AncientOlympicGamesAccordingtohistoricrecords,thefirstancientOlympicGamescanbetracedbackto776BC.TheywerededicatedtotheOlympianGodsandwerestagedontheancientplainsofOlympia,famousforitsmagnificenttemplesofthegodsZeusandHera.Theyinitiallyhadareligiouscharacterandcombinedanumberofancientsportingevents,manyofwhichwerebasedonancientGreekmyths.TheancientGamesactuallyoccupiedanimportantpositioninthelifeofourancestors.AnOlympiadwasatimeunit,measuringthefour-yearintervalbetweentwoGames.ParticipantscametocompetefromeverycorneroftheGreekworldaimingattheultimateprize:anolivewreathanda"heroic"returntotheircity-states.Butapartfromthegloriousvictory,itwastheOlympicvaluesthemselveswhichaccordedspecialmeaningtotheGames:noblecompetitionandtheefforttocombinebody,will,andmindinabalancedwhole.用心爱心专心AstheGamesdeveloped,sodidasetofproceduressuchasastandardisedscheduleofeventsandthepracticeoftheOlympicTruce.Theycontinuedfornearly12centuries,untilEmperorTheodosiusdecreed,in393AD,thatallsuch'pagancults'bebanned.HeassertedthattheGamesplacedanexcessivepublicfocusonathleticandspiritualaffairsandabolishedthem.用心爱心专心
