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SacredSitesofAncientGreece

TempleofHephaistos

TheTempleofHephaestusincentralAthens,Greece,isthebestpreservedancientGreektempleintheworld,butisfarlesswell
knownthanitsillustriousneighbour,theParthenon.ThetempleisalsoknownastheHephaesteumorHephaesteion.Itissometimes
calledtheTheseum,duetoabeliefcurrentinByzantinetimesthatthebonesofthelegendaryGreekheroTheseuswereburied
thereinfactthebonesallegedtobethoseofTheseuswereburiedinthe5thcenturyBCatanothersitenearertotheAcropolis.
Thetempleislocatedabout500mnorthwestoftheAcropolisandabout1kmduewestofthemoderncentreofAthens,Syntagma
Square.Itwasbuiltinabout449BConwhatwasthenthewesternedgeofthecityofAthens,inadistrictwhichcontainedmany
foundriesandmetalworkshops.ItwasthereforededicatedtoHephaestos,thegodofblacksmithsandmetallurgy.Itwasdesigned
byIctinus,oneofthearchitectswhoworkedontheParthenon.Itstandsonaslightriseandinancienttimescommandedafineview
oftheAgora.
BuiltofmarblefromMountPentelus,intheDoricstyle,thetempleishexastyle,thatiswithsixcolumnsunderthepedimentedends,
andhasthirteencolumnsoneachside(countingthecornercolumnstwice).Thetempleisperipteral,withcolumnsentirely
surroundingthecentralenclosedcella.IntheentablaturethereistheplainfriezethatisexpectedwiththesoberDoricmode,but
aboveitinthespacesbetweenthetriglyphswhicharelikedecorativelygroovedbeamendspeggedintoplacethelaboursof
Heraclesaredepictedinbasrelief.SculptedintothelowreliefmetopeisthegreatstoryofTheseusandofhisquesttokillthe
minotaur.
UnliketheParthenon,thetemplehasallitscolumnsandpedimentsintact,andevenhasmostofitsoriginalroof.Itsfriezesandother
decorations,however,haveinevitablybeenbadlydamagedbythievesandlootersoverthecenturies.Itowesitssurvivaltoits
conversiontoaChristianChurch,theChurchofStGeorge,inthe7thcenturyAD.Thesurvivaloftheexteriorcameatthecostof
theancientinterior,whichwasremovedandreplacedbythestructuresofaChristianchurch.
DuringthecenturiesofOttomanruleinGreece,thetemplewasthemainGreekOrthodoxchurchinAthens.Whenthefirstkingof
independentGreece,KingOthon,enteredthecityin1834,theservicewelcominghimtohisnewcapitalwasheldinthe
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church.TodaythetemplehasbeenpreservedasanarchaeologicalsiteunderthesupervisionoftheEphorateofAntiquitiesofthe
GreekInteriorMinistry.Thetempleitselfhasasmallfence,butthevisitorcangetmuchcloserthanispossibleattheParthenonor
mostotherantiquitiesinGreece.Thetempleisnowsurroundedbyanornamentalgarden.Thesitegetsmuchlesstouristtrafficthan
theAcropolisandisapleasantgreenspotintheheartofAthens.

TheAcropolisinAthens
TheAcropolisishighabovethecityonanaturalprominence.

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MountOlympus

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MountOlympussthehighestmountaininGreece,at2,917(or2,919,accordingtonewmeasurements)metershighitissituatedat
40052N22212E,inmainlandGreece.
MountOlympusisnotedforitsveryrichflorawithseveralendemicspecies.ThehighestpeakonMountOlympusisMitikas,which
inGreekmeans"nose."TherearetworefugesonaplainaboutfortyfiveminutesawayfromMitikas.Mitikasisthehighestpeakin
Greece,thesecondhighestbeingStefani.
InGreekmythology,MountOlympusisthehomeoftheTwelveOlympians,theprincipalgodsintheGreekpantheon.TheGreeks
thoughtofitasbuiltupwithcrystalmansionswhereinthegods,suchasZeus,dwelt.Theetymologyandmeaningofthename
Olympus(Olympos)isunknown,anditmaybeofPreIndoEuropeanorigin.

TheTumulusofMarathon

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ThefertileplainofMarathonwasanaturalplacefortheestablishmentanddevelopmentofhumanactivityfromprehistorictoRoman
times.HereonthisplainthebattlebetweentheAtheniansandthePersianswasfoughtin490B.C.TothisgreateventMarathon
owesitsworldwidefameanditsimportantplaceintheconscienceoftheancientGreeks.TheMoundwasraisedoverthegravesof
the192Athenianswhodiedinthebattleandwhoseremainswereburiedhereaftercremationofthedead.

TheatreandTempleofApolloinmountainouscountryatDelphi

Delphi,Greece
LocatedaboutonehundredmilesnorthwestofAthensistheancientsiteofthepanhellenicsanctuaryofDelphi.Thecomplexof
buildings,whichincludestheTempleofApollowheresatthefamousoracle,ThesacredCorycianCave,andtheCastalianSpring,is
nestledintheforestedslopesandrockycragsonthesouthsideofthesacredmountainMountainsandtheSacredcalledParnassus.
ThesitehadbeensacredsinceatleasttheBronzeAge.Accordingtolegend,theshrinewasoriginallyguardedbytheshedragon
Pytho.ShewaskilledbyApollowhothentookovertheoracle.Inantiquity,Delphiwasregardedasthecentreoftheworld.

TempleofApollo

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Thevisibleruinsbelongtothelasttemple,datedtothe4thcenturyBCE,whichwasperipteral,inDoricorder.Itwaserectedonthe
remainsofanearliertemple,datedtothe6thcenturyBCE.Insidewasthe"adyton",thecentreoftheDelphicoracleandseatof
Pythia.Themonumentwaspartlyrestoredduring19381941.

CastalianSpring

InGreece,thePhaedriades("theshiningones")werethepairofcliffs,ca700mhighonthelowersouthernslopeofMt.Parnassos,
whichenclosethesacredsiteofDelphi,thecenteroftheHellenicworld.Strabo,PlutarchandPausaniasallmentionedthe
Phaedriadesindescribingthesite,anarrowvalleyofthePleistus(todayXeropotamos)formedbyParnasseandMt.Cirphis.
BetweenthemrisestheCastalianSpring.Eventoday,atnoontime,therockfacesreflectadazzlingglare.
TheCastalianSpringintheravinebetweenthePhaedriadesatDelphiiswhereallcomerstoDelphi,thecontestantsinthePythian
GamesandespeciallysuppliantswhocametoconsulttheOracle,stoppedtowashtheirhair.Twofountainsfedbythesacred
springsurvive.Thearchaic(early6thcenturyBCE)fountainhousehasamarblelinedbasinsurroundedbybenches.Thereisalsoa
HellenisticorRomanfountainwithnicheshollowedintherocktoreceivevotivegifts.TheCastalianSpringpredatesallofclassical
Delphi:thearchaicguardianofthespringwastheserpentordragonPython,killedbyApolloinitslairbesidethespring.

SanctuaryofPoseidonandAthenaatSounion

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ThesanctuaryatSounionisoneofthemostimportantsanctuariesinAttica.Sporadicfindspointtotheconclusionthatthesitewas
inhabitedintheprehistoricperiodbutthereisnoevidenceofreligiouspracticeinsuchanearlydate."SounionHiron"(sanctuaryof
Sounion)isfirstmentionedintheOdyssey,astheplacewhereMenelaosstoppedduringhisreturnfromTroytoburyhishelmsman,
PhrontesOnetorides.
Thefindsofthe7thcenturyB.C.arenumerousandprovetheexistenceoforganizedcultontwopointsofthepromontory:atthe
southernedgewherethetemenosofPoseidonwassituated,andabout500m.totheNEofit,wherethesanctuaryofAthenawas
established.
Importantvotiveofferingswerededicatedduringthe6thcenturyB.C.,butthearchitecturalformofbothsanctuariesremained
unpretentiousuntilthebeginningofthe5thcenturyB.C.,whentheAtheniansinitiatedtheconstructionofanimposingporostemple
inthetemenosofPoseidon.
Thebuildingwasnevercompleted,though,asboththetempleandtheofferingsweredestroyedbythePersiansin480B.C.Inthe
followingdecades,Sounion,liketherestofAttica,flourished,andanimportantbuildingprojectwasundertakenatbothsanctuaries.
Attheendofthe5thcenturyandduringthePeloponnesianWar,theAtheniansfortifiedSounioncape.
Fromthe1stcenturyB.C.onwards,thesanctuariesgraduallydeclinedandPausanias,whosailedalongthecoastofthepromontory
inthemid2ndcenturyA.D.,wronglyconsideredtheprominenttempleonthetopofthehillasthetempleofAthena.Thesiteofthe
templewasknowninthefollowingcenturies,asisprovedbydescriptionsofmoderntravelers,whovisitedSounionbeforethe
excavationsstarted,aswellasbygraffitionthestones,amongwhich,thatmadebyLordByron.
RestrictedexcavationsinthesanctuaryofPoseidonwereconductedin1825bytheDilettantiandbytheGermanarchitectW.
Doerpfeld.Systematicinvestigationwasundertakenbetween1897and1915bytheAthensArchaeologicalSociety,underthe
directionofVal.Stais,withthecollaborationofA.Orlandos.Since1994,theArchaeologicalSocietyhasbeencarryingout
excavationsattheFortress.

SanctuaryofPoseidon

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Itissituatedinthesouthernmost,highestpartofthepromontory.Theareawasevenedoffandsupportedbymeansofretaining
wallsonthenorthandwestsides.APropylonwasconstructedonthenorthside,andporticoesalongthenorthandtheeastforthe
accommodationofthepilgrims.ThesitewasdominatedbytheClassicaltemple.
AttheendoftheArchaicperiodanimposingtemplewasconstructedinthepositionoftheClassicaloneseentoday,butitwas
slightlysmallerindimensions.ItwasDoric,madeofporos,withanexternalcolonnadeof6x13columns,andaninternalonewhich
supportedtheroof.ItsconstructionwasinterruptedbythePersianinvasionandthetempleremainedunfinished.
Thelatertemple,theonepreservedtoday,wasalsoDoric,with6x13columns,madeofAgrilezamarble,butwithoutaninternal
colonnade.Thestylobatemeasured13,47x31,12m.Itwasconstructedin450440B.C.and,accordingtoanothertheory,was
theworkofthearchitectwhohadalsobuilttheHephaisteion("Theseion")intheAncientAgoraofAthens,theTempleofNemesis
atRhamnous,andtheTempleofAreswhichwasprobablyerectedinAcharnes.
Thesculpturaldecorationofthetemple,madeofParianmarble,ispreservedinapoorcondition.Thefriezeoftheeastside
depictedCentauromachy,andtheeastpediment(ofwhichonlyaseatedfemalefigureispreserved)probablydepictedthefight
betweenPoseidonandAthenaforthedominationofAttica.Thetwoantaeoftheeastsideandseveralofthecolumnsoftheeast
partofthetemplearestillpreservedtoday,whilethewestiscompletelydestroyed.
PropylonPorticoes
ThePropylonwasconstructedalittlelaterthantheClassicaltemple,andwasmadeofmarbleandporos.ItisDoric,distyleinantis
onbothsides(northandsouth).Apartitionwallinsidethebuildinghasthreedoorways,ofwhichthemiddleoneiswiderandhasa
ramp.AsmallrectangularhallisattachedonthewestwallofthePropylon,whileporticoesareerectedalongthenorthandwest
sidesofthesanctuary.Thenorthoftheseporticoesislargerandslightlyearlier.
TheFortress
Sounioncapewasfortifiedin412B.C.duringthePeloponnesianWar,inordertocontrolandsecuretheshipscarryingcerealsto
Athens.Theuseofvariousmaterialsandconstructiontechniquesisprobablytheresultofrepairsandadditionsmadeduringthe
Chremonides'Warandthefollowingyears(266229B.C.).ThesanctuaryofPoseidonoccupiestheSEendofthefortress.The
wallstartsattheNEcorner,extendstothenorthandturnstothewest.Shipyardsfortheshelteringoftwowarshipswere
constructedonthecoast,atthewestendofthenorthbranchofthefortification.Insidethefortress,excavationshavebroughttolight
partofacentralstreet,remainsofhouses,andwatercisterns.
SanctuaryofAthena
Itissituatedonahill500m.totheNEoftheSanctuaryofPoseidon.Theareawasevenedoffandenclosedwithaporospolygonal
circuitwall.InsidetheenclosedareawereerectedtheTempleofAthena,asmallertempletothenorth,andaltars.Adeeppitonthe
SEsideofthetemenoswasusedasadepositfortheArchaicofferingsdestroyedbythePersians.TheovalperibolostotheNWof
thetemenoshasbeenidentifiedasthe"HeroonofPhrontes".
TempleofAthena
Ithasarectangularcella,measuring16,4x11,6m.Thefoundationofthepedestalsupportingthecultstatueispreservedonthe
westsideofthecella,whilefourIoniccolumnsinthecentresupportedtheroof.Oneofthepeculiaritiesofthetemple,mentioned
alsobyVitruvius,istheexistenceofanoutercolonnadeonlyontheeastandsouthsides.
SomescholarsconsiderthatthetempleofAthenaSouniaswasreconstructedafterthemid5thcenturyB.C.,whileothersbelieve
thatthecellawasbuiltduringtheArchaicperiod,wasrepairedafterthePersiandestructions,andthecolonnadewasaddedinthe
middleofthe5thcenturyB.C.Asecondpeculiarityofthesanctuaryistheplacementofthealtartothesouthofthetemple.
SmallTemple
Small,Doric,prostyletemplemeasuring5x6.80m.,situatedtothenorthoftheAthenaTemple.Thepedestalofthecultstatueis
preservedinsidethecella.Thedateofthestructureandtheidentityofthedeityworshippedisstillamatterofdebate.

TheAncientAgoraofAthens
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TheAgorawastheheartofancientAthens,thefocusofpolitical,commercial,administrativeandsocialactivity,thereligiousand
culturalcenter,andtheseatofjustice.Thesitewasoccupiedwithoutinterruptioninallperiodsofthecity'shistory.Itwasusedasa
residentialandburialareaasearlyastheLateNeolithicperiod(3000B.C.).Earlyinthe6thcentury,inthetimeofSolon,theAgora
becameapublicarea.
Afteraseriesofrepairsandremodeling,itreacheditsfinalrectangularforminthe2ndcenturyB.C.Extensivebuildingactivity
occurredaftertheseriousdamagemadebythePersiansin480/79B.C.,bytheRomansin89B.C.andbytheHerulaeinA.D.267
while,aftertheSlavicinvasioninA.D.580,Itwasgraduallyabandoned.FromtheByzantineperioduntilafter1834,whenAthens
becamethecapitaloftheindependentGreekstate,theAgorawasagaindevelopedasaresidentialarea.
ThefirstexcavationcampaignswerecarriedoutbytheGreekArchaeologicalSocietyin18591912,andbytheGerman
ArchaeologicalInstitutein189697.In189091,adeeptrenchcutfortheAthensPeiraeusRailwaybroughttolightextensive
remainsofancientbuildings.In1931theAmericanSchoolofClassicalStudiesstartedthesystematicexcavationswiththefinancial
supportofJ.Rockefellerandcontinueduntil1941.Workwasresumedin1945andisstillcontinuing.Inordertouncoverthewhole
areaoftheAgoraitwasnecessarytodemolisharound400modernbuildingscoveringatotalareaofca.12hectares.
Inthe19thcenturythefourcolossalfiguresofGiantsandTritonsatthefacadeoftheGymnasiumwererestoredbytheGreek
ArchaeologicalSociety.Intheyears195356,theStoaofAttaloswasreconstructedtobecomeamuseumandinthesameperiod
theByzantinechurchofAghioiApostoloi,builtaroundA.D.1000,wasrestoredbytheAmericanSchool.Between1972and
1975,restorationandpreservationworkwascarriedoutattheHephaisteiontheareawasclearedofthevegetation,andtheroofof
thetemplewasrepairedin1978bytheArchaeologicalService.

StoaofZeusEleutherios

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Thestoawaserectedattheendofthe5thcenturyB.C.inhonorofthosewhofoughtforthefreedomandsecurityofthecity.
Socratesissaidtohavemethisfriendsinthisstoa.
TempleofApolloPatroosSmallIonictemple,erectedinca.340320B.C.,identifiedasthetempleofApollowhowas
worshippedasthe"Father"(Pater),thefounderoftheIonianrace.Insidethecellastoodthecultstatueofthegod,madebythe
famoussculptorEuphranor.

MonumentoftheEponymousHeroes

Remainsofanoblongpedestalenclosedbyafence.Itsupportedthebronzestatuesofthelegendaryheroeswhogavetheirnames
tothetentribesofAttica.Inadditiontoitshonoraryfunction,themonumentservedastheofficialnoticeboardofthecity.Itisdated
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tothesecondhalfofthe4thcenturyB.C.

Rhamnous

Thesiteof'Rhamnous,'thenorthernmostdemeofAttica,liesnorthofMarathonoverlookingtheEuboeanStrait.Thesitewas
knowninAntiquityforitssanctuaryofNemesis,theimplacableavenginggoddess.Afortifiedacropolisdominatesthetwosmall
harbors,fromwhichgrainwasimportedforAthensduringthePeloponnesianWar.Otherwise,Rhamnouswasstrategically
significantenoughtobefortifiedandreceiveanAtheniangarrison.Remainsofthetwotemplescanbeseen.The6thcenturyTemple
ofNemesiswasdestroyedbythePersiansin480BCEandreplacedbyanevercompletedtempleinthe5thcentury.Asmaller
templethatsharesthesanctuaryplatform(peribolos)isthoughttohavebeendedicatedtoThetis,basedonthededicationsoftwo
marbleseats,toNemesisandtoThetis.
Fortress

TheFortresscomprisesanoutersystem800metreslongandasmallerinteriorcircuitenclosingthetopofthehill.Themainentrance
oftheoutersystemisatthesouthanditisprotectedbysquaretowersateachsideofthegate.Withinthecircuitprivateandpublic
buildingshavebeenfound,notableamongwhicharethetheatreandthegymnasium.Withinthissameareaisalsotheagoraofthe
deme.Militaryestablishmentsstoodatthetopofthehillwithintheinteriorcircuitofthefortification.Onthecoastbelowtwosmall
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harborstheeasternandthewesternservedtheshipsthatpatrolledtheEuboianchannel.TheFortressofRhamnous,asthatof
SounionatthesoutherntipofAttica,isthoughttohavebeenconstructedduringthePeloponnesianWarinordertocontroltheships
bringinggraintoAthens.

Thorikos

ThehillknowntodayasVelatouriisthecentreofaMycenaeansettlementandalsooftheancientdemeofThorikos.Preservedare
theunusualtheatreofthe6th4thcenturiesB.C.,partsofthesettlement,someofthemetalworkingestablishments,asquaretower
ofthe4thcenturyB.C.,thecemeteriesandthesanctuaryofDemeterandKore.
Betweentheyears1820and1995,excavationshavebeencarriedoutbytheArchaeologicalSocietyinAthens,theAmerican
SchoolofClassicalStudies,theBelgianArchaeologicalSchool,the2ndEphorateofPrehistoricandClassicalAntiquitiesandbythe
SocietyoftheDilettanti.
Themostimportantmonumentsandarchitecturalunitsofthearchaeologicalsiteare
TheMycenaeanacropolisonthetopoftheVelatourihillandthetwotholostombsofthesameperiod.
TheAncientTheatreofThorikos.Itisespeciallyimportantforthehistoryoftheancienttheatrebecauseofitsunusualellipsidal
plan.Itsoriginalconstructiongoesbacktothe6thcenturyB.C.
'Industrialvillage'ThecentralsettlementoftheancientdemeofThorikos,whichwasaflourishingcentrefortheprocessingof
metalfromtheLavrionminesduringthe5thand4thcenturiesB.C.Roadsandhousesarespreadoutalongthewestslopeofthe
Velatourihill.

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