The traveler Pausanias (2nd century P.C.), refered to the capital of Ilia, by describing gymnasiums, lodges, temples and sanctums, but no public buildings.They were decorated by a number of statues and sculptures made by famous artists of ancient times. Ilioi gave great attention to the organization of the games, which is obvious by the picture of the city’s market. Friends and relatives came with them and as a result exceptional foreigners from the main Greece and the islands, as well as rich immigrants of Micra Asia, Pontos, Great Greece and Africa. The athletes, according to the rules had to come to Ilida one month before the games for workout. The games were organized every five years most possibly in July. The main target of the state was not the political, but the cultural and other matters of the public and mostly the organization of the Olympic Games. and gained it back with the assistance of the Spartans in 580 B.C.įrom that point on to the end of the 5th century the city flourished. the year when the first Olympic Games were held, the residents of Ilia were responsible for the protection of the Temple, which they lost in 668 B.C. With this ‘holy treaty’ the whole area was considered sacred, thus securing peace and the success of the games. by the descendant of king Ifitos, who signed a treaty with king Likourgos of Sparti and Kleistheni of Pissa. The games were reorganized in the 8th century B.C.

Oxilos founded the Olympic Games when he embodied the Holly Temple of Olympia in the city-state of Ilida. This is proven by the various findings of sub- Mycenaean, proto-geometrical and geometrical times (1100-700 B.C.). The city of Ilida was established, when Oxilos, who had come from Aitolia in the 12th cent. Its residents are referred in Ilida as Epoioi, who took part in the Troic war, with Polixeno as their leader. During the Mycenaean period about (1600-1100 B.C.) it was one of the four most important attractions of the area. The findings so far have shown that the Ilida area was populated, even as a small agricultural perish, from the Proto- Hellenic era (almost 2800-2000 B.C.). It was in the forefront however, for a long time since it had the custody of the Greek temple of Olympia and the flawless organization of the Olympic Games. The ancient city- state of Ilida developed in North West Peloponnesus, 40 km from Ancient Olympia and far away from the big city centres of the rest of Greece and it didn’t play an important role to the military and cultural actions that took place.

Greek games 2000 b.c