Historians around the world agree that the first Olympic Games of antiquity took place in 766 BC. in the vicinity of the settlement of Olympia, located on the territory of the Peloponnese peninsula.
At first, the competition took only one day, during which the athletes competed in the running championship for 1 stage (approximately 192 meters).
Later, the sports program was supplemented with long jumps, metal discus throwing, fisticuffs and chariot races. Sports in Greece were considered the lot of the elite. Along with high art, it was revered as a gift from the gods, and was largely a religious phenomenon.
Stadiums were located in close proximity to temples and places for sacrifices, and all sports competitions ended with the obligatory presentation of rich gifts to the Olympian gods. Over the next few centuries, the Olympic Games attracted the attention of athletes from all over Greece.
The cultural role of the competitions was so significant that for the duration of their holding hostilities ceased, and inter-clan strife passed into the plane of sports. The winners of the competitions were considered people of the highest level, they were respected, surrounded by attention and care. In addition to laurel wreaths, they were rewarded with precious vessels filled to the brim with sacred olive oil.
After the conquest of Greece by the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were abolished, as they were considered a sign of respect for objectionable ancient gods. The world community started talking about the resumption of the Olympic Games in a new format only at the end of the 19th century.
In 1896, with the assistance of the French Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the First Modern Olympic Games were held. As a tribute to tradition, it was decided to hold them in the homeland of the competition — in Greece. Athletes from all over the world gladly accepted this decision, and although only athletes from 14 countries were able to take part, the fate of the games was decided positively.