We visited Ancient Olympia, the site of the first Olympic games in 779 B.C.E. There are many notable excavations on site like the Stadium, Temple of Zeus, and the Leonidaion. Walking into the Stadium some of us experienced chills imagining past athletes thousands of years ago walking through this very gate, or was this just a result of the frosty morning weather? As we sat like spectators, we envisioned scenes of bearded judges and throngs of sweaty people sitting elbow to elbow on the grassy inclines under the summer sun. For the most intrepid of the group, a footrace of great intensity was re-enacted. Luckily those who ran were not required to run nude, as in antiquity. However, under the freezing January conditions, this may have made for a more invigorating experience than the ancient, traditionally summer games. In addition to our younger generation of athletes we also held a geriatric track and field competition of equal intensity.
Another impressive site was the Temple of Zeus, which is the largest temple in the Peloponnese region. The temple’s colossal size makes it a suitable dedication to the sovereign god of Olympia. The temple had six columns at each end and 13 on each side. The enormity of the columns was remarkable. Several drums of columns had fell due to an earthquake in the 6th century, which lay on the grass, as Dr. Salowey remarked, like rows of giant Oreo cookies. Standing on the columns of the Leonidaion, we knew that the lush green grounds, olive trees, shelly limestone and marble ruins of once grand structures of Ancient Olympia would remain in our minds for years to come.
