Historical Evolution of sports Historical Evolucion of sports researchpdf | Page 4

The sporting events at Olympia were the oldest and most important of the four
national Greek athletic festivals. The games were held on an official basis every
four years from 776 BC, but they probably originated much earlier. Greek myth
credited the hero Herakles with devising the running races at Olympia to
celebrate the completion of one of his twelve labours. Olympia was the most
important sanctuary of the god Zeus, and the Games were held in his honour.
Sacrifices and gifts were offered, and athletes took oaths to obey the rules before
a statue of Zeus. The games were announced by heralds travelling to all the
major Greek cities around the Mediterranean, and hostilities were banned
during the period around the Games to safeguard those travelling to and from
Olympia.
The games at Olympia continued with minor interruptions into early Christian
times and were the inspiration for the modern Olympic Games, first staged in
Athens in 1896.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF SPORTS
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