Acropolis Books
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Princeton University Press (24 March 2010)Price: $18.45 -
Pantheon (03 November 2009)Price: $26.40 -
Harper Perennial (24 January 1992)Price: $18.99 -
Scribner (06 June 1999)Price: $17.16 -
Anchor (12 June 2007)Price: $10.85
Definition
The Acropolis of Athens was planned, and construction begun, under the guidance of the great General and statesman Pericles of Athens. Over two years of detailed planning went into the specifications and contracting the labor for the Parthenon alone and the first stone was laid on 28 July 447 BCE, during the Panathenaic festival. Wishing to create a lasting monument which would both honor the goddess Athena (who presided over Athens) and proclaim the glory of the city to the world, Pericles spared no expense in the construction of the Acropolis and, especially, the Parthenon, hiring the skilled architects Callicrates and Iktinos and the sculptor Phidias (recognized as the finest sculptor in the ancient world who created the statue of Zeus at Olympia, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) to work on the project. Hundreds of artisans, metal workers, craftspeople, painters, woodcarvers and literally thousands of unskilled laborers worked on the Acropolis. Phidias created a gold and marble statue of Athena which stood either in the Parthenon, known as the Temple of Athena Parthenos('Athena the Virgin’ in Greek) or in the center of the Acropolis near the smaller temple of Athena and, during the Panathenaic festival, celebrants would carry a new robe to the statue to drape over her shoulders.
The buildings of the Acropolis of Athens were damaged during the Turkish occupation of Greece (when the Parthenon was used to garrison troop headquarters) and significantly destroyed during the Venetian siege of 1687.
Articles
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Much like the Vestal Virgins of Rome, the priestesses of Greek religion enjoyed a great many perks that other Greek women did not. In exchange for the commitment to their religious and civic responsibilities, they were often paid, given property, and most importantly, they were respected for their contributions to society – despite being female. The priestesses of the Greek religious cults were celebrities among the masses, and were viewed as role models. The religious role of women in the most powerful of all the Greek cities, Athens, is an example of the power women wielded in this arena, not just in spite of their gender, but also because of it.
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When you think of Athens, you no doubt have a picture in your mind of the gleaming white Parthenon, sitting high above the city. What the Parthenon, and the other buildings, are sitting on is known as the Athenian Acropolis. The Acropolis, which literally means “high city” in Greek, was a raised limestone outcropping. Almost every ancient Greek city was built around an acropolis, thanks to the region’s rocky geography. But it was the Athenian Acropolis, with it s grand Classical-era buildings and rich religious and cultural significance, that stands out as a symbol of the Classical world.
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The Parthenon stands today as the epitome of Greek architectural design, still perched on its spot on the Athenian Acropolis, though in quite a state of disrepair. It still holds up relatively well, considering the abuse it has endured since it was built well over 2,000 years ago. It remains a symbol of the strength and power of Ancient Greece, and its design has been emulated the world over in modern structures.
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The Propylaia was a set of monumental gateways to the Athenian Acropolis, built to serve as an imposing and impressive approach that rivaled the rest of Pericles’ massive building program. The Propylaia were an introduction to visitors of the Acropolis, and led them onto the plateau through a series of grand halls that would have taken them directly to the Parthenon and the other Acropolis shrines.
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The Temple of Athena Nike is the smallest structure on the Athenian Acropolis, but holds no less importance than its neighboring shrines. Built to honor Athena Nike, the goddess of victory, the site upon which the temple was constructed has ceremonial roots that date back to the Bronze Age. When the newer, Classical temple was built in the fifth century B.C., it no doubt did double duty: it stood as a shrine to Athens’ patron goddess, and also acted as a symbol of Athens’ military and political strength.
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Illustrations
Links
- http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/default.php?pname=Home&la=2
http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/default.php?pname=Home&la=2