The Olympics started in Greece around 800 BC in Athens in honor of Zeus. The games' athletes were all rich because they needed to train for ten months before going to the Olympics. In addition to that they were expected to have royal banquets if they won which they would fund themselves, so participation in the Olympics was largely for rich people. Women were also not allowed to participate in the Olympics. Until the 128th Olympics women were not allowed to participate or spectate. The Olympics started out as a few footraces but then progressed to add chariot races, boxing, wrestling, and a game called Pancratium. "Pancratium combined boxing, wrestling, kicking, biting, gouging, and strangling. Men were often permanently killed or injured during this event". The Olympics eventually faded away when the Romans took over and the Greek civilization declined. In 1896 the games were resurrected by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in Athens, Greece. Since then the games have been continuously held in cities around the world (except for WWI and WWII). The winter Olympics were added in 1924 so that every two years there would be Olympics, alternating between summer and winter.
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