In 776 B.C.E., spectators gathered in Olympia, Greece, to watch a simple footrace. Thus began the ancient Olympics, the classical sporting competition that continued for more than a millennium ...

Competing in the Olympic Games, for ancient Greek communities, signaled shared values and identity. From competition to social class. There’s a kind of simple beauty to the idea of the games.

Olympia is an ancient Greek sanctuary in the Peloponnese region in southern Greece where every four years the ancient Olympic games were held. Ruins of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece.

And here, there is no support in Olympic history. Olympic athletes during the Ancient Olympic Games were well compensated for their efforts. Victories in the Olympic Games were cause for what we ...

The Olympics that we know and love today trace its roots to ancient times, as far back as 776 B.C. in Olympia, Greece.

During the ancient Olympics, athletes, their fathers and trainers made oaths not to “sin against the games.” But some didn’t take this oath as seriously as others.

In this Aug. 4 X post, for example, a user stated that during the original Olympics held in ancient Greece, women were not allowed to compete in or even attend any events: (@sales_belinda / X) ...

For more on what ancient Greek Olympic games might have looked like, check out this awesome and largely historically accurate video by the Try Guys: Editorial Standards Reprints & Permissions.

The ancient Olympics were held in honor of Zeus, king of the Greek gods. By the mid-second century B.C.E., the Roman Empire had taken control of Greece, including Olympia.