The stadion that we see now in Olympia is the third one that was constructed in the fifth century BC.
When the Olympic Games were first instituted in 776 BC they were probably celebrated in the flat space on the eastern side of the Altar of Zeus, on the southern foot of the hill on which the treasuries stood. The first stadion was constructed on the same spot at the beginning of the 6th century BC.
At the end of the sixth century, the stadion was moved toward west and in the fifth century it was further moved toward west, to the current position. The reason of these moves was probably that with the success of the Olympic Games it became necessary to secure a larger space.
The ground is 212.54m long and 28.50m wide. The distance between the start and end lines (in situ) are 600 Olympian feet, i.e. 192.27m.
In the north embankment, there is an altar of Demeter Chamyne (the alter itself is of the Roman period) which can be seen in this photo. This is where the priestress of Demeter - the only woman allowed to see the Olympic Games - stayed.
On the southern bank, on the other side of the Demeter's altar, was situated the exedra of the judges (Hellenodikai). It can be seen in this photo, but more visible in the top photo.
Marble start (or goal) line.
The capacity of the stadion was from 40,000 to 45,000. There were some marble seats for eminent guests, but mostly the spectators sat directly on the ground. Only in the Roman period, wooden seats were constructed.
In the photo right is the vaulted entrance to the Stadion, constructed in the Hellenistic period (according to Vikatou; Barber writes that it is of the 4th century BC (reconstruction of).
Only the athletes, judges, officials and priests were allowed to use this entrance. The spectators came in from the embankment.
Reference
- Robin Barber, Greece (Blue Guide), London- N.Y. 2001 (Revised reprint of the 6th edition of 1995), p. 321-322.
- Olympia Vikatou, Olympia : the Archaeological Site and the Museums, translated by Myriam Caskey, Athens : Ekdotike Athenon, 2006, p. 29-30.
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