James Romm talks to Tom about the site of the Ancient Greek games, the subject of a new book by Judith Barringer, Olympia: A Cultural History. They discuss the various contests in which athletes competed, the punishment for those found cheating, the importance of the games as a political platform, and the colossal statue of Zeus in whose honour they were held.
Produced by Anthony Wilks / Music by Kieran Brunt
Image: Discobolus, Attic red-figure drinking cup by the Kleomelos Painter, c.510-500 BC, Athens, on display in the Louvre.
