Undated Drawing of Olympia
Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
« Back to Last Page | Photos: Mythology, Religion, Art in Olympia »
The first achaeological investigations of Olympia were conducted in 1829 and continued through most of the 19th century. Not until the 20th century, however, was the stadium itself located and excavated. Capable of holding as many as 40,000 spectators (there were no seats), it was located to the east of the central complex, which is in the upper-right of this undated drawing of Olympia.
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 but the Temple of Zeus, located right in the center of this drawing.
« Back to Last Page | Photos: Mythology, Religion, Art in Olympia »
