Conversation so far:
who participated in the olympic games in ancient greece
Only Greek and boys, who were free citizens, not criminals, and whose city states agreed to participate in the Olympic truce of the games, were allowed to compete.
when did the olympic games start in ancient greece
Although the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896.

Question: what was the reason for the games
Self-contained rewrite: what was the reason for the olympic games in ancient greece