The Origins of the Olympic Games in 776 BC

People watch the Olympics today without much thought as to where they came from, different countries compete in different locations, every four years, isn't that the way it has always been? Not quite. The Olympic games began in 776 BC in Olympia and there are two common beliefs as to why they became such a thriving event.

One belief is that the games were held because Zeus and Kronos had wrestled in the skies above for possession of the earth and when Zeus won, the people below felt that they needed to hold the games in commemoration of him (Kieran and Daley). In this sense, the games were held in more of a religious manner, in order to honor their god, a logical reason to keep the tradition going on for years. The second most common belief of how the games came about was the story of King Enomaus and his daughter Hippodamia. He wanted to find a suitor for her so he held a chariot race in which he chose 14 men to participate. The winning Pelop's won Hippodamia's hand in marriage (Kieran and Daley). The games had more of a romantic but competitive aura if this was the true reason, but no one will ever know for certain.

It wasn't a coincidence that the Olympics were held at Olympia, there were several reasons behind the decision of where to hold the games. If the games were held in honor of their god Zeus, the location makes perfect sense. Olympia is one of the oldest religious centers, according to the Perseus Project website, and it had enough room to hold all the people competing and the spectators, so why try to find a different place. Another positive aspect of having the games there was because of the location in comparison to other places and countries. When the games first began only the locals could participate but in time the invitation to participants was expanded and people traveled from all over. Olympia was easy to reach by ship which was necessary since many men traveled from Spain, Egypt, and the Red Sea.