Olympia

For Anita's last day (booooo) we decided to drive to Olympia.  It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Patra, and since Brian has Monday mornings off from practice we thought it would be the perfect thing to fit in.  As I'm sure most of you know, Ancient Olympia is the site of the first ever Ancient Olympic games.  The first official quadrennial Olympic Games were declared in 776 BC by King Iphitos of Elis.  By 676 BC they were open to all Greek males and reached the height of their prestige in 576 BC.  The games were held in honour of Zeus, popularly acclaimed as their founder, and took place around the first full moon in August.

We weren't quite sure what to expect but it is actually an archaeological site with remains of what once was a magnificent combination of athletic complexes, similar to what we

 now know as Olympic village.  Unfortunately due to fires and many earthquakes, there is not much remaining, but it is still an idyllic place to visit.  I am going to copy a little exert from my travel book to give you some history on the ancient games.  "The Olympics were undoubtedly the Ancient World's biggest sporting event.  During the games warring states briefly halted their squabbles, corporate sponsors vied to outdo each other, and victorious competitors won great fame and considerable fortune."  Sounds fairly familiar to what the Olympics still constitute today.  One main difference back then being that only men could compete ("and they did most of it sans underpants."  Interesting lil tid bit).  It was an exciting place to be, and lucky for us there were not TOO many tourists.  We went on the perfect day, not too hot or too cold, and not too crowded.  We practically had the place to ourselves at some spots and y

ou could imagine the buildings completed standing tall amongst some of the very first athletes of our time.  One of my favorite spots was under the arch leading into the stadium (pic above with Brian & I).  You can feel the energy that rushed through the many people who have traveled under this arch, some to compete and most to experience an ancient historical site.  You can imagine that it must have been similar to seeing football players as the rush the field from The stadium is just an open field surrounded by hills (there was no formal seating for the spectators, only the judges).  It is still a breathtaking sight.  

Here is some more info if you are interested.  "The athletic festival lasted five days and included wrestling, chariot and horse racing, the pentathlon (wrestling, discus and javelin throwing, long jump and running), and the pancratium (a vicious form of fisticuffs).  Originally only Greek-born males were allowed to participate, but later Romans were permitted.  Slaves and women were not allowed to enter the sanctuary as participants or spectators.  Women trying to sneak in were thrown from a nearby rock.  The event served purposes besides athletic competition.  Writers, poets and historians read their works to large audiences, and the citizens of various city-states got together.  Traders clinched business deals and city

-state leaders talked in an atmosphere of festivity that was conducive to resolving differences through discussion, rather than battle.  The games continued during the first years of Roman rule.  By this time, however, their importance had declined and, thanks to Nero, they had become less sporting.  In AD 67 Nero entered the chariot race with 10 horses, ordering that other competitors could have no more than four.  Despite this advantage he fell and abandoned the race, yet was still declared the winner by the judges.  The games were held for the last time in AD 394, before they were banned by Emperor Theodosius I as part of a purge of pagan festivals.  In AD 426 Theodosius II decreed that the temples of Olympia be destroyed.  The modern Olympic Games were instituted in 1896 and, other than during WWI and WWII, have been held every four years in different cities around the world ever since, including (to much celebration in Greece) the 2004 Olympics.  The Olympic flame is lit at the ancient site and carried by runners to the city where the games are held."  Below is a picture of the site where they light the torch!

It is all so interesting!  So glad we were able to go see it.