The Olympic Games began in 776 B.C. in ancient Olympia.  There are two mythological¹ versions as to how they started.  The first is the myth of Pelopas from whom the Peloponnese has taken its taken (the isle² of Pelops.)  According to the myth, King Inomaos of Pissas, invited the suitors of his daughter Hypodamea to a chariot race.  Whoever won would take Hypodamea as his wife and whoever lost... would lose his head!  Pelopas, prince of Lydia of Asia Minor³ was one of the suitors.  With the help of Myrtilos the charioteer, he formed a plan to beat Inomaos in the chariot race by sabotaging⁴ his chrariot.  As a result, Pelopas prevailed in the race when Inomao's chariot overturned; killing⁵ him.  Pelopas married Hypodamea and to celebrate his victory founded the Olympic Games.
             
According to another myth, the Games were founded by the demigod Hercules.  In his fifth Labor⁶, he agreed with king Avgeas of Ilia, to clean his stables, and in exchange would receive one - tenth of his cows.  Avgeas did not keep his promise and Hercules declared war, which he won.  After the victory, and in honour of his father Dias (Zeus) Hercules founded the Olympic Games.

In 776 B.C. the first Olympic Games of ancient times were held, an institution which lasted 1,170 years, until 393 A.D. when they were banned as a pagan rite⁷, by the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius the 1st.  At first, only free Greek citizens were allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.  Later, under the Roman Empire, all citizens of the Empire had the right to participate.  The Games took place every 4 years, during the first full moon after the summer solstice.  At first they lasted only one day, but as different sports were added, the time required to participate grew longer, reaching 5 days.  While the Games were in progress the Ancient Greeks obeyed the rule of the Sacred Armistice⁸, which meant the stopping of all hostilities⁹ and forbidding the execution of the death penalty.  At first the Sacred Armistice lasted for a month, but later it lasted for three.

Women were forbidden to enter the stadium during the Games, and punishment for breaking the rule was an automatic death sentence by being thrown off Mt. Typeo.  Only Kallipatira, daughter of the Olympic winner in boxing Diagoras, was able to watch the Games without being convicted.  The judges showed mercy because of her "Olympic descent."