He had one last Olympic moment: appearing at the 1936 Berlin Games and presenting Adolf Hitler an olive branch from Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the games. Louis died four years later. The marble stadium will again be the marathon finish at this month's games. Archery will also use the famous venue.

Louis' great grandson, 27-year-old car salesman Manolis Louis, will be one of the last torchbearers before the Olympic flame enters the main Athens stadium north of the city.

The event will cap a very difficult Olympic homecoming. But one that's worth it, say many Olympic historians.

"The Olympics are seen as this universal, global institute. But if after the Greek experience they decide that only big, modern cities can host the Games, then they run into troubles because (the Olympics) won't be as universal and global as they say," said Alexander Kitroeff, a history professor at Haverford College and author of a recent book on Greek identity and the games. "Then the Olympics become a sort of jeweled big boys' club . . . This is not what was in mind back in 1896."