Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece

In the eighth century B.C. the city-states of Greece were in a constant state of war, until King Iphitus stopped the blood-shed by reviving an ancient tradition-an athletic contest to honor the gods. A truce was declared, so the warring groups could come together in peace to compete at the sacred grove at Olympia. Those games would survive for hundreds of years becoming the inspiration for our modern Olympic Games. The site of Olympia will forever be revered as the birthplace of a great tradition that still unites the world in the spirit of peace and athletic competition. With spectacular illustrations, Olympia revisits those early games-the holy rituals, the chariot racing and equestrian events, the ancient pentathlon, the wrestling, the boxing-all the skills of war that readily developed into the challenge of sport. Dyan Blacklock and David Kennett bring to life the sights, sounds, and excitement of this age-old, sacred tradition.