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According to some literary traditions, this was the only athletic event of the games for the first 13 Olympic festivals or until 724 bC. Contrary evidence, both literary and archaeological, suggests that the games may have existed at Olympia much earlier than this date, perhaps as early as the 10th or 9th century bC. A series of bronze tripods have been found at Olympia, some of which may date to the 9th century bC, and it has been suggested that these tripods may in fact be prizes for some of the early events at Olympia.

The athletic events included: three foot races (stadion, diaulos, and dolichos) as well as the pentathlon (five contests: discus, javelin, long jump, wrestling, and foot race), pugme (boxing), pale (wrestling), pankration, and the hoplitodromos.

How we got from the Ancient Olympics to the Modern Games? Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, from 776 bC through 393 aD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894. His original thought was to unveil the modern Games in 1900 in his native Paris, but delegates from 34 countries were so enthralled with the concept that they convinced him to move the Games up to 1896 and have Athens serve as the first host. The first Modern Winter Olympic games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. There was no winter Olympic festival in ancient times.