Zappas Olympics

Athens, Greece. A Greek merchant funded the first modern revivals

Overview

Evangelis Zappas, a wealthy Greek patriot, paid for revived Olympic contests in Athens in 1859, 1870 and 1875. Farmers, soldiers and craftsmen competed in the Panathenaic Stadium, restored with his funding, for prizes in athletics. The Zappas games proved that a revival could draw crowds, paving the road to 1896.