Olympia is the founding place for the Olympics that we celebrate today. Olympia was chosen as the official site for the Olympics because it is in a valley, and because of the rivers that flow on the south and east sides of the city. The city is also very unique due to the fact that no one lived in the city and it was only in use for five days every four years, strictly for the games.

The first recorded games were in 776 B.C. The games in these days included the Pentathlon (running, jumping, throwing), wrestling, boxing, and equestrian (chariot racing). These events took place at the stadium which was only about 200 m in length. It is also measured in “Heracles” feet. It is said that he took 600 steps and that became the length the stadium.  In order to compete, athletes were required to be a free, male citizen, and completely naked. To protect each athlete from the weather (mainly the sun), their trainers would cover them in olive oil, then dust the athlete with a layer of sand. After competition, each athlete would relax in a steam room, then scrape off the sand with a curved metal tool, then they would bathe in the river flowing on the east side of the city.

What we now know as the Olympic village was the Paleastra. In the center of this building was an open area where training for the wresting events took place, however, the surrounding covered area was sleeping corridors for the competing athletes.

Instead of the traditional top three winners we have in today’s Olympics, in the ancient Olympics there was only one winner, the best! Upon entering the stadium, to the right were statues of all the victors from previous games, and to he left were statues with names of the cheaters. These were reminders of what you wanted to be and who you did not want to become.

- Kelsi and Briana