776 BCEReputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The First Olympic Games
On the timeline · around 776 BCE ·
What happened
The first recorded Olympic Games were held at the sanctuary of Olympia in the western Peloponnese in honor of Zeus. Held every four years, the Games drew athletes and tens of thousands of spectators from across the Greek world during a sacred truce.
Why it matters
The Games were the greatest pan-Hellenic festival, and the four-year Olympiad gave the scattered Greeks their first shared system for dating events.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Ancient Olympic Games · Reputable source
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archaeological Site of Olympia (World Heritage listing) · Reputable source