More than two millennia ago, myths and legends were written about Olympia, it was glorified by philosophers, historians and poets. It was famous for holy places, temples of Zeus and Hera, historical monuments, the construction of which dates back to the 2nd millennium BC. Later, in honor of the Olympic Games, various structures were built and numerous statues were installed, including the famous majestic statue of Zeus. It was here that tens of thousands of inhabitants of Hellas gathered to become participants and witnesses of the largest sports competitions of antiquity.
The national hero Heracles, the legendary king Pelops, the Spartan legislator Lycurgus, the king of Elis Ifit - with these names in myths and legends connect the appearance of sports in holy Olympia. About when they took place for the first time, there is no consensus. It is generally accepted that the date stamped on a marble slab next to the name of the winner in the competition of runners is considered reliable. 776 BC e. entered the annals of sports as the year in which the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece were held. They learned about the day of their discovery and the beginning of a three-month truce in Hellenic cities from the messengers of the temple of Zeus.
For participants in the competition, there were strict restrictions. They became only born citizens of Greek origin who did not stain themselves with a violation of the oath, a dishonest act or other crime. According to the Olympic rules, athletes who announced their participation in the main competitions of the four-year period were given 10 months to prepare, and a month before the start of the Olympics, they had to come to Olympia and demonstrate their readiness to participate in the competitions. Women were forbidden to be during the festival in the territory of the sanctuary of Zeus, and, of course, the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece were held without their participation.
At the first thirteen Olympics, only runners competed in one distance, which, depending on the length of the judge’s stride, was 175 - 192, 27 meters. At the Fifteenth Olympiad, a pentathlon appeared, consisting of running, wrestling, discus and spear throwing, long jumps. After some time, the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece enriched their program with new competitions - fist fights and chariot races drawn by two or four horses. In 648 BC, the program included pankration, the most cruel and difficult form of competition, combining wrestling and fist fighting. The Olympics in Ancient Greece also included horse racing and running in military equipment.
As an element of a religious cult, the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece began and ended with religious ceremonies. Athletes spent the first day of games at the altars and altars of their patron gods, and on the final day after the awards were presented to the winners, the ritual was repeated. The victory won at the Olympics was valued extremely highly, since it glorified not only the athlete, but also the policy he represented.
With the advent of the Romans, the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece gradually lost their former scope, and soon lost their former importance. The year 394 was the date of the ban on games by the Roman emperor Theodosius, who saw a pagan rite in the sports festival.