The Olympic Games of antiquity began in 776 BCE and were held every four years. Only free Greeks could participate, while those that had committed murder, stolen from a temple or violated the truce were barred. For the Games to be held, it was necessary to respect the Sacred Truce, during which all hostilities were suspended and the city-state of Elis was declared neutral and inviolable. Furthermore, all who wished to visit or participate in the games could travel safely, even through territories with which their home state was at war. During the Games, in the first two weeks of August, 40,000-45,000 people would gather in ancient Olympia to watch or participate in the events. Spectators and athletes suffered from the unbearable heat, flies and mosquitoes. In turn, they were compensated by the exciting spectacle and the anticipation of victory. The Olympic Games started off with a single event, the foot race, and in time the games grew to 18 events. The judges of the Games were called Hellanodikai. Initially there were only two of them but they later became nine and were selected by ballot. Good sportsmanship was of particular importance, such as the fair play rules of “no biting” and also “I give up”, which was when an athlete conceded defeat by holding up his hand with the index finger or both the index and the middle fingers raised. Apart from the athletes, important roles were also played by the trainers who coached the athletes (known as gymnastes and paidotribes), the sanctuary keepers, and the “aleiptes” (the anointers), who massaged the athletes’ muscles with oil before and after each event. The award for the glorious champion was the kotinos, the wild olive wreath that crowned the Olympic victor, who was favored by the gods and worshipped by his city as a hero upon his death.