Shortly
prior to the start of the Olympics, three "spondophoroi" wearing
crowns of olive branches, would leave Elis to announce the truce. Initially
this was for one month but later on, (from the 5th century B.C.), three
months, (calculated from the day of departure of the "spondophoroi"). During
the sacred truce, athletes and spectators could travel unmolested to
Olympia.
No acts of hostility were allowed in the area of Elis (present-day Ileia),
and nobody could enter bearing arms. Any violation of the ceasefire was
considered irreverence to Zeus himself, to whom the event was
dedicated. Apart from a few exceptions, the truce was observed as being
sacred and in view of the fact that for the Greeks the athletic
festivals were of great significance. Mention is made of King Philip the
Second of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great, who sought pardon
and paid the penalty when one of his mercenaries impeded the Athenian
Phrynon from travelling to Olympia to attend the festival.
Shortly
prior to the start of the Olympics, three "spondophoroi" wearing
crowns of olive branches, would leave Elis to announce the truce. Initially
this was for one month but later on, (from the 5th century B.C.), three
months, (calculated from the day of departure of the "spondophoroi"). During
the sacred truce, athletes and spectators could travel unmolested to
Olympia.