The word originates from the Greek word "stadion" (στάδιον), a Greek measure of length approximately 200 metres. The oldest known stadium is the one in Olympia, in the western Peloponnese, Greece, where the Olympic Games of antiquity were held since 776 BC. Initially 'the Games' consisted of a single event, a sprint along the length of the stadium. Therefore the length of Olympia's stadium was more or less standardised as a measure of distance. The practice of standardising footrace tracks to a length of 180–200 metres (200-220 yd) was followed by the Romans as well. Greek and Roman stadiums have been found in numerous ancient cities, perhaps the most famous being the Stadium of Domitian, in Rome.
The first stadium to be used in modern times, and the only one to be used during the 19th century, was the excavated and refurbished ancient Panathenaic stadium which has hosted Olympic Games in 1870, 1875, 1896, 1906, and 2004. The excavation and refurbishment of the stadium was part of the legacy of the Greek national benefactor Evangelis Zappas.
The Australian organizing committee for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games incorrectly minted the image of the Colosseum arena of Rome on all the medals awarded to Olympic medal winners. The Colosseum has never hosted an Olympic Games.
