When it comes to leisure and sport in the Classical era, it is important to comment on the Olympic Games. Although this event has evolved since its inception in 776 BC, it is still known throughout the world today. The first Olympic Games were held in the Greek city of Olympia, ninety miles west of Athens. The games were originally a religious ceremony in honor of the Greek god Zeus. Boxing, wrestling and sprinting were just some of the events included in the early years of the Olympics. The games continued for over a thousand years before an empire turning to Christianity abolished them. This new government rejects the “pagan origins” of the games. It was only at the end of the 19th century that Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games and returned them to Greece. He was quoted as saying: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but participating, just as the most important thing in life is not triumph but struggle." The main thing is not to have won but to have fought well” (“Long history of the Olympic Games”). The tra...