The Olympic Games

(Some facts from the history)

The world’s greatest international sports games are known as the Olympic Games. They are held once every four years in one of the member countries of the International Olympic Committee.

The ancient Greek Olympic Games were great athletic festivals held in the summer once every four years. The games began in 776 B.C. in Olympia, Greece. They were for men only. Greek women were not only forbidden to participate but also to watch the Olympic Games, they held games of their own.

The winners of the Olympics were crowned with chaplets of wild olive leaves. When they returned home the wall of their city was broken in order to let them enter. The motto was: „with such defenders we need no wall!” Then they were awarded many valuable gifts and priviliges and became national heroes..

Later, when the Greeks lost their authority and became dependent on Rome the games almost stopped existing. In 394 A.D. the Roman emperor Theodosious prohibited them entirely.

Only in 1896 on the initiative of a French teacher Pierre de Coubertin the old tradition was restored. 

Source: Wikipedia