What are the Olympic games?

• The Olympic games were part of a religious festival in honour of Zeus, King of the Gods.

• Every four years 20,000 people flocked to Olympia to watch athletes compete in the Olympic games.

• Events included running, boxing, wrestling and racing chariots.

The pentathlon

• The pentathlon was the hardest event.

• Contestants had to take part in five different sports.

• These were- long jump, running, wrestling, throwing discus and throwing javelin.

Could everyone take part?

• The answer is no.

• Women were banned from the Olympics.

• They held their own games in honour of Hera, queen of the Gods.

• The only event was running.

The only way that women could take part in the games was by training horses for the

equestrian events.

• There were no medals in the Olympic games in Ancient Greece.

• Winners got crowns made of laurel leaves, jars of olive oil, beautiful pots or vases and pieces of wool, silk or linen to make into clothes.

This Greek amphora (jar) shows long jumping. The jumper holds lead or stone

weights, to help him jump further. Pegs in the ground mark previous jumps.

Two boxers. One already has a bleeding nose. The men wear leather thongs (strips) wound around

their fists.

An athlete prepares to throw a discus. You can also see the oil and strigil (body-scraper) he'd use to clean off sweat and

dust.

This picture shows a winner at the Games receiving his prize of palm

branches. He is also given wool ribbons to tie around his head, arms or legs.

The Olympics today• The next Olympic games will

be held in London in 2012.

• It will feature 26 sports which are broken down into events including swimming, archery, hockey and the modern pentathlon.

• There are also 20 Paralympics sports for people with disabilities.

• Women have been allowed to take part in the Olympics for many years now and have won many events.

An image of the London 2012 Olympic stadium

which is currently under construction.