The Olympic Movement began with the Ancient Olympic Games, which were
held in Greece on the Peloponnesus peninsula at Olympia, Greece. It is
not clear why the Greeks instituted this quadrennial celebration in the
form of an athletic festival. The recorded history of the Ancient
Olympic Games begins in 776 B.C., although it is suspected that the
Games had been held for several centuries by that time. The Games were
conducted as religious celebrations in honor of the god Zeus, and it is
known that Olympia was a shrine to Zeus from about 1000 B.C. In modern
time The Olympic Movement attempts to bring all the nations of the world
together in a series of multisport festivals, the Olympic Games, seeking
to use sport as a means to promote internationalism and peace. This
fifth edition of Historical Dictionary of The Olympic Movement covers
its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and
an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1000
cross-referenced entries on the history, philosophy, and politics of the
Olympics, major organizations, the various sports, the participating
countries, and especially the athletes. This book is an excellent access
point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about
The Olympic Movement.