The Olympic Flame started its historic journey around the world for the 2004 Olympic Games on March 25, 2004. This day is also the anniversary of the revival of the Olympic Games. The ceremony always begins with the lighting of the Olympic flame by the sun’s rays in a time-honored ceremony held in ancient Olympia in Greece.
In ancient times, the Greeks gathered in the serene Valley of Olympia to offer sacrifices to their many gods. In time, the event came to include games and contests, which eventually came to be known as the Olympic Games. The first recorded date of these games was 776 B.C. The Games were then held every four years until 394 A.D. As time passed, additional events were added, and the Games became a five-day festival, which reflected the culture of the people.
Originally, women and girls were excluded from participating in the Olympic Games. Later, separate races known as the Herannic Games in honor of Hera, the wife of Zeus were set up for them.
When conquering Roman armies invaded Greece, the Games lost their importance, and ended in 394 A.D. by order of Emperor Theodosius. Earthquakes, floods, and landslides eventually buried the site of the ancient festival.
In 1896, the Games were revived largely due to the efforts of one man — Baron Pierre de Coubertin!

The Modern Olympic Games

It wasn't until after efforts by French Baron Pierre De Coubertin and the Greek Dimitrios Vikelas that the games were brought back to life after nearly 1500 years in the wilderness. De Doubertin believed that sport was a very strong power that could inspire a feeling of unity and peace among the many nations of the world. He believed that this desire could be brought about with the revival of the Olympic Games.
After an unsuccessful attempt at reviving the games, he finally achieved his ambition. In 1894 at an international congress, that was actually devised for the study of amateur sports, he voiced his view on the revival of the Olympic Games, and was delighted when the other countries participating in the congress agreed with him. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded that year.
Held in Athens in 1896 at the Panatheniac Stadium, the games heralded a welcomed return to the original beliefs and virtues of the ancient games. With competitors from 14 nations, the games commenced on April 6th and came to a climax on 15th April. There were 43 events, which were competed in by 245 athletes, all of whom were male.
Probably the biggest cheer of the 1896 Olympics was when a Greek Shepard, Spiridon Louis, was victorious in the most popular of all events, the marathon. The athletes from the United States were also big winners in these games, winning 9 events.
What is even more remarkable regarding this is that their Olympic squad barely made it to Athens in time to compete.
The Olympics have taken place every four years, since the first games in 1896. However, even the ideals of the Olympic Truce could not prevent the games being cancelled during the first and second world wars. The games cancelled were the 1916 Olympics, due to be held in Berlin, the 1940 games to be held in Tokyo and the 1944 games to be held in Helsinki.
The Winter Olympic Games were introduced in 1924, and also took place every four years. However, it wasn't until 1992 that it was decided that the Olympic and Winter Olympic games would not take place in the same calendar year. The Winter Games were moved forward two years to 1994, and would continue to take place at four-year intervals.
Since the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, the games have continued to grow throughout the years and more and more nations have been taking part, as well as more events being included. During the 1896 games, 14 nations took part. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 199 nations took part. In 1896 there were 245 athletes (all male), in 2000 there were 10,651 (4069 women and 6582 men). And in 1896 there were 43 events, compared to the 300 events at the 2000 Olympics.

The Demise of the Olympic Games

In 146 AD when most of Greece fell under Roman rule, the value of the Olympic games started to diminish. The games though still continued, and were enjoyed by those who attended.
However, in 394 AD the last games were held. Under the orders of Emperor Theodosius I, the games were abolished. This was because the taking part in any worshipping of idols was forbidden. The Olympic games would have to wait at least 1500 years before they were revived again.

The Importance of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Games were especially important to the Greeks, and it was the games that unified national, spiritual and racial beliefs. The ancient Greeks were also very competitive people, and all strived to be the best. Winning an Olympic event was the highest honour people could achieve.
The fact that the winners were presented with a simple olive wreath crown also illustrates the fact that the participants taking part were competing for themselves, and not any material rewards.
The ancient games were also held in high regard for social reasons, as well as the athletic side. Poets and writers were given the chance to present their works to a large audience, members of different city-states would have the chance to meet and talk with members of other city-states.
Leaders of the city-states would also come to discuss any personal differences that they were having with each other. The games were seen as a festival, and it was not acceptable for any negative issues or situations to occur during this time.
Even during times of war and battle, and differences were put aside, so that the Olympics would be conducted in a peaceful manner. Even the games of 480 BC took place in the middle of the Persian War.
It is from this ideal that the Olympic Truce was formed.
During the times of the Olympic games, messengers were sent all over the Greek world with details of the dates of the games, and called for a truce between any parties conducting in any hostile activities. There was also a ban in any death penalties being carried out during this time.

 

Were there other contests like the Olympics?

There were 3 other major games which were held on 2- or 4-year cycles: the Isthmean Games at Corinth, the Pythian Games at Delphi, and the Nemean Games at Nemea. Because it started 200 years before the other competitions, the Olympics remained the most famous athletic contest in the ancient Greek world.Many athletes competed at several athletic festivals. Inscriptions on victor's statues at Olympia often describe victories in 2, 3, or even all 4 major athletic festivals. Pausanias's description of Olympian architecture includes a list of the more famous victors' statues, and summaries of their inscriptions such as this one:

What prizes did Olympic victors get?

A victor received a crown made from olive leaves, and was entitled to have a statue of himself set up at Olympia.
Although he did not receive money at the Olympics, the victor was treated much like a modern sports celebrity by his home city. His success increased the fame and reputation of his community in the Greek world. It was common for victors to receive benefits such as having all their meals at public expense or front-row seats at the theater and other public festivals. One city even built a private gym for their Olympic wrestling champion to exercise in.

Who were the Olympic judges?

Unlike the modern Olympics, judges did not come from all over the Greek world, but were drawn from Elis, the local region which included Olympia. The number of judges increased to 10 as more events were added to the Olympics.
Even though the judges were all Eleans, local Elean Greeks were still allowed to compete in the Olympics. The Elean people had such a reputation for fairness that an Elean cheating at the Games was a shock to other Greeks.

Why did they have Olympic Games?
The Olympics were part of a religious event. They were held in honour of Zeus, the father of the gods and were a big celebration.

Olympics

The ancient Greeks loved competitions of all sorts, especially sporting competitions. The Olympics were not the only competition games held in ancient Greece, but they were the most popular.  

The following is a humorous look at five ancient Greek city-states. In truth, the Greeks took the games quite seriously. Nearly all the ancient Greek cities sent teams to participate in the ancient Greek Olympics. 

If two or more Greek city-states happen to be at war with each other when the game date arrived, war was halted for the duration of the games. 

Everyone wanted their city-state to win!

There were other Games, which you might find information
about. See if you can match the three prizes shown here
with their correct Games.

Pine branch             Nemean Games
Sacred apples      Isthmian Games at Corinth
Parsley Pythian    Games at Delphi

Olympic Games opening ceremonies

Once all the men had arrived in Elis for the Olympic Games, they spent a month practicing and training together in a big palaestra, or gym, with a sand floor. They were only given fresh cheese and water at their meals, and they all ate together. They had to follow strict rules. Judges (also all men) watched the men train, and picked out only the best ones to actually run in the races.

The Olympic Games began with religious sacrifices and choirs singing.

Once every four years, men from all over Greece came to compete in a great athletic festival in Elis, in western Greece (The men wouldn't let women compete). This was called the Olympic games because the place was called Olympia. The Olympic Games were a religious festival to honor the Greek gods Zeus and Hera.

The temple of Hera in Olympia, Elis, Greece

We don't know when men first began celebrating the Olympic Games, but they were certainly already doing it in the time of Homer, by 776 BC. And they were celebrated from then on, every four years without fail, until people converted to Christianity and the Roman Emperor Theodosius banned the games in 393 AD. That's more than a thousand years! The games were so regular that people used them to date by. They would say, I was born in the second year of the twenty-fourth Olympiad (starting from 776 BC).

Why did people want to punch Socrates?

Where did Egyptians bury your liver?

How old are the Rocky Mountains?

Once every four years, men from all over Greece came to compete in a great athletic festival in Elis, in western Greece (The men wouldn't let women compete). This was called the Olympic games because the place was called Olympia. The Olympic Games were a religious festival to honor the Greek gods Zeus and Hera.

The temple of Hera in Olympia, Elis, Greece

We don't know when men first began celebrating the Olympic Games, but they were certainly already doing it in the time of Homer, by 776 BC. And they were celebrated from then on, every four years without fail, until people converted to Christianity and the Roman Emperor Theodosius banned the games in 393 AD. That's more than a thousand years! The games were so regular that people used them to date by. They would say, I was born in the second year of the twenty-fourth Olympiad (starting from 776 BC). Can you figure out what year that would be in our reckoning?

Wh 

Where did Egyptians bury your liver?

How old are the Rocky Mountains?

What does a half-timbered house look like?

How do you spin wool?
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When Was the First Set of Olympic Games?

When Was the First Set of Olympic Games?

Like so much of ancient history, the origins of the Olympic Games are shrouded in myth and legend (see: Games, Rituals, and Warfare). The Greeks dated events from the first Olympiad (the four-year period between games) in in 776 B.C. -- two decades before the legendary founding of Rome, so the founding of Rome can be dated "Ol. 6.3" or the third year of the 6th Olympiad, which is 753 B.C.

Women at Olympia

Women at Olympia

Only men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Olympic Games. Married women were not allowed into the Olympic Games. Any women caught sneaking in were punished! Women could own horses in the chariot race though.
Unmarried women had their own festival at Olympia every four years. This was the Heraia, held in honour of Hera, wife of Zeus. Women could compete in running races, though only unmarried girls took part. Winners were awarded crowns of sacred olive branches, the same as men. As a rule Greek women did not go in for sport, unless they were Spartans.

The nastiest event?

• The nastiest event?

  Probably the pankration or all-in wrestling was the nastiest event. There were hardly any rules. Biting and poking people's eyes were officially banned, but some competitors did both! While it does not seem very sporting to us, all-in wrestling was very popular. Boxing was tough too. The fighters wore leather gloves and a boxer was allowed to go on hitting his opponent even after he'd knocked him to the ground!
  However, cheating was punished. Anyone caught cheating, trying to bribe an athlete for instance, had to pay for a bronze statue of Zeus, as a punishment.
  

Spectators

 

• Spectators

  About 50,000 people could sit in the stadium. Away from the arena, most spectators had to find somewhere to pitch their tents or sleep rough, but important visitors and athletes had hotel rooms. It was hot and overcrowded, and the water supply was poor, at first not even a proper drinking fountain. This didn't stop people coming though!
  The Games ended with a feast. Lots of oxen were roasted in a giant barbecue. Traders came to do business, entertainers such as jugglers and acrobats performed, and politicians made speeches to the crowds.
  

Events at the Games

Events at the Games

At the first one-day Olympic Games, the only event was a short sprint from one end of the stadium to the other. Gradually more events were added to make four days of competitions. They included wrestling, boxing, long jump, throwing the javelin and discus, and chariot racing. In the pentathlon, there were five events: running, wrestling, javelin, discus and long jump. One of the toughest events was the race for hoplites, men wearing armour and carrying shields.
Winners were given a wreath of leaves, and a hero's welcome back home. Winners might marry rich women, enjoy free meals, invitations to parties, and the best seats in the theatre.
The running track was much wider than a modern one. Twenty people could run at once.

What was the Sacred Truce?

What was the Sacred Truce?

The city-states of Greece were often at war. This made travel between them dangerous. So messengers sent out from Elis announced a 'sacred truce' (peace) lasting one month before the Games began. This meant people could travel to Olympia in safety. The Olympic Games were more important than wars because they were a religious festival. The messengers went all over the Greek world, as the map shows.

The statue of Zeus

The statue of Zeus

Visitors to Olympia stared in wonder as they entered the great Temple of Zeus. Inside was a huge statue of the king of the gods, sitting on a throne. People called it one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue was covered in gold and ivory, and was six times bigger than a man. It was built about 435 BC, and no one who made the trip to Olympia missed seeing it.

The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in southwest Greece. The Games were part of a religious festival. The Greek Olympics, thought to have begun in 776 BC, inspired the modern Olympic Games (begun in 1896) The Games were held in honour of Zeus, king of the gods, and were staged every four years at Olympia, a valley near a city called Elis. People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part.

Olympics

The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honour of their gods. The Isthmos game were staged every two years at the Isthmos of Corinth. The Pythian games took place every four years near Delphi. The most famous games held at Olympia, South- West of Greece, which took place every four years. The ancient Olympics seem to have begun in the early 700 BC, in honour of Zeus. No women were allowed to watch the games and only Greek nationals could participate. One of the ancient wonders was a statue of Zeus at Olympia, made of gold and ivory by a Greek sculptor Pheidias. This was placed inside a Temple, although it was a towering 42 feet high.