This view of the Olympic Games has its roots in ancient Greece. Early historic records date the first Ancient Olympic Games to 776 BC, when the core values of Olympism first began to develop into benchmarks of human creativity and excellence.
Over the centuries, the Games would illuminate examples of extraordinary achievement. They would become the stage for the celebration of noble competition and the educational value of sport until 393 AD, when Emperor Theodosius abolished them for being "too pagan".
In 1896, thanks to the great efforts of Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, Dimitrios Vikelas, and other contributors, the first Modern Olympic Games were held in the country of their birth.
The Greek nation and the whole world embraced their revival and once again turned them into the greatest celebration on earth. In the century to follow, the Games traveled to countries around the world, encountering a wide range of cultures and civilisations, facing new challenges, growing, and evolving.
On March 25, 1896, (Old Calendar) or April 6th, 1896 (New Calendar) a triple celebration began in the Greek capital. The first Modern Olympic Games were underway, while the 75th anniversary of the Declaration of Greek Independence and
Easter Monday were all celebrated at one and the same time. This sporting, national and religious coincidence made the Games an unprecedented success.
Approximately 300 athletes from 13 countries participated in this first modern Olympics and competed in 9 different sports: Track and Field, (Marathon Race), Swimming, Cycling, Fening, Gymnastics, Shooting, Lawn Tennis, Wrestling and Weightlifting.Among the national sporting delegations that attended, Greece had the largest, with 230 athletes who won 10 gold medals.Spyros Louis, a Greek man with no special training, won the gold medal competing against an all Greek field in the Marathon race, and became a legend admired by the Greek public and the world.
(Click on the pic to see it bigger)