According to literary tradition, funeral games were a regular feature of Mycenean Greek society. The Iliad describes the funeral games held by Achilles in honor of Patroclus,Homer, Iliad book 23. and a similar competition was attributed by Virgil to Aeneas, who held games on the anniversary of his father's death.Publius Vergilius Maro, Aeneid book 5. Many of the contests were similar to those held at the Olympic Games, and although those were held in honor of Zeus, many scholars see the origin of Olympic competition in these earlier funeral games.
