The Ancient
Olympics
by CTCWeb Editors
It is
a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. - Seneca
The Site
Unfortunately, the archaeological evidence
from the site of Olympia in the region of Elis does not offer
much information about the origin of the Olympic games. The site
of Olympia was occupied at various times in prehistory. Around
1,600 BCE, when the Myceneans populated the area, the site was
a religious cult center. Around the eighth century BCE, the cult
activities at Olympia included people from a large number of
Greek city-states. Eventually, the Panhellenic festival at Olympia
evolved into the most important of its kind in the Greek world.
(To learn more about the history of the site of Olympia, click here.)
The entrance to the Olympic stadium
at Olympia.
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