According to ancient tradition, the first recorded Olympic Games held in honor of Zeus took place in 776 BC.
The games were celebrated at Olympia in the western Peloponnese, where Zeus had a major sanctuary. Ancient Greek writers used 776 BC as the beginning of the traditional Olympic chronology, although athletic festivals may have existed before that date. The event was held every four years and attracted competitors and spectators from many Greek communities.
The Olympics were religious as well as athletic. Contests formed part of a festival for Zeus, and the sanctuary included temples, monuments, and offerings. Events eventually included running, wrestling, boxing, chariot racing, and the pentathlon.
The ancient games should not be confused with the modern Olympics, which began in Athens in 1896. The modern movement borrowed the name and some ideals but is a separate institution with different rules and international structures.