The first Olympic Games depend on whether you mean ancient or modern Olympics:

  • The first ancient Olympics were traditionally held in 776 BCE in Olympia, Greece.
  • The first modern Olympics (under the International Olympic Committee) were held in Athens, Greece, from 6–15 April 1896.

If someone asks “when were the first Olympics?” in a general history context, they usually mean the ancient Games in 776 BCE , but in a sports/TV context people often mean the modern Games in 1896.