Olympia, 1919 Drawing

Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art

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The Olympics in ancient Greece were not simply a set of athletic events as we see them today; instead, they were a sort of religious ritual and the games were dedicated to Zeus. Thus, the focal point of Olympia was not the stadium (located to the east) but the Temple of Zeus which features so prominently left-of-center in this 1919 drawing of what Olympia probably looked like in ancient Greece.

Even today, the Olympic flame is always first let in this city at the site of the ancient Temple of Hera. Olympic officials use a parabolic mirror to capture the sunlight as the source for the flame and that is transported by runner across the world to the city where the games are actually held. During the 2004 Athens Olympics the games finally returned to Olympia when the men's and women's shot put competition was held in the restored stadium.

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