Elis: The cradle of the Olympic Games

In the heart of Ilia, at the point where the valley of the Pineios river transforms into a fertile plain, the archaeological site of ancient Elis (Ilida) is waiting to unfold its legends and great history to the visitor. Elis was the administrative center and the largest city in population of the homonymous state of the Eleans.

The history of Elis, one of the most important cities and state capital of the ancient world, is lost in the depths of the centuries. Having under its custodianship the glorious sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, it gained fame and respect among the Greeks as the metropolis of the Olympic Games. The entire territory of the ancient state of Elis, whose borders roughly coincide with modern times Ilia, was sacred and under the protection of Zeus, due to the sanctuary of Olympia, which was recognized and respected by the rest of the Greeks.

The inception of habitation of the place can be traced at the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic (130/120000 BC) and lasts, with gaps, until the end of the early Byzantine era (7th century AD). The city of Elis experienced particular prosperity when it included in its territory the once mythical kingdom of Pisa, in whose territory the Sacred Altis was located. The king of Elis Iphitos, following an oracle he received from the Oracle of Delphi, reorganized in 776 BC the forgotten mythical Games and established the Sacred Truce as a premise for their safe conduct. The entire society of Elis dedicated itself to the service of the Olympic Games, which, due to the success they experienced, became the model of worship for many more sanctuaries of the Greek world.

Elis, as the organizer of the festival every four years, ensured that the common god of the Greeks, the supreme Zeus, was honored in the best way and that the "aristos", the most powerful and devouted believer, the Olympic victor, who would be distinguished through the competitive games, was glorified. Elis flourished until the Roman period. The theater, the ancient market with the stoes, the sanctuaries and public buildings, the main town with its streets, houses, shops, workshops and cemeteries, the rich finds from all periods, attest to the glorious past of the capital Elis. The written testimonies complete the image of the glamor and prosperity that the city experienced, where, among other monuments, are mentioned its sports facilities that are waiting their turn to be excavated and come to light.

The predominance of Christianity in late antiquity, combined with the raids of various barbarian tribes as well as the serious natural disasters that occured, led to the decline and finally the definitive disdain and abandonment of the city, which is also observed in the Sanctuary of Olympia. The oldest and most recent excavations in the archaeological site of Elis are gradually revealing the rich history of the city, while there are many interventions and projects to protect and highlight its monuments by the competent services.

Copyediting: Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia