History of the Olympic Games

Beijing or Peking as it was formerly called is the capital of the People's Republic of China. Located in the North China plain, it is one of the most developed cities in Asia. This metropolitan city shows China's progress throughout the ages. With its age old customs and the history of Chinese Royal families it is a great introduction to China with its distinctive Oriental charm on the one hand and on the other it tells of beautiful well planned roads, huge apartments, financial firms and industrial houses, swanky malls, and a buzzing business district.

With the advent of industrialization and globalization, Beijing has gained momentum as one of the superpowers in the modern world. The city has been making to the international headlines on an off recently for the 2008 Beijing Olympics that is going to be held in this ancient city. Before venturing forth about the Olympics it is important for us to know about the History of the Olympic Games.

History of the Olympic Games is as interesting and eventful as the games itself. Olympics in ancient Greece had a religious and social connotation more than as a source of entertainment. Olympic Games began way back in 776 B.C in Olympia in Greece. The four year gap in between the Olympic Games can be traced back to the four year cycle of the Greek calendars based on Olympiad. The first Olympics were held in Elis in Greece. A temple dedicated to Zeus was constructed in the stadium. Incidentally Zeus is considered to be the greatest of the gods in Greek mythology. Scholars have found out that the Olympic Games existed even before that and King Iphitos was instructed by the Delphi oracle to plant an Olive tree. We still see the custom of presenting the olive wreaths to the victors.

2008 Beijing Olympics
Competition Venues for 2008Beijing Olympics	Events ansd Schedules of 2008 Beijing Olympics
History of the Olympic Games	Mascots of 2008 Beijing Olympics
Medals of the Beijing 2008 Olympics	National Olympics Committee
Opening Ceremony and Torch Relay
2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Sports

There are many myths and stories in Greece related to the History of the Olympic Games. The two more pronounced ones are that of Hercules and Pelops. Pelops was a hero in ancient Greece and he hailed from Asia Minor. He asked to marry Oinomaos daughter who challenged him for a chariot race. The rest of the myth goes on to tell how he won the race by his intelligence and went on to celebrate it with the Olympic games. Hercules or Herakles as he is known in Greece is supposed to have organized the Olypic Games in respect of his father Zeus.