| In antiquity, when the fame of a sanctuary | | | | to their assistance, and that they should choose a |
| spread beyond its immediate borders, it was | | | | prominent place somewhere in Greece and |
| believed that not only the sanctuary, but also its | | | | establish there competitions in honour of Zeus |
| athletic competitions, were founded by gods and | | | | Olympius. The leaders delegated Heracles who |
| heroes and that they were the first to have | | | | chose the site of Olympia which was devoted to |
| taken part in the competitions. The beginnings of | | | | Zeus. He established horse races and gymnastic |
| the Olympic games are lost, deep in the mists of | | | | competitions, defined the prizes and the rules of |
| time, but the myths concerning their foundation | | | | the competitions and sent Theoroi (official |
| are many and varied and reflect the religious | | | | representatives of the competition committee) to |
| beliefs of the different peoples who inhabited the | | | | announce them in the towns. |
| area. | | | | The peaceful landscape of Olympia hosted the |
| One myth names the founder of the games as | | | | worship of many deities who followed, one after |
| Heracles Idaeus, who came from Crete with his | | | | the other, embracing various mythological |
| brothers, the Curetes, and organized a race with | | | | traditions which are now long forgotten in the |
| a wild olive branch as the prize. Another dominant | | | | depths of time. The data from excavations and |
| tradition was that the competitions were | | | | mythological study show that the first inhabitants |
| organized by Pelops, son of Tantalus, after having | | | | of this area made offerings to a female deity, |
| beaten Oenomaus in a chariot race. According to | | | | Gaia, the wife of Uranus. Her sanctuary, the |
| other myths, the competitions were established | | | | Gaion, was located at the southern foot of the Hill |
| by Zeus after he had beaten Cronus at wrestling, | | | | of Cronus which, as the name indicates, was |
| or by Apollo after he had beaten Hermes in a | | | | devoted to Cronus, a god of Cretan origin. At the |
| race and Ares in a boxing match. There is also a | | | | same time, besides Gaia, other gods were also |
| legend which says that the founder of the | | | | prominently worshipped in the area: Cronus, Rhea, |
| competitions was Clymenus of Crete, a | | | | Themis and Heracles Idaeus, the sanctuaries of |
| descendant of Heracles Idaeus, and another | | | | whom may have been gathered at the foot of |
| declaring that the competitions were established | | | | the Hill of Cronus. One more important god or |
| by Heracles, the famous son of Alcmene. | | | | demon of the Eleans was Sosipolis, who had a |
| Diodorus informs us that after the end of the | | | | temple in Olympia where he was honoured |
| Argonautic expedition, Heracles suggested to the | | | | together with Eilithyia. He was a snake-like divinity |
| leaders and heroes who were preparing to return | | | | who seems to have been very respected, as the |
| home that they should vow that if any of them | | | | Eleans were accustomed to invoking him as the |
| needed help in the future, the others would come | | | | guardian of oaths. |