Athens facts

Greece marched twice, both first and last. According to the tradition, Greece always walks first due to its historical status as the progenitor of the Olympics, while the host nation always marches last. Since in Athens, Greece was also the host nation, they walked twice.

The treasury of Athens. Although the Parthenon is architecturally a temple and is usually called so, it is not really one in the conventional sense of the word. It never hosted the cult of Athena Polias, patron of Athens. The Parthenon was actually used primarily as a treasury. For a time, it served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire.

Lyceum. The Lyceum was a gymnasium and public meeting place in Classical Athens named after the Apollo Lyceus, "wolf-god" of the grove that housed the Lyceum.

Greece. The first Games held under the auspices of the IOC were hosted at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens in 1896. The Games brought together 14 nations and 241 athletes. Greek officials, the public and many of the athletes were so enthusiastic about the experience of hosting an Olympic Games, that they demanded that Athens be the permanent Olympic host city.

Panathenaia . The Panathenaic Games were held every four years in Athens in Ancient Greece from 566 BC to the 3rd century AD These Games incorporated religious festival, ceremony (including prize-giving), athletic competitions, and cultural events hosted within a stadium.