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Map of the Peloponnese region of ancient Greece with Elis, Pisa, and Olympia (underlying map © Google) The people of Elis decided to build a new Temple of Zeus to celebrate their victory. They hired a local architect, Libon of Elis, to plan and build the structure.
Here you will find incredible sculptures such as the decoration of the temple of Zeus, as well as the famous Hermes of Praxiteles and the statue of Nike of Paionios. Olympia was the birthplace of the most famous and important sporting event in the ancient world.
- Early History
- Temple of Zeus
- The Olympic Games
- Decline
First inhabited in the second millennium BCE, the first archaeological record of dwellings dates from 1900 to 1600 BCE. The Kronion hill at the site was perhaps the first place of worship, dedicated to Kronos. However, other sacred buildings at the foot of the hill in the sacred grove of wild olive trees, or Altis, indicate other deities were worsh...
The first large building at the famous ancient sanctuary site was the Heraion, a temple dedicated to Hera built around 650-600 BCE. In the 5th century BCE the sanctuary reached its peak of prosperity, and the massive 6 x 13 column Temple of Zeus was completed in 457 BCE in order to house a huge ivory and gold statue of the leader of the Olympian go...
Sporting events were originally associated with funeral rituals, for example, the funeral games instigated by Achilles in honour of Patroklos in Homer's Iliad. Some mythological accounts credit Zeus with beginning the Games to celebrate his victory over Kronos; other accounts state Pelops began them in honour of Oinomaos. In any case, sport, a heal...
With Emperor Theodosios' decree to prohibit all cult practices and pagan festivals, the Games came to an end in 393 CE after a run of 293 Olympics over more than a millennium. The famous sanctuary site gradually fell into decline, was partially destroyed under the decree of emperor Theodosios II in 426 CE, and was taken over by a Christian communit...
- Mark Cartwright
Set in the world of humans, Gods and monsters. Olympus tells the story of how a few brave men and women banished the Gods to the realm of the unconscious - a place they called the Underworld or the Kingdom of Hades.
The Temple of Zeus was the largest and most important building at Olympia and one of the largest Doric temples in Greece. Built about 460 bce by the architect Libon of Elis, the temple was made of a coarse local shell conglomerate, the exposed surfaces being covered with a coat of fine white stucco. The temple had 6 columns across the front and ...
- Eugene Vanderpool
Coordinates: 37°58′9.74″N 23°43′59.08″E. The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Greek: Ναός του Ολυμπίου Διός, Naós tou Olympíou Diós), also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, is a former colossal temple at the centre of the Greek capital, Athens.
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Through immersive narratives, vivid imagery, and insightful explorations, our website beckons you to unravel the nuances of each Olympian deity’s character, their roles in shaping the world, and the myths that immortalize their exploits.
