Competition has always been an aspect of human interaction. Ancient Greece thrived in this condition, driving them to flourish in intellectual, political, and economic success. Not only would they work hard, they would play hard. The Olympic Games were created to honour Zeus through athletic competitions between the city-states. Held every four years in Olympia, the games featured running races, boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, and the pentathlon. They began as the Heraea Games, featuring women in running races to become the priestess for the goddess Hera. Over time, the games evolved to include men then later be restricted to men only.
Other ancient cultures held organised sport events to foster competition, co-relations and entertainment. The Scots held the Highland Games which featured many strength events and artistic expression. Smaller scale sporting events have been used for God worship and political unity in all cultures.
Originally the Olympics were a religious festival to honour the Greek God Zeus, spread across multiple days featuring animal sacrifice and artistic competitions. During the Peloponnesian War, the games were used as a time to announce alliances between city-states along the borders and pray for victory from the Gods. During the Games, a time of truce was observed to allow athletes and visitors to travel safely to the games.
The Olympic tradition was suppressed in 394 AD by the Roman Emperor to strengthen the presence of Christianity in Greece, but was revived in 1896 for the modern era. Held in Athens, the spirit of peace among now International Countries instead of city-states. More events were added to the line up and often the Games were used as a guise for political agendas. The adaptation for modern day use has been a positive addition to international relations and social progression for civil rights.
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