According to historical records，the first{{U}} (1) {{/U}}Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC.They{{U}} (2) {{/U}}dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the{{U}} (3) {{/U}}plains of Olympia.They continued for nearly 12 centuries，{{U}} (4) {{/U}}Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D.that aU such"pagan cults"{{U}} (5) {{/U}}banned.
The oldest myth which concerns the beginning of the{{U}} (6) {{/U}}Games is that of Idaios Daktylos Herakles.According to other{{U}} (7) {{/U}}，Zeus，the father of humanity，fought and defeated Cronus in a{{U}} (8) {{/U}}for the throne of the gods.Finally，the well-known{{U}} (9) {{/U}}Herakles is mentioned who staged games in Olympia in honour{{U}} (10) {{/U}}Zeus,because the latter had helped him conquer Elis when{{U}} (11) {{/U}}went to war against Augeas.
Through the 12 centuries of{{U}} (12) {{/U}}Olympic Games，many wonderful athletes competed in the stadium and{{U}} (13) {{/U}}hippodrome of ancient Olympia's sacred area，moving the crowds with{{U}} (14) {{/U}}great achievements.Although mortal，their Olympic victories immortalised them.Of{{U}} (15) {{/U}}best athletes who left their mark on the sacred vallev {{U}} (16) {{/U}}Olympia，some surpassed all limits and became legends by winning{{U}} (17) {{/U}}successive Olympic Games and remaining at the forefront of their{{U}} (18) {{/U}}for more than a decade.
The ancient Olympic Games were{{U}} (19) {{/U}}a one.day event until 684 BC.when they were extended{{U}} (20) {{/U}}three days.In the 5th century B.C.，the Games were extended again to cover five days.