Around 3,000 years ago, the ancient Olympics were held in Greece, first brought back in the 19th century. The event had an image of the most popular event in the world of sports. It was held every 4 years in the ancient city of Olympia.
The modern version of the Olympics started in 1896 in Greece, with around 280 participants from various nations taking part in it.

The Olympics Begin in Ancient Greece

Historical records indicate that the first Olympic Games were held in 775 BC, and it's believed that they began with the actions of Heracles.

The ancient Olympics were held somewhere in Greece, which was referred to as Olympia. The event was brought to life during a religious festival that was held from August 6 to 19. Historians were influenced by the ancient Olympics, which led to the creation of the term Olympiads, which refers to the duration of the games.
Following the 13 Olympiads, various events were added to the program, such as the Dolichos and the Diaulos. The former is a race that's about as fast as a 5,000-meter race, while the latter is comparable to a 400-meter race.
Wrestling, boxing, and Pankration were introduced in 688 BC, 648 BC, and 688 BC, respectively.
Women were not allowed to join the ancient Olympics, and only men were allowed to participate. The event only featured Greek men.

Decline and Revival of the Olympic Tradition

The quality and standards of the Olympics started to diminish after the Roman Empire took over Greece in the 2nd century BC. During this time, an aristocrat known as Nero, who was regarded as a thief, claimed that he won a race despite his horse falling off. In AD 393, Theodosius ended pagan festivals, which had been going on for almost 12 years.
Around 1,500 years after the ancient Olympics ceased, a new version of the event was created. It was started by Pierre de Coubertin after he visited the site. He was motivated by his passion for promoting physical fitness.
In 1892, during a gathering of sports administrators in Paris, he suggested holding the Olympic Games every four years. After some time, he was able to secure enough support to establish the International Olympic Committee. The IOC would be responsible for overseeing the modern Olympics.

The Olympics Through the Years

King Georgios I, along with a massive crowd, greeted the athletes from different nations during the opening ceremony of the 1896 Olympic Games held in Athens. The participants took part in 43 events.
Even if no events were held, the following Olympics were still numbered. These were the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Olympics. The modern Olympic symbol features interlocking rings that represent the continents of Europe, North America, South America, and Africa.
The flag with the Olympic symbol was displayed during the Antwerp Olympics in 1920.
The Olympics became a global sports spectacle after 1924. Paris hosted the VIII Olympic Games, which brought together athletes from 44 nations. It featured the Winter Olympics for the first time.
When the Summer Olympics were brought back to Greece in 2004, around 11,000 athletes from various nations joined the event. A shotput competition also took place that year at the site of the ancient Olympics.