Olympian Hippodrome discovery

A team of German archaeologists have recently made a tantalising discovery in the ruins of Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese. Noted for the dubious honour of the Roman emperor Nero competing here for Olympian laurels, the Hippodrome, once thought to have been lost forever, has been unearthed.

Prior to this, scholars and archaeologists had knowledge of the hippodrome only through written sources. Although archaeologists have been tirelessly excavating the site since 1875, nothing has been found until now. Pausanias alludes to the excitement of the Hippodrome;

“They now draw level with those who have drawn the lot for the second place and the starting ropes are lowered here; this procedure continues until all the horses are level in a row at the tip of the prow. At this point the drivers can begin to demonstrate their skills and the speed of their horses,”

Olympia is one of the many fascinating sites that we explore on our Peloponnese tours. Perhaps just being there gives a huge insight into why the modern Olympic Games is always steeped in so much politics and often considered the embodiment of the human spirit.