The Olympic Games were a sporting competition that probably began in 776 BC. They were held every four years (each Olympiad) in Olympia, originally lasting one day, but due to their ban in 393 AD they could last up to five days. As for their origin, many different theories have been discussed by historians – ideas ranging from King Iphitos of Elis asking the Oracle how to end civil wars, to entertainment for the newborn Zeus – whatever he in itself, the Games appear to have since started for other purposes (i.e. religious or political purposes) as opposed to "just for fun". The politics of the ancient Olympic Games had a dominant influence – it could be argued that sporting competitions were merely a vehicle through which political influence could be exerted. Games have become a platform for politicians, allowing them to announce new political alliances during games. They were also used by city-states (independent entities consisting of a city and perhaps its surrounding territory) to proclaim supremacy over other city-states and their rivals. In addition to producing victors, city-states and other countries found other sneaky ways to achieve victories. influence. In addition to participating in the athletic and equestrian competitions of the games, political tyrants of the 6th and 7th centuries BC dedicated inordinate offerings to the golden statue of Zeus at the Olympic site. This flamboyant display of religious devotion won the tyrants favor in the eyes of the gods and this, they believed, would help them emerge victorious from all kinds of battles, while also making them appear rich and powerful in the eyes of their enemies. can learn from Plutarch that the spectators (50,000 of whom could enter the stadium) themselves were at least more concerned with politics than...... middle of paper ...... and closing the five days with shunted sport enters. The statue of Zeus created by Pheidas, arguably the best artistic offering to Zeus, measuring 13m tall and made of solid gold, was located in Olympia for a reason: the Olympics were a hive of activity and worship, more than a hive of activity. and sport/politics. The Games were held in honor of Zeus, and attending them was considered a pilgrimage to his most sacred place (i.e. the grove, known as Altis).In conclusion, I believe that the Olympics were undeniably a political event, and it was clearly also a sporting event – ​​although religion, I discovered, dominated the festival as opposed to sport or politics. The Olympic Games were much more of a religious celebration than a political event or sporting competition, although overall the Games were actually a mixture of all three..