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They were held in honour of the god Zeus. Christian emperor Theodosius showed his Christian tolerance by banning them.
Theodosius I, Emperor of the Roman Empire, banned the Olympics in 393 AD. The next time the Olympics were held was in 1896.
The Christian emperor Theodosius I ordered an end to the ancient Olympic games in 393.
In 393 the Christian Theodosius I (or the Great) outlawed the Olympic games as part of his banning of pagan festivals. However, archaeological evidence indicates that some games were still held after this date.
The games were held in honour of the god Zeus, and emperor Theodosius, a committed Christian, banned them for religious reasons.