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The first recorded games at Olympia were held in 776 B.C. The local inhabitants, the Elians, invited their neighbors to attend. To insure good attendance, a sacred truce was declared every four years, towards the beginning of August. The height of the Olympic festival took place when the sun was at in peak in the sky and the moon was full. Most of the Greek cities sent representatives. In order to participate the the Olympic games, the athlete had to be of Greek descent and free of guilt. The athlete could not have committed a murder, or have robbed a temple, or have taken false oath. Besides these simple requirements, the athlete must have been in training for 10 months, and must have arrived at the site 30 days prior to the games for observation and additional training.
A Greek athlete lifts weights. The gym equipment was simple but effective. Sore muscles were treated by massage. Athletes developed a sense of rhythmic motion by exercising to music.
On the first day of the Olympics, the athletes took an oath of fairness in the bouleterion and participated in a procession to the Temple that culminated in a sacrifice to Zeus. The list of competitors was posted, and the athletes retired to their quarters for ritual dining. Despite the oath, there were recorded instances of cheating. The cheater who was caught was required to erect a "zane" or small statue commemorating the offense. In Pausanius' time, there were numerous zanes bordering the walkways at Olympia.
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