“The Road to Glory: Following the traces of the majestic Sacred Way of the Olympic Games”

Elis (or Ilida) was the capital of the city-state of the Eleans, which had under its guardianship the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. Elis was the city that hosted the glorious Olympic Games every four years, for the longest period of their super-millennial duration in antiquity.

According to ancient sources, the distance between the capital city of Elis and the Sanctuary of Zeus was 300 stades, about 58 kilometers. The road that connected the two centres was called the 'Sacred Way'. On the eve of the opening of the Olympic Games, and after the completion of a period of hard preparation for the athletes in the gymnasiums of the capital city of Elis, the magnificent Sacred Procession was formed. From Elis the procession reached Olympia, following the Sacred Way on foot and in carriages. Members of this magnificent procession were the Hellanodikai, the priests, the officials of Elis, the athletes with their coaches as well as the "theoroi", the official envoys of the Greek cities. The procession was attended by horsemen and charioteers with their race horses and chariots, the inhabitants of Elis, the inhabitants of the surrounding areas and numerous foreign visitors and pilgrims with their rich offerings and their animals for sacrifice to Zeus. The arrival of the procession in Olympia marked the beginning of another Olympiad.

Today the route is revived and is called the Road to Glory. In the footsteps of the Sacred Way of antiquity, the Marathon of Olympia has been taking place in recent years. Likewise, the torchbearers who carry the Olympic Flame to Elis after each Lighting Ceremony in Olympia, follow approximately the same route, but in the opposite direction. After leaving Elis, the Olympic Flame will finally take its special place in the Olympic Stadium where the Olympic Games are hosted each time.

Watch here the Virtual Tour of The Road to Glory.

Copyediting: Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia