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When were the first Olympic Games?

  • The Greeks loved sport and the Olympic Games were the biggest sporting event in the ancient calendar.
A photo of the ancient stadium at Olympia.
Image caption,
This is the stadium at Olympia. It was built during the 4th century BC and it was the largest of its kind at the time. It could seat 50,000 spectators!
  • The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in south west Greece. Every four years, around 50,000 people came from all over the Greek world to watch and take part.
Photo of an archway that ancient Olympic athletes would walk under to enter the stadium.
Image caption,
The ancient Olympic athletes would enter the stadium by walking under this archway.
  • The ancient games were also a religious festival, held in honour of Zeus, the king of the gods.

  • There were no gold, silver and bronze medals. Winners were given a wreath of leaves and a hero's welcome back home. Athletes competed for the glory of their city and winners were seen as being touched by the gods.

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A truce for the sacred games

A photo of the remains of an ancient Greek gymnasium.
Image caption,
These are the remains of the gymnasium. Athletes went here to practise events that required a lot of space, like the javelin, discus and running.
  • Before the games began, messengers were sent out to announce a 'sacred truce' or a peace. This meant that any wars should be called off so that people could travel safely to Olympia.

  • The entire games were dedicated to Zeus. Visitors flocked to see the Temple of Zeus. Inside stood a huge gold and ivory statue of the king of the gods himself.

A photo of the remains of an ancient Greek gymnasium.
Image caption,
These are the remains of the gymnasium. Athletes went here to practise events that required a lot of space, like the javelin, discus and running.
A photo of the remains of columns along the Palaestra.
Image caption,
These columns once stood along the edge of the Palaestra. This was a space where Olympians could practise their boxing and wrestling.
  • The main event at the Olympics was not a sporting event, but a sacrifice. On the third day of the games, 100 oxen were sacrificed and burnt on the Altar of Zeus.

  • This altar was not made from stone. Instead it was made from the leftover ash of all the sacrificed oxen. By around AD200, the mound of ash stood six meters high!

A photo of the ruins of the Temple of Zeus.
Image caption,
These are the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. Inside stood a giant statue of Zeus made from gold and ivory. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!
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Watch: What was it like to attend the Olympics?

The ancient Olympics wasn't just about the sport, it was a religious festival too. Find out what it was like to visit the ancient games.

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Women at Olympia

An Ancient Greek woman is very annoyed after being turned away from an Olympic event
Image caption,
One story tells of a mother so keen to see her son compete that she broke the no-women rule and got in disguised as a man.
  • Only men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Olympic Games.

  • Married women were barred.

  • If they were caught sneaking in, they could be thrown off the side of a mountain as punishment!

  • However, women could still own horses in the chariot races at the Olympics.

  • Cynisca of Sparta was a famous princess who competed in the Olympics. She was the first woman to win a race as a chariot owner against men.

  • Unmarried women had their own festival at Olympia every four years. This was called the Heraean Games and was held in honour of Hera, Zeus's wife.

  • Winners were awarded crowns of sacred olive branches, the same as men.

An Ancient Greek woman is very annoyed after being turned away from an Olympic event
Image caption,
One story tells of a mother so keen to see her son compete that she broke the no-women rule and got in disguised as a man.
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Activities

Activity 1: Olympic sport events

Click on the athletes below to find out more about some of the sporting events at the ancient games.

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Activity 2: Quiz 鈥 Olympic Games

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Game: The Argo Odyssey

Argo the dog is missing! He was last spotted at the Olympics.

Play the game to take part in the pentathlon and save the bronze discus from the master of thievery.

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Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
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