A Brief History of the Modern Olympics – and the Winner’s Curse

The first Olympic Games are traditionally dated to 776 BC. The games were held all over ancient Greece; but the most famous were held every four years at the sanctuary of Olympia, in the Peloponnese, as part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus.

These Games drew tens of thousands of people, who gathered to watch athletes compete in events such as running, boxing, discus, long jump, and pentathlon; to pay homage to the giant gold and ivory statue of Zeus; and to witness the ritual sacrifice of 100 oxen. Athletes competed, usually naked, for the chance to win a wreath of leaves and receive a hero’s welcome upon returning home.