Acropolis

Grade 4 J. BROWN

Pre-Athenians

Upper Paleolithic 30,000-10,000 BCE Towns, Military fortress built near water

springs Mycenaean Era

230 ft. from valley basin Flattened to about 1,000 ft. by 500 ft. Fortified Citadel

Who are the Athenians

Archaic 700-480 BCE Greek city-state Trade port between

Aegean and Mediterranean Seas

Classical 480-323 BCE Early Democracy Acropolis

Acropolis Buildings

Parthenon Propylaia Erechteion Temple of Athena Nike Chalkotheke Artemis Brauronia Statue of Athena Promachos

Parthenon

Parthenon

Original building burnt down by Persians in 480 BCE

Current building Construction 447-432 BCE Iktinos and Kallikrates In honor of the Greek

goddess Athena Dedicated in 438 BCE Cost 489 silver talents

1 silver talent = 1 warship

Parthenon Designed to be viewed from exterior

only Exterior

8 columns wide x 17 columns long 102 ft. x 228 ft.

Interior Front Room held a monumental statue of

Athena Made of gold and ivory Sculpted by Pheidos

Back room held treasure dedicated to Athena

Made of approximately 13,400 stones

Parthenon

Visual Illusions Columns placed so that as you get closer,

the more of the statue is in view Corner columns modified with size and

spacing to appear bigger Columns thicker near top to give

appearance of being under stress from holding the roof

Designed to have a theater effect as visitors moved closer and around the temple

Propylaia

Propylaia Monumental entrance

surrounding nature entrance Construction

Designed by Mnesikles Started in 437 BCE

Shortly after major construction of the Parthenon ended

432 BCE although almost finished construction halted due to the beginning of the Peloponnesian War

Consists of a large ramp leading towards entrance of Acropolis

Propylaia Near top splits into two

entrances Continue on a more narrow ramp Four marble steps

Large central gate or two smaller doors on either side

Roof made of large marble slabs Supported by columns only

East Section Called Pinakotheke Held paintings mythological

content

Propylaia West Section

Slightly higher than east section Near the Temple of Athena Nike Hellenistic Era 323-30 BCE

A pedestal supporting a bronze statue of four horses pulling a chariot

Pedestal made by Eumenes and Attalos Statue by Agrippas

Relation to Parthenon Propylaia width = Parthenon length Proportional to each other Both with north to south

orientation

Erechteion

Erechteion Used for religious rituals Construction 420-406 BCE

Athens was dealing with revolts and the Peloponnesian War

Faces east Entrance consisted of six

columns North and west walls set

higher than east and south due to uneven ground

Interior layout lost to history

Erechteion

Two porches Northwest held up by

columns Southwest held up by six

female statues Called the Caryatids

The women’s identities are lost to history

At site, exact replicas Originals in an Athens Museum

Except one which was bought by Lord Elgin and taken to London

Such practices of buying historical artifacts is now frowned upon

Erechteion

East area Dedicated to Athena Polias (protector of earth and fertility)

Held a highly sacred wooden statue of Athena Said to have fallen from the heavens

West area Dedicated to Poseidon-Erechtheus (Greek god of the sea)

Sheltered marks in the rock that Athenians believed was made by Poseidon’s trident, Erechteian Sea fountain alters Hephaestus, and the Athenian hero Boutos

Temple of Athena Nike

Temple of Athena Nike Originally the site of worship of Bronze Age

“Nike” gods or goddesses Built in 420 BCE by Kallikrates Also named Apteros Nike

Wing-less Victory 11 ft. tall Faced east toward the Propylaia

Front had four columns concealing a blind wall Back had four columns

Had a parapet added in 410 BCE to prevent people from falling

Held a wooden statue of Athena Nike Right hand held a pomegranate Left hand held a helmet

Has been dismantled and reconstructed several times throughout history

Chalkotheke

Chalkotheke

Housed the Treasury of Athens Mainly copper and bronze items

Built by Kimon in 430 BCE

Computer-generated reconstruction of the Chalkotheke (blank structure in background). The structure visible on the left is the Parthenon.

Artemis Brauronia

Artemis Brauronia Was a stoa dedicated to Artemis Brauronia

Greek goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, and young girls

Built in 430 BCE

Computer-generated image of the Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia by Kronoskaf

Statue of Athena Promachos

Statue of Athena Promachos 30-foot bronze statue

of Athena Sculpted by Phidias About 456 BCE Sun reflection off the

helmet and spear said to be visible 30 miles away

Athena Who Fights in the Foremost Ranks

Marble Replica