Over the first 50 years of hosting the Olympic Games, there were only athletic races. Starting with the stadion, but then the diaulos, a double-stadion race, dolichos, a long-distance race, and the pentathlon. Following these additions, the Games expanded to a variety of both boxing matches and equestrian events over the next hundred years.
The ancient Olympic Games stopped growing around in the fourth century BC, which is when Roman influence grew over the area of Greece. In 393 BC, Emperor Theodosius I banned the event so that he could better promote Christianity.
Citius, altius, fortius. Between July 26th and August 11th, the world’s eyes will be on Paris as the 33rd Olympic Games take place. This is just the 33rd modern Olympic Games. The Olympics Games have a long history that spans to the ancient times, however, were also revived in 1896 in Athens for the first rendition of the modern era of the games.
The first ancient Olympic Games took place in 776 BC. Originally, they were part of a festival that honored Zeus, the king of the gods, and were held in Olympia, which was on the Western Peloponnesus. The first Games only consisted of one race — the stadion race. It was an approximately 183-meter race and Korobois, who was a chef from the nearby town of Elis, won. Winners were given both an olive wreath and were enshrined in archives so that future generations could remember them for their efforts. It is believed that for the first 13 Games, or for the next 50 years, roughly, only this race was held for athletic events. People from any Greek city-state were allowed to enter as athletes, but only men were allowed to compete. Women did, however, own chariots that were victorious.