Leonidas of Rhodes is our guide to the Olympic Games, as held in Ancient Greece. Running. Jumping. Throwing. Wrestling. Boxing. Horse racing. We’ve got it all going on! Welcome to Olympia ...

The first known Olympic Games took place in 776BC, 2,800 years ago, at Olympia in southern Greece. To begin with, the Games were held in honour of Zeus, the king of the gods in ancient Greek religion.

Dr Judith Swaddling is an Assistant Keeper in the Greek and Roman Department at the British Museum. She is author of The Ancient Olympic Games, a guide to both the games and the site of ancient ...