The History Of The Olympic Games

Greeks were a great lover of sports and for them, the Olympic Games was the biggest sports event in the ancient calendar. More than 2700 years ago in Olympia which is in the west of Greece the Olympic Games started. People from all over Greece came and took part in it or they came to watch the games as a religious festival. The Olympic Games were held in honor of their supreme god Zeus.

At that time the winners were not gifted with medals, instead, they were just given a crown of leaves and a tag of hero. Athletes were complimented for their victory and the people believed that they were touched by god.

A Truce For The Holy Games

Before the start of the Olympic Games, many messengers were sent out to declare a truce for the holy games held in the name of the god Zeus. The truce meant that any war was to be off so that people could travel for the Olympic Games without any problem.

As the Game Of Olympics was held in honor of God Zeus, people flooded to the Temple Of Zeus. And inside that temple stood a huge statue made of ivory and gold of the king of the gods. The main motive of the Olympics was to make a sacrifice for the gods. On the 3rd day of every Olympics, 100 oxen were to be sacrificed and burned on the Altar of Zeus.

And the interesting thing here is that this altar was not made from any stone or cement, instead, it was made of the ash of all the sacrificed oxen. In around 200AD, this mound of ash was more than six feet high.

Women At the Olympic Games

In ancient times when the game began at the Olympics 2700 years ago, only boys and unmarried women were allowed to enter and watch the Olympic Games. And married women were banned.

If any married women were caught getting in or out they were thrown off the mountain as an act of punishment. But women-owned horses in the Olympic races. And as for married women, they had their beginning festival in the Olympic Games, every four years. These women were called Heraia. Heraia was held in honor of the wife of Zeus, Hera. Heraia was crowned with a crown made of sacred branches of olive, the same as men. But mainly women of Spartan held no interest in the games.

By: Shreya Jain