Temple to Zeus at Olympia

Where was it?

Olympia

What was on the Doric frieze?

The 12 metopes depicted the 12 tasks of Hercules

What was on the west pediment?

A centauromachy (a battle between the half man, half horse centaurs and the Lapiths)

What is the relevance of the centauromachy?

It highlights the victory for the Greeks over the Persians and calls them a civilised nation unlike the Persians

What was on the east pediment?

The tale of Pelops (just before the chariot race where he kills the king Oinomaos to win the hand of Hippodamia)

What is the relevance of the tale of Pelops?

It tells the origin story of the Olympic Games

When was it built?

From 472-456BC

What was the sanctuary called?

The Altis or Sacred Grove of Zeus

What was the cult statue of Zeus made of?

Chryselephantine (ivory and gold) on a wooden framework; Zeus sat on a painted cedarwood throne ornamented with ivory, ebony, gold and precious stones (it was one of the seven wonders of the world)