Olympia, located on the Peloponnese peninsula, is the site of the original Olympic games. We’re here, learning about the history of the Olympic Games from an extremely informative guide. We could call him “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” but that title has already been taken. Don’t worry – we’ll just hit the highlights.
Let’s recap from last time. Nearly 3,000 years ago, warring city-states in this area agreed to move hostilities from the battlefield to the sports arena. The idea caught on and eventually led to today’s Olympic Games.
Hundreds of years after the first games at Olympia, Alexander the Great conquered lands in this region that would unite to become “Ancient Greece.” The Games continued, and now we associate them with Greece.
The Ruins at Olympia
The ruins at Olympia are impressive. The stadium here held 45,000 spectators. Athletes entered through a tunnel, the way football teams enter the stadium at game time.
The founders dedicated structures at Olympia to one god or another. Zeus was Numero Uno – the god over all the other gods. They made the Temple of Zeus, (depicted in the drawing at the top of this post), the central structure at Olympia.
Mrs. Zeus, better known as Hera, was the supreme female deity of the day. She had her own temple at Olympia. Fountains, statues, and monuments were dedicated to other gods.
In the first century AD, Rome had become the region’s dominant power. Christianity was gaining popularity. The site of the Olympic games, with its buildings and monuments dedicated to the gods, wasn’t a big hit with Christians.
In 300 AD, an earthquake severely damaged structures at Olympia. Thirty years later, Constantine, (remember him?), took most of the remaining statues back home to Constantinople.
In 393 AD, Rome banned pagan activities of all kinds, including the games at Olympia. That was the end of the original Olympic Games.
Olympia Disappears
Olympia was prone to earthquakes and flooding from two nearby rivers. Over time, silt from flooding nearly covered the remains of what had been the site of the Olympic Games. Time moved on, and eventually, even the name, “Olympia,” was forgotten.
That’s how things stayed for almost 1,500 years. “Olympia” became the stuff of legend. Did it ever really exist? Who knew? No one.
Then one day, while pursuing paleolithic peculiarities on the Peloponnese peninsula, an English archeologist named Richard Chandler rediscovered the site of the games at Olympia. One can imagine how the conversation might have gone…
Sir Richard — “I say, Jeeves, are those the ruins of some ancient buildings I see?”
Jeeves — “I say, indeed, sir. I believe they are!”
Sir Richard — “And look at those shards of broken pottery. Incredible!”
Jeeves — “Incredible indeed, sir.”
Sir Richard — “And look at the fantastic figures drawn on these urns. Such artwork must have been the work of an advanced civilization.”
Jeeves — “Quite advanced, indeed, sir!
Sir Richard — “I say, Jeeves… Look closely… are those wrestlers naked?”
Jeeves — “Indeed, sir… I do believe they are.”
Sir Richard — “Ew.”
Jeeves — “Ew indeed, sir!”
Olympia is Rediscovered
Then, in 1875, a German archeological team started a project to uncover the ruins at Olympia. Pretty soon the whole world was talking about the site at Olympia.
In 1896, a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin made a proposal that led to the formation of the modern Olympic Games. As a tribute to the original games at Olympia, the first modern games were held in Greece .
Today, the lighting of the Olympic flame at Olympia starts the Games. Sunlight reflected from a parabolic mirror at the remains of the Temple of Hera lights the Olympic torch. Then runners carry the flame to where the games will be played.
It’s quite a story, eh? It is, indeed!
To be continued…
