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AncientOlympicGamesThefirstOlympicGamesatOlympiawereheldin776BC.Theybeganasareligiousfestival,wereheldeveryfouryears,andcontinuedforathousandyears.Theywereheldinasacred,fertilevalleyofAncientGreece,inOlympia.AthletescametoOlympiaandtrainedfull-timefortenmonths.Theyhadtoundergoanexaminationbyaten-memberpanel,whoassessedthemontheirparentage,characterandphysicalendowments.Asthegamesapproached,thousandsofspectatorsgatheredinOlympia,transformingthelittlevillageintoathrivingmetropolis.Atthefirstgamesin776BC,until724BC,theonlyeventheldwasthestadium-lengthfootrace(stade).ThelengthoftheracewasbasedonthelegendthatHercules,thegodofPhysicalStrength,ranthisdistanceinonebreath.TheearliestrecordedwinnerattheOlympicswasCoroebusofElis,whowonthe776BCstaderace.AtlaterOlympiads,thediaulos(400yards)andthenthedolichos(3.3miles)wereadded.In680BC,chariotracingappeared.Thecharioteerswereprofessionalswhoracedoverninemilesinthehippodrome（古希腊的跑马场）.Thewinners,wholineduptoreceivethetrophy（战利品）,werethewealthyowners.AlthoughwomenwerebarredfromcompetingattheGames,theyweresometimesdeclaredwinnersbecausetheyownedthehorsesandchariots.TheprizeforvictorsattheOlympicswasasimpleolivetreebranch,whichwascutwithagold-handledknife,fromawildolivetree.TheGreeksbelievedthatthevitalityofthesacredtreewastransmittedtotherecipientthroughthebranch.ThewinningathletegavepublicthankstoZeus,andhishometownorterritorywasconsideredinfavorwiththegods.WhentheEmperorNerobeganhisruleovertheGreeks,theGamesstartedtobecomeafarce.TheRomans,whoweresoldiers,convertedthestadiumintoamphitheatres.Slavescompetedintheplaceoffreeathletes.Theircompetitorswerenolongernobleopponents,butwildanimals.