Olympia is a small town in Elis, Greece, famous for its location near Mount Olympus, and as the home of the first Olympic Games in 776 BC. Olympus was founded in 1500 BC, and a religious cult of Zeus developed around 1000 BC. Olympia became a sanctuary in the 9th century BC, and, in 776 BC, Olympia became home to the first Olympic festival. From 676 to 580 BC, Olympia was occupied by Pisatis, but Elis reconquered Olympia with Spartan aid. The Classical period marked the golden age of Olympia, and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia was built in the mid-5th century BC. During the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games were opened up to all Roman citizens, and the Romans built or repaired several buildings in the city. The 3rd century AD saw Olympia's devastation by a series of earthquakes, and, in 426 BC, the Temple of Zeus was destroyed by the Christians. Repeated floods led to Olympia's complete abandonment in the early 7th century AD. A modern village was founded near Olympia, and, by 2011, Olympia had a population of 13,409 people.
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