How did the Olympic truce protect travelers to and from Olympia?

The Olympic truce, known as the Ekecheiria, did not require Greek city-states to cease their ongoing wars with one another during the ancient Olympic Games. Instead, the truce functioned primarily as a protective measure for the site of Olympia and those traveling to attend the festival.1

Specifically, the agreement forbade any government or individual from interfering with anyone traveling to and from the Olympics. This provision ensured that athletes and spectators were granted safe passage through all participating city-states, allowing them to reach the festival without the threat of being targeted by military forces or political rivals. By establishing this protected status, the truce facilitated the international nature of the Games, as it allowed individuals from separate, often warring, political states to gather safely at the sanctuary of Olympia.12