Final answer:
Nemea was an ancient site in Greece where the Nemean games, an athletic and religious event, were held. These games had facilities including a vast hippodrome and were important for worship and defense dating back to the Mycenaean period.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nemea was a site in Ancient Greece where the Nemean games were held, similar to the Olympic Games but less known. These games were athletic events featuring displays of strength and endurance, attracting contestants across the Greek world. Accompanying these games were significant religious rituals dating back to the Mycenaean age, with archaeological evidence suggesting early defensive structures and a history of worship at the site.
The facilities of the Nemean games included a hippodrome for chariot races, which could seat over 80,000 spectators, and various other structures such as the Baths of Zeuxippus and the Milion monument. These structures served as a testament to the grandeur of Greek athletic events and their connection to religious and cultural traditions. The Nemean games were part of a network of panhellenic games which included the Olympic, Pythian, and Isthmian games, each associated with specific sanctuaries and deities.