The traditional Olympics The ancient Olympics were the apex of Greek athletic competition, with its wreath awards, large crowds, and famous champions. The ancient Olympics have frequently been regarded through the lens of the contemporary Olympics since the Olympics were resurrected in the late nineteenth century CE. Both sports are exercises that test human strength and fitness; both have religious roots. However, while the modern Olympics are held every four years, the ancient Olympics were only held once in a year. Also unlike the modern Games which have multiple sport disciplines, the ancient Olympics had only one type of event: a parade of athletes competing in single-elimination tournaments. The origins of the Olympic games date back to 776 B.C. when they were founded by Prince Charondas of Athens as an annual celebration of athletic skill and courage. For the first three years, the events included wrestling, boxing, and foot racing; from 772 to 770 B.c., these competitions replaced the older practices of combat between warriors and chariot drivers or horsemen and continued until the advent of modern sports such as tennis, football, and basketball. In 748 B.C., two more events, pentathlon (five events) and heptathlon (seven events), were added to the program. By the end of the sixth century B.C., the number of events had increased to eleven, including running, jumping, throwing, and fighting contests.