Olympia, Greece
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is among the most important places in and a .
The and of , located on the western side of , is the site of the first , originally between competing Greek city states. The first Olympiad is thought to have taken place in 776 BC. The classical period, between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, was the golden age of the site at . A wide range of new religious and secular buildings and structures were constructed. During the Roman period, the games were opened up to all citizens of the Roman empire. But the 3rd century saw a major earthquake that damaged the site. Rival tribes invaded and robbed some of the monuments, but still the Games continued until Christian emperor Theodosius implemented a ban in 393 AD. Theodosius II furthered the decline, enforcing a ban on pagan festivals. Key buildings were destroyed or inhabited by Christian communities. It is believed a version of the Games continued in secret until the mid-6th century, when two earthquakes and the Plague of Justinian devastated the region. Repeated floods ensured that the settlement was finally abandoned altogether in the early 7th Century.
The in wasn’t exactly a level playing field for women. It’s true that women of all ages were allowed to enjoy the festivities and exhilarating athletic events in cities throughout the states, including Delos and Athens. But the Games in in the land of Elis-the city where the Olympics originated-retained its traditional, sacred ban of women. Elis decreed that if a married woman (unmarried women could watch) was caught present at the she would be cast down from Mount Typaeum and into the river flowing below, according to Greek geographer and travel writer Pausanias.
As time went on, the site became buried in alluvial deposits that were up to 8 metres deep. Initially, these deposits were attributed to river flooding, but modern research indicates another hypothesis. The presence of mollusc and gastropod shells, and foraminifera (shell-covered amoeboid organisms) suggests the site was buried with ocean water resulting from repeated tsunamis.
The exact site was re-discovered in 1766 by the English antiquarian Richard Chandler. The first excavation of the sanctuary at was not carried out until 1829, by the French “Expedition Scientifique de Moree”. Its extensive ruins include athletic training areas, a stadium and temples dedicated to the gods Hera and Zeus. The of exhibits finds from the site, including a statue of Hermes attributed to the sculptor Praxiteles.
lies in the wide valley of the rather small Alfeiós River, around 18 km away from the Ionian Sea. The held over 70 significant buildings, and ruins of many of these have survived, although the main of Zeus survives only as stones on the ground. In contrast to Delphi, where a similar large collection of monuments were tightly packed within the temenos boundary, sprawled beyond the boundary wall, especially in the areas devoted to the games. The site is a major tourist attraction, and has two museums, one devoted to the ancient and modern games.
The Olympic flame of the modern-day is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror in front of the of Hera and then transported by a torch to the place where the Games are held. When the modern came to Athens in 2004, the men’s and women’s shot put competition was held at the restored stadium.
During Odyssey’s of , you will stay in an for two nights. From the vicinity of you will the and other ruins from the , as well as a to the and the Courbertin Monument. Your is included in Odyssey’s price and you will be escorted by your Odyssey leader, as well as local guides, with in depth knowledge of the the of . is the stop after Kalamata, Nafplio and Athens, and the next stop is the island of Corfu, city of Meteora and Delphi and the island of Mykonos, before heading back to Athens, where you will spend a few days exploring its many sites, including the .