The Olympic Games

The Greeks had four national sports festivals, where athletes from different city states competed against one another. There would be running races, wrestling, boxing, javelin and discus throwing, long jump and the pentathlon (a contest where the athletes took part in five different sports).

The most important of the sports contests was the Olympic Games. These were played at Olympia, every four years, in honour of Zeus. The Games started at dawn, and the contestants had to swear not to cheat. The first Olympics took place in 776 BC, and one of the most popular, but dangerous races, was the chariot racing.

Chariot racing