The ancient Olympic Games were held in a sacred valley at Olympia at western Greece. The earliest records of the Games go back to 776 B.C.. These contests were held every four years. They were important to the Greeks. When they took place, all wars were stopped. No one dared to break the truce of Olympic. Criers announced the names of winning athletes everywhere in the land. Artists made statues of them. Poets wrote about the Olympic heroes. The first Olympians raced the length of the stadium at Olympia--about 200 yards. But later other events were added:longer races, broad jumping, the javelin throw, the marathon race, and the discus throw. Then boxing, wrestling and horseback riding were also added. In the beginning, only Greeks competed in the Games. But in later centuries, athletes from other lands joined. In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered Greece. Soon the Games began to change. Under the Romans, they became rougher, wilder, and bloodier. Many professionals took part, which was against the spirit of the Olympics. Finally, Emperor Theodosius of Rome decided that the Olympics were a public danger. He died away with them after the Games of A.D. 392. They had lasted over 1,000 years. Fifteen hundred years passed. Then, in the 1890's, Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France began to interest nations in bringing the Games back. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. They have been held every four years since then, except during the two world wars. The Romans took over the Olympics by  _  .
thinking of new games outrunning the Greeks having better athletes defeating the Greeks in battle