There are many traditions surrounding the origin of the ancient Olympic Games. The Heracles was the legend and creator of the Olympic Games and also he built the Olympic stadium and surrounding buildings on honor to his father Zeus, after completing his 12 labors. According to that legend he walked in a straight line for 400 strides and called this distance a “stadion” (Roman: “stadium”) that later also became a distance calculation unit. This is also why a current stadium is 400 meters in circumference length (1 stadium = 400 m). Another myth associates the first Games with the ancient Greek concept of ekecheiria or Olympic Truce. The date of the Games’ inception based on the count of years in Olympiads is reconstructed as 776 BC, even though scholars’ opinions deviate between dates as early as 884 BC and as late as 704 BC.
After that the Olympic Games rapidly became much more significant throughout ancient Greece, accomplishment their peak in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The Olympics were of basic religious importance, contests alternating with sacrifices and ceremonies honoring both Zeus, and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia famous for his legendary chariot race, in whose honor the games were held. The number of events enlarged to twenty, and the celebration was spread over several days. Winners of the events were greatly well-liked and were immortalized in poems and statues. The Games were held every four years, and the period between two celebrations became known as an ‘Olympiad’. The Greeks used Olympiads as one of their methods to count years. The most famous Olympic athlete lived in these times: the sixth century BC wrestler Milo of Croton is the only athlete in history to win a victory in six Olympics. Throughout the ancient times usually only young men could participate. Competitors were usually naked, not only as the weather was suitable but also as the festival was meant to be, in part, a celebration of the achievements of the human body. Upon winning the games, the victor would have not only the status of being in first place but would also be presented with a crown of olive leaves. The olive branch is a sign of hope and peace.
