Commemorating the return of the 2004 Summer Olympics to its place of origin in Athens, THE REAL OLYMPICS tells the true story of the original games, comparing the Ancient Greek Olympics to the modern games of today. The series examines the ideals, the events themselves, the stories of the athletes and the politics and financial considerations that were as much a part of the Olympics 2000 years ago as they are now. Appealing to sports fans as well as historians, the series juxtaposes contemporary footage with recreations of the early competitions in all their beauty and occasional savagery.