Why Were The Olympics Started?

The Olympics were basically started as religious ritual, conducting contests along with sacrifices and ceremonies honouring both Zeus and Pelops.  The celebration was spread over a number of days after the number of events increased to twenty.

Based on information in Olympiads, the first Olympic Games were held in Greece 776 BC. However scholars believe that date back as early as 884 BC and as late as 704 BC. The Olympics reached its zenith in the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The games declined in importance as Romans gained power. Olympic Games were considered a pagan festival after Christianity became the official religion. Olympics were outlawed by emperor Theodosius in 393 AD as they were considered in discord with Christian ethics, thus putting an end to a thousand year old tradition. They were revived in the seventeenth century at the sports festival that was held in Shropshire, England.  The first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896in Athens.