The ancient Olympic Games, which began almost 2,800 years ago in the town of Olympia, were the oldest and largest of the four PanHellenic Games, which were separate sports festivals held in ancient Greece.
Thes Olympic Games were held every four years, forming a period known as an Olympiad.
They were not merely athletic competitions but also held significant religious importance, being dedicated to Zeus, the king of the gods, with numerous oxen sacrificed in his honour during the festival.
Prior to the Games, messengers were dispatched across Greece to announce the Olympic Truce, a period where participating city-states agreed to cease hostilities, ensuring a peaceful environment for the games.
Originally, contests were condensed into a single day, but as the Olympics evolved, they extended to four days of competition, followed by a fifth day dedicated to closing ceremonies and banquets for the champions.
The Olympics were held in the rural sanctuary of Olympia, though they took their name from Mount Olympus. By the second century BC, the main stadium could accommodate around 45,000 spectators.
However, the ancient Olympic Games eventually came to an end in the late 4th century CE.
The article first appeared on The Historian's Den.
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