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Article: Let the Games begin! (history of the Olympic Games)
- Article from:
- U.S. Kids
- Article date:
- July 1, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Children's Better Health Institute. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The first recorded Olympic games were held in Greece in 776 B.C. This athletic competition, held every four years in the Stadium of Olympia, was part of a religious festival honoring the gods. Only men were allowed to participate in and watch the running event
The Olympics were held for hundreds of years, with more athletic contests added to the games. If a war was being fought when it was time for the games, the war was halted temporarily.
After the Roman Empire conquered Greece, the games lost their religious meaning. In 394 A.D., the Roman Emperor Theodosius ended the Olympic competition. He believed the games had become too wild and carnival-like. No ...