . The first Olympic Games were held in about 776BC. In those days the only event was a short sprint , from one end of the stadium to the other. Slowly over the years they added more sports until there were four days of many different compe titions. The spectators came from all over Greece to watch the events. They slept in their tents or sleep outside. Only the men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Olympic Games.

Temple of Zeus

One of the contests held on the forth day was called Pankration wrestling . It may seem very violent to us, but it was very popular among the ancient Greeks. It was a kind of wrestling with few rules. The only rules were no biting or eye gouging.

The Games were closely connected to the gods, goddesses and heroes. Like most of the famous national festivals of the ancient Greeks, they were celebrated in the summer every four years.

IES LAS MARINAS SECCIÓN BILINGÜE

The Historical Background

The story of Olympia begins in Greece in 776 B.C., the year when history records the first winners of the Olympic Games. Before this, the city- states of Greece had been fighting for years in a civil war. The story is that an agreement was reached in the city-state of Ellis in Western Greece to create a truce , and allow athletes, officials and others to travel safely to take part in the Olympic Games (remember, the games were a religious event).

The origin of the games is linked with many myths saying that Oxylos was the founder of the original games, which were later revived by his descendant, Lfitos, the king of Ellis. In 776 B.C., Lfitos successfully made a treaty with the king of Sparta, Lycourgos, and the King of Pisa, Cleosthenes.

The giant golden statue of Zeus was now one of the Seven Wonders of the World

THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Ancient Olympics :: Ancient Olympia

Ancient Olympics :: Olympian Games

Ancient Olympics: Disthenes at the Olympic Games

Ancient Olympics: Ancient Greek Olympics

Ancient Olympics: Chariot Racer

Ancient Olympics: Lydian Gymnasts

Ancient Olympics: Greek Runners

Olympic Games: ancient Greek pottery

Greece - The Peloponnese Greek sites of the Panhellenic Games

The Panhellenic games were held in Olympia, Delphi, Nemea and Isthmia. Remnants of the games are found at the sites and museums featured by brown dots. With a car one could easily visit the ancient sites of Corinth, Isthmia and Nemea in a single, albeit long, day.