Ever since ancient Greek times, the Olympics have been held every 4 years since 776 bc. They were primarily hosted as part of a religious ceremony in honor of Zeus, the father of Greek gods and goddesses. It was names the Olympics after Mt. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. The games originally started as simple foot races but soon incorporated numerous other games. The games were abolished in 393 by a Roman emperor who said they had pagan influences. The games were reborn as the modern Olympics in Greece in 1896. They were revived on an international scale and the whole world was open for competition. The modern Olympic flag is 5 linked rings, each representing a color of competing nations. Today the Olympics take place in major world cities every 4 years.
Sources:
http://www.runtheplanet.com/resources/historical/ancientolympics.asp
http://history1900s.about.com/od/fadsfashion/a/olympicshistory.htm
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