Hellenic blood, and were frequented by spectators from all parts
of the Grecian world. They were celebrated at Olympia, on the
banks of the Alpheus, in the territory of Elis. The origin of
the festival is lost in obscurity; but it is said to have been
revived by Iphitus, king of Elis, and Lycurgus the Spartan
legislator, in the year 776 B.C.; and, accordingly, when the
Greeks at a later time began to use the Olympic contest as a
chronological era, this year was regarded as the first Olympiad.
It was celebrated at the end of every four years, and the
interval which elapsed between each celebration was called an
Olympiad. The whole festival was under the management of the
Eleans, who appointed some of their own number to preside as
judges, under the name of the Hellanodicae. During the month in
which it was celebrated all hostilities were suspended throughout
Greece. At first the festival was confined to a single day, and
consisted of nothing more than a match of runners in the stadium;
but in course of time so many other contests were introduced,
that the games occupied five days. They comprised various trials
of strength and skill, such as wrestling boxing, the Pancratium
(boxing and wrestling combined), and the complicated Pentathlum
(including jumping, running, the quoit, the javelin, and
wrestling), but no combats with any kind of weapons. There were
also horse-races and chariot-races; and the chariot-race, with
four full-grown horses, became one of the most popular and
celebrated of all the matches.

The only prize given to the conqueror was a garland of wild
olive; but this was valued as one of the dearest distinctions in
life. To have his name proclaimed as victor before assembled
Hellas was an object of ambition with the noblest and the