Give appropriate background to the site of Olympia. Where is it? How is the site controlled as the venue for one of the Crown Games? (Think: who controls Olympia?) When did religious activities start at the site—and what did that entail? Are there important myths that are connected to the site that add to its history?
Explore the site, with a brief overview of important elements that illustrate that this is not only a religious sanctuary—but also a site for athletic competitions. Choose at least three of the following structures to describe and briefly explain their cultural and historical significance at the site of Olympia:
Temple of Hera
Temple of Zeus and its architectural decoration
Stadium
Treasuries
Bouleuterion
Leonidaion
Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus and Regilla
When concluding your paper, consider thinking about: why is Olympia, the site and the games that occurred there, so important for Greek society and culture?
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