ed at Olympia； on the banks of the Alpheus； in the territory of Elis。 The origin of the festival is lost in obscurity； but it is said to have been revived by Iphitus； king of Elis； and Lycurgus the Spartan legislator； in the year 776 B。C。； and； accordingly； when the Greeks at a later time began to use the Olympic contest as a chronological era； this year was regarded as the first Olympiad。 It was celebrated at the end of every four years； and the interval which elapsed between each celebration was called an Olympiad。 The whole festival was under the management of the Eleans； who appointed some of their own number to preside as judges； under the name of the Hellanodicae。 During the month in which it was celebrated all hostilities were suspended throughout Greece。 At first the festival was confined to a single day； and consisted of nothing more than a match of runners in the stadium； but in course of time so many other contests were introduced； that the games occupied five days。 They comprised various trials of strength and skill； such as wrestling boxing； the Pancratium （boxing and wrestling combined）； and the complicated Pentathlum （including jumping； running； the quoit； the javelin； and wrestling）； but no combats with any kind of weapons。 There were also horse…races and chariot…races； and the chariot…race； with four full…grown horses； became one of the most popular and celebrated of all the matches。
The only prize given to the conqueror was a garland of wild olive； but this was valued as one of the dearest distinctions in life。 To have his name proclaimed as victor before assembled Hellas was an object of ambition with the noblest and the wealthiest of the Greeks。 Such a person was considered to have conferred everlasting glory upon his family and his country； and was rewarded by his fellow…citizens with distinguished honours。
During the sixth century before the Christian era three other national festivalsthe Pythian； Nemean； and Isthmian games which were at first only local became open to the whole nation。 The Pythian games were celebrated in every third Olympic year； on the Cirrhaean plain in Phocis； under the superintendence of the Amphictyons。 The games consisted not only of matches in gymnastics and of horse and chariot races； but also of contests in music and poetry。 They soon acquired celebrity； and became second only to the great Olympic festival。 The Nemean and Isthmian games occurred more frequently than the Olympic and Pythian。 They were celebrated once in two yearsthe Nemean in the valley of Nemea between Phlius and Cleonaeand the Isthmian by the Corinthians； on their isthmus； in honour of Poseidon （Neptune）。 As in the Pythian festival； contests in music and in poetry； as well as gymnastics and chariot…races； formed part of these games。 Although the four great festivals of which we have been speaking had no influence in promoting the political union of Greece； they nevertheless were of great importance in making the various sections of the race feel that they were all members of one family； and in cementing them together by common sympathies and the enjoyment of common pleasures。 The frequent occurrence of these festivals； for one was celebrated every gear； tended to the same result。
The Greeks were thus annually reminded of their common origin； and of the great distinction which existed between them and barbarians。 Nor must we forget the incidental advantages which attended them。 The concourse of so large a number of persons from every part of the Grecian world afforded to the merchant opportunities for traffic； and to the artist and the literary man the best means of making their works known。 During the time of the games a busy commerce was carried on； and in a spacious hall appropriated for the purpose； the poets； philosophers； and historians were accustomed to read their most recent works。
The habit of consulting the same oracles in order to ascertain the will of the gods was another bond of union。 It was the universal practice of the Greeks to undertake no matter of importance without first asking the advice of the gods； and there were many sacred spots in which the gods were always ready to give an answer to pious worshippers。 The oracle of Apollo at Delphi surpassed all the rest in importance； and was regarded with veneration in every part of the Grecian world。 In the centre of the temple of Delphi there was a small opening in the ground； from which it was said that a certain gas or vapour ascended。 Whenever the oracle was to be consulted； a virgin priestess called PYTHIA took her seat upon a tripod which was placed over the chasm。 The ascending vapour affected her brain； and the words which she uttered in this excited condition were believed to be the answer of Apollo to his worshippers。 They were always in hexameter verse； and were reverently taken down by the attendant priests。 Most of the answers were equivocal or obscure； but the credit of the oracle continued unimpaired long after the downfall of Grecian independence。
A further element of union among the Greeks was the similarity of manners and character。 It is true the difference in this respect between the polished inhabitants of Athens and the rude mountaineers of Acarnania was marked and striking； but if we compare the two with foreign contemporaries； the contrast between them and the latter is still more striking。 Absolute despotism human sacrifices； polygamy； deliberate mutilation of the person as a punishment； and selling of children into slavery； existed in some part or other of the barbarian world； but are not found in any city of Greece in the historical times。
The elements of union of which we have been speaking only bound the Greeks together in common feelings and sentiments： they never produced any political union。 The independent sovereignty of each city was a fundamental notion in the Greek mind。 This strongly rooted feeling deserves particular notice。 Careless readers of history are tempted to suppose that the territory of Greece was divided among comparatively small number of independent states； such as Attica； Arcadia； Boeotia； Phocis； Locris； and the like； but this is a most serious mistake； and leads to a total misapprehension of Greek history。 Every separate city was usually an independent state； and consequently each of the territories described under the general names of Arcadia； Boeotia； Phocis； and Locris； contained numerous political communities independent of one another。 Attica； it is true； formed a single state； and its different towns recognised Athens as their capital and the source of supreme power； but this is an exception to the general rule。
CHAPTER IV。
EARLY HISTORY OF PELOPONNESUS AND SPARTA； DOWN TO THE END OF THE MESSENIAN WARS； B。C。 668。
In the heroic age Peloponnesus was occupied by tribes of Dorian conquerors。 They had no share in the glories of the Heroic age； their name does not occur in the Iliad； and they are only once mentioned in the Odyssey； but they were destined to form in historical times one of the most important elements of the Greek nation。 Issuing from their mountain district between Thessaly； Locris and Phocis； they overran the greater part of Peloponnesus； destroyed the ancient Achaean monarchies and expelled or reduced to subjection the original inhabitants of the land； of which they became the undisputed masters。 This brief statement contains all that we know for certain respecting this celebrated event； which the ancient writers placed eighty years after the Trojan war （B。C。 1104）。 The legendary account of the conquest of Peloponnesus ran as follows：The Dorians were led by the Heraclidae； or descendants of the mighty hero Hercules。 Hence this migration is called the Return of the Heraclidae。 The children of Hercules had long been fugitives upon the face of the earth。 They had made many attempts to regain possession of the dominions in the Peloponnesus； of which their great sire had been deprived by Eurystheus； but hitherto without success。 In their last attempt Hyllus； the son of Hercules； had perished in single combat with Echemus of Tegea； and the Heraclidae had become bound by a solemn compact to renounce their enterprise for a hundred years。 This period had now expired； and the great…grandsons of HyllusTemenus； Cresphontes； and Aristodemusresolved to make a fresh attempt to recover their birthright。 They were assisted in the enterprise by the Dorians。 This people espoused their cause in consequence of the aid which Hercules himself had rendered to the Dorian king； AEgimius； when the latter was hard pressed in a contest with the Lapithae。 The invaders were warned by an oracle not to enter Peloponnesus by the Isthmus of Corinth； but across the mouth of the Corinthian gulf。 The inhabitants of the northern coast of the gulf were favourable to their enterprise。 Oxylus； king of the AEtolians； became their guide； and from Naupactus they crossed over to Peloponnesus。 A single battle decided the contest。 Tisamenus； the son of Orestes； was defeated and retired with a portion of his Achaean subjects to the northern coast of Peloponnesus； then occupied by the Ionians。 He expelled the Ionians； and took possession of the country； which