The Olympics were held in Olympia every four years during the summer months of July or August and traditionally, they took place to honour the god Zeus. The time in between each Olympic Games was known as an Olympiad. The Greeks based their chronology on these four-year periods. The Olympic festival marked the beginning of each Olympiad. 776BC was counted as the 1st Olympiad.

German Archaeological Institute- http://www.fhw.gr/olympics/ancient/cl

Two days before they were due to start, the contestants made their way to Olympia and were received by immense crowds who were there to attend the 5 day event. One more thing that took place during this time was the lighting of the Olympic Flame. The torch was lit using sunlight reflected off metal which was part of a ritual combination that included a prayer and hymn to Apollo. The high priestess would enter the stadium holding the lit torch which she then handed over to the first runner in “order for it to start its long journey to the ends of the earth.”

Freeman, Charles Egypt, Greece and Rome, Oxford university press, OX2 6DP 1996

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Gaining victory at the Games did not only give credit to the athlete, but to the city as well. The personal achievement of an athlete could not be envisaged without the recognition and involvement of their city. After their victory, the city became the only body with rights to assign glory and awards. As a result, several laws were issued to encourage athleticism amongst people in Greece. The victory of the contestant provided credit to their physical and moral virtues. The ability for the athlete to suffer in silence and exhibit patience in training was one of the most important virtues they could gain and develop throughout their life. The main concern of those competing however was not to develop one specific physical ability at the expense of others, but to succeed a balanced development of all physical and

Some topics in this essay:
Olympic Flame, Delphic Oracle, Archaeological Institute-, Olympic Games, Sparta Cleisthenes, Olympiad Greeks, Rome Oxford, olympic games, July August, King Iphitos, , greek world, olympic festival, ancient greeks, physical moral,