The original Olympics Games were held for a month every four years from at least the ninth century BC until the fourth century AD. Wars between the Greek city–states stopped to enable the Games to go on. They were a rare occasion to bring all Greeks together, women were not permitted to watch and so held their own games. Athletes competed without clothes. This guarded against the unlikely possibility of women taking part disguised men – now of course the problem is reversed.
Sport at war
The modern Olympic movement, which began in Athens in 1896, was also based on high ideals. The Games were seen as an international unifying factor, it was hoped that countries would put their effort into sport rather than war.
