Olympia
placeOlympia was the sanctuary in the Peloponnese where the ancient Olympic Games were held every four years for over a thousand years — the most important athletic and religious festival in Greece.
The Myth
The Games began in 776 BC (traditionally) and continued until 393 AD — over 1,100 years. Every four years, a sacred truce (ekecheiria) halted all wars across Greece so athletes could travel safely. Events included running, wrestling, boxing, chariot racing, and the pentathlon. Winners received olive wreaths and became celebrities. The sanctuary housed one of the Seven Wonders: Pheidias's gold and ivory statue of Zeus. The Games were revived by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The modern Olympic flame is lit at Olympia using a parabolic mirror and sunlight — then carried by relay to the host city, just as in ancient processions.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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