Ancient Olympia

Scenes fron around the site of ancient Olympia, Pellopenese, Greece.
Although the modern Olymics is something of a media circus, the original Olympics, some 2500 years ago, was very much a religious affair.
The site of the original Olmpics was very sacred to the ancient Greeks.
This video portrays how the site looks today. It was destroyed by a huge earthquake, following years of decay after the Romans ( in the early days of Christianity ) deemed the site as pagan and antichristian, and banned the games.
The site was home to the very sacred Temple of Apollo, which housed the Statue of Zeus, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World. The statue was destroyed in a fire at Constantinople following it's removal to that city.
At the original games the athletes performed naked, and women were strictly forbidden.
Many of the events are the same as are held in our modern Olympics, and at every games, the Olympic torch is lit at Olympia before being carried to the city which is hosting the Olympics to light the Olympic Flame there.
At the original Olympic games, even though many of the individual Greek kingdoms were at war, a holy truce was recognised a month before the games to alow athletes from all Greek kingdoms the safety to travel and compete.

Видео Ancient Olympia канала SonicSouvenir