Olympia, Greece

Olympia is a small town located in the Elis region of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece.

It is most famous for the nearby archaeological site of the same name. This site served as a major Panhellenic religious sanctuary during ancient Greek history. A Panhellenic center was a place that brought together people from many different Greek city-states. These gatherings helped build a shared identity for the ancient Greeks as a nation. The site is situated in the valley of the Alfeios River.

The Kladeos River, a tributary of the Alfeios, forms the western border of the area. To the north of the sanctuary lies Mount Kronos. While the name sounds similar, Olympia is not located near Mount Olympus in northern Greece.

The heart of the sanctuary was a sacred precinct known as the Altis. The name Altis likely comes from an Elean word meaning "the grove." This is because the area was naturally wooded with trees like olive and plane trees.

The Altis was an irregular quadrangular area that was walled on most sides. It was primarily dedicated to the god Zeus, though other deities were worshipped there as well. The poet Pindar described the creation of this space through several specific steps. He suggested that Heracles used a surveying instrument called a stathme to lay out the grove. He then fixed the borders of the Altis and cleared the surrounding space. This created a plain for festivals and a place to honor the Alfeios River.

Archaeological evidence shows that the site was a massive complex of religious and social buildings. There were over 70 temples in total, along with various altars and statues. The site also contained many treasuries, which were buildings used by different city-states to store offerings. The sanctuary sprawled beyond its main boundary walls, especially in the areas used for athletic games. To the north, one can find the Prytaneion and the Philippeion.

The Metroon is located to the south of the treasuries, while the Echo Stoa sits to the east. To the west, the site included the palaestra, the gymnasion, and the workshop of the sculptor Pheidias. The Temple of Zeus was one of the most significant structures in the Altis. It housed a massive chryselephantine statue of Zeus. This term refers to a statue made of gold and ivory on a wooden frame. This incredible sculpture was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The ancient Olympic Games were held at this site every four years. These games took place from the 8th century BC until the 4th century AD. They were conducted in honor of Zeus during his festival. The games drew visitors from across the entire Greek world. To protect these visitors, a famous Olympic truce was established. This truce mandated safe passage for travelers, though it did not stop all wars in Greece. In 1894, the Olympic Games were restored on a global scale. This was done to honor the ancient ideal of peaceful international competition for excellence.

One of the most important features of the site is the stadium.

The ancient stadium was a field with start and end lines marked by transverse curbing. Athletes entered the field through a vaulted corridor known as a crypt.

Spectators watched the events while sitting on the sloping flanks of the field. The length of this specific field became the standard unit of distance called a stadion. There were at least three different stadiums at the site, labeled Stadium I, II, and III. Only Stadium III remains today. This stadium is approximately 177 meters long. The length of a stadion was defined as 600 podes, which were ancient Greek feet. The specific length of a foot varied, but Stadium III implies a pous of 320.45 mm. This measurement is very close to the 324 mm used in the Doric order of architecture.

The site also contains the Pelopion, which is the tomb of the king Pelops. Pelops was a quasi-mythical figure and an ancestor of the kings involved in the Trojan War. The existence of this tomb suggests that Pelops may not have been entirely mythical.

Excavations at the Pelopion have found ceramic evidence dating back to the 11th century BC. This includes materials from the submycenaean and protogeometric periods. The site is very large, and visiting the full area requires extensive walking. There are over 760 significant buildings located within the archaeological site. Many of these structures remain as ruins for modern visitors to see.

Geography has changed the landscape of Olympia over thousands of years. In ancient times, the coastline was much closer to the site. Professor Andreas Vött notes that the sea was likely eight kilometers closer than it is today. Now, the Gulf of Kyparissia in the Ionian Sea is about 22 kilometers away. The modern village of Olympia has likely been inhabited continuously since ancient times. It continues to service the archaeological site located to its southeast. Visitors can explore the ruins and view moveable artifacts in one of the three museums on site. The history of Olympia connects ancient religious traditions to the modern global sporting culture.