The Greek Olympics started in 776 B.C. It happened at the foot of Mount Olympia. The Greeks thought the Greek gods lived on Mount Olympia, so they wanted to honor the Greek gods by doing the Olympics at the foot of Mount Olympia. It included foot racing, chariot racing, horse racing, javelin throwing, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, and pentathlon.

Javelin and Discus throwing test the competitors for war. A javelin is a huge spear and a discus is a big round rock. Chariot racing is when the owner of a horse and chariot race against others, and horse racing is when the owner of a horse hires someone to ride his horse and win the competition for him.

The winners of the Olympics get a laurel wreath and a hero’s welcome when they return home.

The Olympics ended in 395 A. D. because Emperor Theodosius proclaimed that the Olympics must end. Mount Olympia was struck by an earthquake and the track got really messed up, so the Olympics had to stop.

The Olympics lasted 1,171 years and happened every four years. Now that’s a long time! I would have loved to be in the Ancient Greek Olympics; wouldn’t you?