Pelops wanted to marry Hippodamia of Pisa. Oenamaus had pursued a thirteen suitors of Hippodamia and killed them all after beating them in a chariot race (because Poseidon or Ares had given him swift or winged horses). He did this because he loved her himself or, alternatively, because a prophecy claimed he would be killed by her son. Pelops (or alternatively, Hippodamia herself) convinced Myrtilus (by promising him half of Oenomaus kingdom), Oenomaus' charioteer to remove the linchpins attaching the wheels to the chariot. Oenomaus died as a result. In memory of Oenomaus, the Olympic Games were created (or alternativily the Olympic Games were in celebration of Pelops victory). Pelops then killed Myrtilus because he didn't want to share the credit for winning the chariot race, or because Myrtilus had attempted to rape Hippodamia. As Myrtilus died, he cursed Pelops. This was the source of the curse that haunted future generation of Pelops' children, including Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon, Aegisthus, Menelaus and Orestes.
Oenomaus' chariot race was one legendary origin of the Olympic Games.
The east pediment of the temple of Zeus depicts the myth of the chariot race of Pelops, held at Olympia.
Oinomaos, with no heir, was presented with a gloomy oracle, fortelling that the husband of Hippodameia would kill him.
To the right of Zeus is Oinomaos, looking confident and proud, then his wife Sterope, then a groom of the horses, then the chariot and horses of Oinomaos, then another figure, possibly Myrtilos, then another soothsayer, and finally, the personification of the river Alpheios.
Oinomaos was king of Elis, and Pisa in western Peloponnese was its capital (not to be confused with Piza in Italy, the site of the ‘leaning-tower’).
At his sides are the opposed couples (Oinomaos and wife Sterope, and Pelops and Hippodameia) flanked by their horses.
Oinomaos would spear the driver, bury his body next to Olympia's hippodrome, and hang the head of his unfortunate victim above the palace gateway.
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