First played almost 3,000 years ago, the Olympic games have always been a reflection of the best of human virtues. In ancient times winners were commemorated with poems and statues, and the noble spirit of the competitors remains alive today. Although the ancient Olympic games are the precursors of modern games, the competitions and the conduct of the contestants are very different from what exists today. In the ancient world, athletes preferred to die rather than admit defeat. This philosophy takes sporting spirit takes to an entirely new level.
In the ancient Hellenic world, sporting competitions to demonstrate physical and mental excellence were very popular and conducted as a way to honour Zeus, their supreme god. Most Greek city-states held their own games, but some were more prestigious than others, and brought competitors from all over the Hellenic world.
However, the actual origins of the Olympic games remain a mystery, despite the wealth of information we have today. As is typical of the ancient world, myths and legends often arise to account for otherwise historical events. References to the Olympics appear in many legends, most likely fantasy invented by ancient storytellers and poets. Homer described the ancient Greeks more as great warriors, and less as famous athletes getting standing ovations from the crowd. Most likely, sports and cultural competitions were the result of the Greeks’ political stability, as well as aristocratic ideas of mind and body training by all social classes.