The Olympic Games have existed
since more than 2.500 years. However, they were abolished for nearly 1500
years. The ancient Greeks celebrated Zeus, by meeting at Olympia, ensuring that
the Games remained an important event within the Hellenic world. Thanks to the
latest archaeological digs at Olympia, we currently know that the Games were
still being organised in the 4th century AD.
In 393 AD, Byzantine
Emperor Theodosius I forbade the celebration of pagan cults, including,
therefore, the Olympic Games. This was of course part of the Christianisation
of the Empire, thus many pagan traditions were abolished in order for
Christianity to prevail. Nonetheless, the popularity of sports contests and
cultural festivities continues in many Greek-influenced provinces of the
Byzantine Empire as late as the 6th century AD.
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