The most important of all other Greek festivals set the standard for the accurate chronology in Greek history and united all Greeks by the proclamation of ekecheiria (suspension of hostilities) for a three-month period, being heralded by the spondophoroi (citizens of Elis with olive wreaths). Isocrates in his "Panegiricos" comments on the importance of the Games as they remind all of their common heritage. On the banks of the Alpheios river in Peloponnese, a tradition with Pan-Hellenic character, which united the widely dispersed Greeks, continued uninterrupted for 1100 years, from 776 B.C. (date of the first Olympiad) until Theodosius' decree in 394 A.D. The Olympic victory reflected on the home city of the athlete, whose name was inscribed in historical memory. In front of the temple of Zeus, he received the prize in a moment of mystical communion with the gods. His return to the city was through a demolished part of the fortification walls, an act, which signified the dispensability of them. Fame followed him for the rest of his life and immortality was ensured. The title of the first among the best, especially in the pentathlon (jumping running, javelin, discus, wrestling), which co-ordinated in a balanced way all parts of the body, was the highest honor. Most of the competitions had mythical battles as their prototypes, thus elevating the athletes to the level of gods and semi-gods and whose agon (competitive effort) became the embodiment of their drive to excel.