Olympics in Greece

The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honour of their gods.

The Isthmos game were staged every two years at the Isthmos of Corinth.

The Pythian games took place every four years near Delphi.

But the most famous games were those at Olympia, a town in south- western Greece.

The Olympic Games took place every four years. The ancient Olympics seem to have begun in the early 700 BC, in honour of Zeus. No women were allowed to watch the games.

Pottery dating from around 550 BC shows men taking part in the games naked or wearing only a thong.

Read more about the Olympic Games: Olympics in Greece