In ancient Greece athletic festivals were very important and had strong religious associations. The Olympian athletic festival held every four years in honor of Zeus, king of the Olympian Gods, eventually lost its local character, became first a national event and then,after the rules against foreign competitors had been put to an end, international. No one knows how far back the Olympic Games go, but some official records date from 776 BC.  The games took place in August on the plain by Mount Olympus. Many thousands of people gathered from all parts of   Greece to watch the games, but no married woman was admitted even for watching. Slaves, women and dishonored persons were not allowed to compete. The exact sequence of events is uncertain, but events included boy's gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, horse racing and field events, though there were fewer sports involved than in the modern Olympic Games. On the last day of the Games, all the winners were honored by having a ring of holy olive  leaves placed on their heads. So great was the honor that the winner of the foot race gave his name to the year of his victory. Although Olympic winners received no money, they were, in fact, richly rewarded by their state authorities. In ancient Greece, the Olympic Games  _  .
was held by Zeus, king of the Olympian Gods was a religious event was first a national event held every four years was an international event held in honor of Zeus