The Odyssey Written

In 776 BCE, the first recorded Olympic Games took place at the sanctuary of Olympia in the northwestern Peloponnese, held in honor of Zeus. The sole event was the stade, a footrace of approximately 192 meters, won by Coroebus of Elis, a cook. The games recurred every four years as a pan-Hellenic festival, expanding to include wrestling, boxing, chariot racing, and the pentathlon. City-states observed a sacred truce during the games, suspending military conflicts to allow safe travel. The ancient Olympics continued for nearly 1,200 years.