The Olympic Games (Grade 4, Language Arts, September 25, 2023)

            The Olympics is an event with many games, like basketball, volleyball, and discus throw. Though it is now a worldwide event, it originated in the ancient city of Olympia, Greece, in honor of the Greek Olympian pagan god, Zeus. 

 

            The Olympics started around 800 BC, but the term “Olympic” was not used until 776 BC. It was named the Olympic Games after Olympia, the city it was based in. Unfortunately, in AD 392, the games were banned by a Roman emperor named Theodosius I for being “pagan.”

 

            Fortunately, in 1892, the Olympics were revived. There is a major race in the Olympics called the marathon that was made in honor of the Greek victory over Persia at the Battle of Marathon. A messenger ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to tell the Greeks about the victory over the Persians. Runners now run the same distance in a race. 

 

            Though the Olympic Games were first played almost 3,000 years ago, they are still played today. It is just one way that history repeats itself.