Olympia

Olympia, of course, is the home of the Olympics which were held every 4 years from the 8th century BC until the 4th century AD. Before and after the Olympics was a 6 month period of peace between all the city-states of Greece. Only Greeks could compete, but anyone including slaves and foreigners could watch the games (except for married women). The area was dominated by the temple of Zeus (460 BC). The East portal depicts the chariot race of Pelops and the west portico, the battle of Lapith and the Centaurs, both of these are in the museum. Second to the temple of Zeus is the temple of Hera (his wife) where the Olympic Torch is lit. Most of these temples were destroyed during an earthquake in 526 AD. We also saw the remains of many of the training rooms, the circular Philippcon, and a 5th century church, built here to signify the end of the Greek gods. Lining the way to the stadium are 16 bases of Zanes (statues of Zeus) paid for as a fine by the men and their towns who cheated at the games, only 16 cheaters in 1200 years. The stadium itself has grass rather than stone seats, because the Olympics were held at the full moon of August in the heat.

Results of 526 AD earthquake on Temple of Apollo

The museum here was superb with bronze offerings from the 9th century BC, the porticoes, the Nike of Paionios (the sculptor) which celebrated the victory of the Messenians and the Nasapactians over the Spartans, and a beautiful statue of Hermes. Sculpted by Praxiteles, he was the first to use human features to depict the gods in 340 BC.

Hermes with baby Dionysos

In the afternoon, we began our drive to Delphi, stopping in Patra to see the Basilica of St. Andrew.