Rome hosted the first modern Paralympic Games in 1960.
The event took place from 18 to 25 September 1960, shortly after the Olympic Games in the same city. It developed from the Stoke Mandeville Games, an international sporting event for athletes with spinal cord injuries that had been founded in England by neurologist Ludwig Guttmann.
About 400 athletes from 23 countries competed in Rome. The program included archery, athletics, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, and other events. At the time, the competition was commonly known as the International Stoke Mandeville Games; the term Paralympic Games became official later.
The Rome event is generally recognized as the first Paralympic Games because it brought athletes from multiple countries together in a competition linked directly to the Olympic host city. Tokyo hosted the second edition in 1964, while the Paralympics later developed into the global multi-sport event held alongside the Olympics.