\paperw3690 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs22 Near Olympia in Elis, the northwestern region of the Peloponnesus, there had been a sacred area ever since the Mycenea
n era. In the first millennium it became famous for the worship of \b \cf4 \ATXht103 Zeus and Hera\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 . It was here that the Olympic Games were held every four years during the eighth century BC. The competitions, staged in honor of Zeus, at
tracted delegations from the whole of the Greek world. The winning athletes acquired great glory among the Greeks and their deeds were celebrated by illustrious poets and represented by famous sculptors. Heracles was considered the mythical founder of th
e games, but their reorganization took place from the eighth century onward, commencing in 776 BC.\par
