Ancient Olympics

Story Summary

Since 1896, the world's leading athletes compete in the Olympics. Baron Pierre de Coubertin (father of the modern Olympics), believed that athletic competition between amateur athletes would help improve international relations. He faced strong initial opposition to his idea that sports could temper politics.

Athens, the capital of Greece, hosted the first modern games. For more than a thousand years, another place in Greece - a sacred area called Olympia - hosted the ancient games. What do we know of those ancient games? How did they start? Why were they always held in Olympia?

To learn the answers to those - and more - questions, we need to take a trip back in time to the Archaic Period of ancient Greece.

Author: Carole D. Bos, J.D.