History of the Olympics

The history of the Olympic Games begins in 776 BCE in Olympia, Greece. The games were held every four years in honor of Zeus, the Greek king of the gods. The first games featured one event: a foot race covering approximately 192 meters. Soon, more events were added, including running, combat, equestrian, and throwing events. The ancient games ended in 393 CE when the Roman Emperor Theodosius banned them, claiming they supported pagan religions like polytheism. The Roman Empire had converted to Christianity approximately 80 years earlier, and the emperor was likely trying to eliminate all non-Christian religions.

 In 1896, the first Modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece. Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics, established the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC continues to operate today, deciding which events should be added or removed from the Olympic Games. 

A total of 241 athletes from 14 countries competed in the first Olympics. First-place winners received silver medals, olive branches, and diplomas, while second-place and third-place winners received bronze or copper medals, laurel wreaths, and diplomas. This continued until the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, when gold medals were introduced for the top finisher, along with silver and bronze medals for the second and third place finishers. 

The first gold medals were made entirely of gold, but this only lasted until the 1912 games in Stockholm. After that, gold medals were composed of over 90 percent silver. This is where the tradition of biting the medal originated, as athletes would bite to check if it was real gold. This tradition persists, and we still see it today. 

No matter which country you support, get ready for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles!