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Summary Olympia and Olympic games notes
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All notes needed for the prescribed classical archaeological site of the sanctuary at Olympus and the Olympic Games festival in honour of Zeus.
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17/11/23The Ancient Olympic Games
Chapter 1 – where and why?
Held every fourth year for a thousand years (776 BCE to 395 CE)
One of four Panhellenic festivals in the Ancient Greek world with the Olympic Games being
the oldest of them all (others being: Pythian Games at Delphi for Apollo, Isthmian Games
held at Corinth for Poseidon and the Games at Nemea for Zeus)
Olympus is not a city state like Delphi but unlike Delphi, the sanctuary was not part of a
controlled league of city-states
The sanctuary was controlled by the one city state of Elis
The games attracted those from foreign nations
Held in the honour of Zeus
Olympus is located on a grassy plain which is well shaded by olive trees, poplars and palm –
trees
North of Olympus is a hill named after Zeus’ father Kronos
In modern times, many think that Olympia is located at a very isolated point but to the
Ancient Greeks, there was easy access due to the river Alpheios which was close by and easy
to sail on. The site is only 15Km from the sea and many inland routes being made to allow for
easy access
Herakles built Olympia after completing one of his twelve labours, the cleaning of the cattle
stables for King Augeas, in which he diverted Alpheios as well as another river to clean them.
The games are said to have originated from funeral games that would have been organised
to honour fallen heroes.
The first official Olympic Games were held in 776 BCE, but it appears that unofficial
competitions were held before this date
The Olympic Games have also been documented to have been the solution to the civil wars
that were spread Across Greece. King Iphitos of Elis in the 9 th century BCE went to the
Delphic Oracle to figure out how to end the civil wars in which the priestess promoted the
idea of rebuilding the Olympic Games and declare a truce for the duration of the games. This
was known as the Olympic Truce
The games were held in mid-August which would have been after harvest season allowing
the men who have finished gathering up their crops to have entertainment as they begin to
relax for the rest of the year as well as one of the days of the festival being the third full
moon after the summer solstice. This was also around the hottest time of the year.
, Chapter 2 – the site
The site was rediscovered in 1766 by Richard Chandler
Olympia was located in a strategic position but was eventually destroyed due to natural
causes
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