Katakolan is a picturesque seaside town overlooking the Ionian Sea. We docked around 8:00, but didn’t disembark until 10:00. Lawrence, Trisha, Jerry and I boarded a bus for 10 euros each to get to Olympia Greece, about 1/2 hour away.
Ancient Olympia contains a number of interesting ruins. The massive ivory and gold statue of Zeus that used to stand here was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Jerry is pointing to where this was. Olympia is considered sacred ground and modern-day Olympia still figures prominently in the Olympic Games.
In fact, the Olympic flame is lit here by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror in front of the Temple of Hera, and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held. When Athens hosted the Olympics in 2004, the men’s and women’s shot put competition was held at the restored Olympia Stadium.
When we arrived in Olympia, it was the most gorgeous day you can imagine. The temperature was perfect, the trees are in bloom and the birds were singing.
As you will see, the archeological site is mainly ruins and there weren’t many signs describing what we were seeing! According to legend, the western Peloponnese was Pisan domain. Oinomaus was King, and his daughter married Pelops (of the rival kingdom). By 1000 B.C. ritualistic games were being held in honor of their union. The event only involved local competitors at first, but gradually other city-states joined in. By 776 B.C. Eleian leader Iphitos rededicated the games to honor Zeus, opening the first Olympiad. According to record, a 200 meter inter-city competition was held at the Stadium. Afterward, pan-Hellenic contests were held every 4 years, attracting athletes from all Greek city-states. During each game, an “Olympic Truce” was declared (an official hiatus on hostilities between city-states).
This is the Philippeion (end of 4 century B.C.) A circular building donated by Phillip II after the battle of Chaeronea 338 B.C. Completed by Alexander The Great. It was decorated with ancestor’s busts.
The Stadium (middle of the 5th Century B.C.). The Stadium held 45,000 spectators. The judges sat in concrete chairs. Jerry and I ran the original track where the very first Olympics were held.
The Base of Paeonios’ Victory (5th Century B.C.). There was a winged victory statue on top of this base back in the day.
The Leonidaion (end of 4th Century B.C.). This building was for the accommodations of the officials; a swimming pool was in the middle.
These are wheels, we don’t know what they were used for, but you can see the axel hole. Their cement has a lot of rocks and shells in the mixture.
There were Roman Baths, where ritual cleansing was performed.
We then went to the Olympia Museum. The Museum has the actual statues and artifacts found there. The damage was done by earthquakes.
The games ended in 393, but were revived 15 centuries later in 1896 and continue right up through today. This year the games will be held in London, though the flame will start here. Thought of Judy a lot today – am so proud of her carrying the Olympic Torch!
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