According to legends, the first Olympic Games in immemorial times were organized by Hercules in the 1210s. They were held once every five years, but then, for unknown reasons, this tradition was interrupted and was revived under King Ifite.
The first Olympic Games in Greece were not numbered, they were called exclusively by the name of the winner, and in that time, the only form of competition was running a certain distance.
Antique authors based on the materials began the countdown of the competition from 776 BC. e., it was from this year that the Olympic Games became known by the name of the athlete who won them. However, there is an opinion that they simply could not establish the names of the earlier winners, and therefore the conduct itself could not be considered a valid and reliable fact in those days.
Although Africanus Julius, the author of the third century, claims to be considered the first games of 776 BC - a mistake, in fact they are the fourteenth.
The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia - a town located in southern Greece. Participants and tens of thousands of spectators from many of the policies of Hellas reached the place by sea or by land.
Runners, as well as wrestlers, discus or spear throwers, jumpers, fist fighters, participated in agility and strength competitions. The games were held in the hottest month of summer, and at that time, wars between policies were forbidden under pain of death .
Throughout the year, heralds spread throughout the cities of Greece the announcement of a holy world and that the roads leading to Olympia are safe.
All Greeks had the right to participate in the competition: the poor, the noble, the rich, and the not-so-rich. Only women were not allowed to attend them, even as spectators.
The first Olympic Games, as well as the subsequent ones, in Greece were dedicated to the great Zeus, it was an exclusively male holiday. According to legend, a very brave Greek woman in men's clothing secretly entered the city of Olympia to watch her son speak. And when he won, his mother, not restraining herself, rushed to him in delight. The unfortunate woman was supposed to be executed by law, but out of respect for her offspring winner, they pardoned.
Almost ten months before the start of the Olympic Games, everyone who was going to participate in them had to start training in their cities. Day after day for ten consecutive months, athletes continuously practiced, and a month before the opening of the competition, they arrived in South Greece and there, not far from Olympia, continued training.
Usually, most of the participants in the games were usually wealthy people, because the poor could not afford to train for a year and not work.
The first Olympic Games lasted only five days.
On the fifth day, in front of the temple of the main god Zeus, a table made of ivory and gold was set up, and awards for winners were placed on it - olive wreaths.
The winners came one by one to the supreme judge, who placed these award wreaths on their heads. At the same time, the herald publicly announced the name of the athlete and his city. At the same time, the audience exclaimed: “Glory to the winner!”.
The glory of the Olympic Games has survived for many centuries. And today, every inhabitant of the planet knows the Olympic symbol: five rings, which mean the unity of the continents.
The first modern Olympic Games marked the beginning of the tradition: to swear an oath. There is another wonderful tradition: to light the Olympic flame in Greece, as in antiquity, and then carry it through the countries in the hands of people loyal to sports to the venue of the next Olympics.
And although as a result of a severe earthquake, all the Olympic buildings of antiquity were wiped off the face of the earth, however, in the XVIII century, as a result of excavations in ancient Olympia, many attributes of the games of that time were found.
And already at the end of the 19th century, the permanent and first president of the IOC, Baron de Coubertin, inspired by the works of archaeologist Curtius, revived the games, and also wrote a code defining the rules for their holding - the Olympic Charter.