Studied by 2 peopleLabel the highlighted areas.
Red = Parthenon
Orange = Erechtheion
Green = Propylaea (Ceremonial Gateway)
Blue = Temple of Athene Nike
How was polis religious participation funded?
With state funds, organised by state officials.
What was the purpose of polis-level religious participation? (4)
Direct prayers for the wellbeing of the polis as a whole
Honour the gods
Draw the community together
Create a sense of patriotism and civic pride
Who guided the construction of the Athenian Acropolis?
Pericles of Athens, a general and statesman
How much planning did the Parthenon take?
When was the first stone laid?
Over two years — the first stone was laid on the 28th of July, 447 BCE, during the Panathenaic festival.
Name the 3 architects hired by Pericles.
Callicrates
Mneskiles
Iktinos
Who was the sculptor hired by Pericles, and what did he do? What was he known for?
Phidias; known as the finest sculptor of the ancient world. He created the statue of Zeus at Olympia, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World.
All of the work on the acropolis occurred under his supervision
What sculpture did Phidias make for the Parthenon?
The chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Athene Parthenos, which was stored inside the cella.
What 3 significant scenes are portrayed on Phidias’ Athene Parthenos, and why are they significant?
Amazonomachy portrayed on the outside of her shield
A gigantomachy on the inside of her shield
A centauromachy on her sandals
This all further emphasies warfare and, in extension, polias pride.
What civic function did Phidias’ Athene Parthenos have?
In times of need, the metal could be taken and melted down to be used for things like money.
How is Athenian superiority portrayed on the acropolis?
Prevalence of battle scenes
“Greeks vs others” scenes both on the temple and on Athene Parthenos
How is Athenian wealth portrayed on the acropolis?
Chryselephantine sculpture
Temple is entirely marble and combines both Doric and Ionic orders, worked on by thousands — very expensive to fund
Pedimental sculpture is sculpted in the round
Explain the height and surface area of the Acropolis.
It rises 150 metres into the sky and is raised from the ground, looking down on Athens.
The surface area is approximately 7 acres.
What happened to the original temple of Athene?
It was destroyed by Persians under Xerxes in 480 BCE, when they sacked Athens in the Battle of Salamis.
Explain the 3 things which the Acropolis pays testimony to.
Patron Athene
Resilience (Battle of Salamis)
Wealth and glory of the polis, Athens
In what way was the Parthenon more grand than any previous temples?
It was entirely marble and combined the Doric and Ionic orders as it had sculptures on the pediments, metopes, and frieze. It also had Phidias’ chryselephantine statue of Athene Parthenos inside the cella.
What was depicted on the Parthenon East pediment?
The birth of Athene
What was depicted on the Parthenon West pediment?
Athene & Poseidon’s competition for the patronage of Athens.
What was depicted on the Parthenon frieze?
The Panathenaic festival.
What was depicted on the Parthenon Doric metopes?
South = Centauromachy
Amazonomachy
Sack of Troy
Gigantomachy
What is significant about the Parthenon’s location?
It was the highest point in Greece.
What evidence is there that the Parthenon did not fulfill an entirely religious purpose? (4)
No altar attached to it
Only a priestess of Athene Polias decades after the building had been dedicated
Inscriptions inform us that a large amount of gold and silver objects were stored inside the temple
The gold elements of Athene Parthenos were removable, to be borrowed in times of need (e.g. the Peloponnesian Wars)
It was thought that the Parthenon functioned as a treasury or bank.
Label parts A and B of the Parthenon.
A = treasury
B = cella/naos
Which building was last to be completed on the Acropolis?
The Erechtheion
What was the original purpose of the Erechtheion, and what is the associated myth?
Originally, it was the palace of Erechtheus I, the legendary king of Athens. He represents the earliest of Athens’ ‘history’. He is believed to be buried here.
The myth delineates that Athene was pursued on the Acropolis by Hephaestus. She rejected him (she is the goddess of maidens — Athene Parthenos = virgin Athene!) but the god assaulted her, his semen falling on her leg. She wiped it off and it fell on the ground — this immediately formed Erechtheus who became king and ancestor of the Athenians.
Why was the Erechtheion significant? (5)
In the garden of the Erechtheion stood Athene’s olive tree & Poseidon’s trident mark, from the competition for Athenian patronage.
The Erechtheion housed the grave of King Kekrops (a mythical king of Athens with a snake’s body and a man’s head), who oversaw the patronage competition.
It was reportedly home to the holy snake of Athens whom the priests fed honey cakes to.
According to Herodotus the snake abandoned Athens prior to Xerxes’ invasion in 480 BCE, which the Athenians took as a sign to evacuate the city.
The temple was used for the Plynteria, a cleansing festival where priestesses cleaned the statue of Athene Polias over several days.
This is where the wooden statue of Athene Polias, which the Athenians believed fell from the sky, was stored. The Athenians gave this statue a new peplos during the Panathenaic procession.
Why was the Erechtheion so irregular in shape?
It had to accommodate many heroes and gods — having rooms and altars for each. It was also affected by the rocky terrain of the Acropolis.
What is the most unique feature of the Erechtheion?
It’s columns (instead of pillars) were sculptures of six korai, known as the Caryatids.
What were the Caryatids named after?
The city of Karya in the Peloponnese.
Where are the caryatids located now? Where is the missing caryatid?
It was brought in 1811 by Lord Elgin to Britain, and is now located in the British Museum.
The other 5 are in the Acropolis Museum as they were replaced by replicas, to prevent further damage from the smog.
What are the 3 theories regarding what the caryatids represent?
Women carrying baskets used in the Panathenaia, as part of the procession. This links to the theme of other artwork on the Acropolis, and has a similar honourific function.
Michael Scott believes that they are mourners of King Kekrops, as they stand directly above his grave
The Roman architect Vitruvius says they represent the enslaved women of Carya, a Greek city accused of betrayal during the Persian wars.
Where was the temple of Athene Nike located? Why is this significant?
Outside the gateway — it was the first temple to greet a visitor.
What is the size of the temple of Athene Nike?
5.4m x 8m
Explain the appearance of the temple of Athene Nike. (4)
All marble, Ionic temple
Open cella
Sculpted frieze on which gods are present but also suggestions of Greeks at war against Persians
Originally seems to have contained pedimental sculpture also — a Gigantomachy and Amazonomachy
It had to be flashy as it was in the shadow of the Propylaea.
In what year was the Parthenon finished?
432 BCE
Describe the exterior design and purpose of the Propylaea.
Used a combination of marble and dark limestone
Looked like a Doric temple from the east and west but the Ionic order was used internally — this created a journey from the profane to the sacred for the worshipper passing though
How was the internal corridor designed?
It was divided into three, with a sunken middle aisle/ramp for sacrificial animals
What was the functional versus political purpose of the propylaea’s design?
Functional = let people in and out of the Acropolis
Political = make a grand statement
Describe the North wing of the Propylaea. (+ source)
Contained the Pinakotheke (art gallery), detailed by Pausanias. This was probably used for entertaining VIPs.
Describe the South wing of the Propylaea.
Led to the neighbouring Temple of Athena Nike
Name the practical benefit of the North and South wings of the Acropolis
They provided the necessary shade after the climb to the Acropolis.
Label the Athenian Acropolis
A = Parthenon
B = Erechtheion
C = Temple of Athena Nike
D = Propylaea
Give two arguments that the Acropolis was more of a place of worship than of civic pride.
Focus on Panathenaic procession
Propylaea sunken isle
Layout designed around procession
Worship of Gods AND Heroes
Erechtheion - Caryatid theory
King Kekrops’ grave
Assembly of gods on Parthenon frieze & in the pediments
Give two arguments that the Acropolis was more of a place of civic pride than of worship.
Athenian supremacy
Parthenon is at the highest point in Athens
Depiction of warfare in artwork portrays the Greek vs others theme e.g. Persian war in Athene Nike temple
Display of wealth
Chryselephantine Athene Parthenos by Phidias
Blending of Doric and Ionic orders in Parthenon & Propylaea
Sculptures in the round
Use of Parthenon as a treasury/ bank
Pinakotheke in North Wing of the Propylaea
What is the Great Panathenaia?
This was held every 4 years — a more grand version of the general Panathenaia. It included a grand procession as well as a hecatomb.
What is a hecatomb?
The public sacrifice of 100 oxen.
Translate “pompe”.
The procession that gathered for the Panathenaea.
What is the Pompeion — when was it constructed and how big was it?
A building constructed in around 400 BCE to accommodate the pompe as the procession grew to be so big over time, as indicated by its scale of 70 × 35 m.
Translate “Keramaikos”.
Cemetery.
What was the Panathenaic Way? How big was it?
The road that the pompe walked on — it was 10 metres wide to accommodate large crowds, cavalry, and a boat which was rolled up to the foothills of the Acropolis.
What is historically significant about the Parthenon frieze?
It was the first time a sxene portraying a real-life event was depicted on a temple.
Who were the Arrephoroi, and what were their duties?
Two young girls selected by the Archon Basileus. They lived with the priestesses of Athene and began the weaving of the peplos for the olive statue of Athene Polias, to later be presented at the Erechtheion. The priestesses would finish the peplos.
Who were the Kanephoroi, and what were their duties?
Young virgin maidens of noble blood that carried sacred baskets and brought the sacrificial animals to be presented to Athene, as well as the peplos to present at Athene’s altar.
Who were the Archons?
Chief magistrates.
Name 3 competitive events from the Greater Panathenaea.
The Pyrrhic dance (money)
The Euandria (money)
The Apobates race (oil)
Parthenon East frieze: Label the gods to the left of the peplos scene
In order: Hermes, Dionysus, Demeter, Ares, Iris, Hera, and Zeus
Parthenon East frieze: Label the gods to the right of the peplos scene
In order: Athene, Hephaestus, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Eros
What is David Stuttard’s theory about the arrangement of the gods on the Parthenon East frieze?
Arranged underworld (left) to overworld (right) — reflects the journey of the procession from the kerameikos to the acropolis.
What can be learnt about the Panathenaic procession from the Parthenon East frieze?
Peplos
Useful in that it shows a ritual practice
Unuseful in that an older and younger male (Perhaps the Basileus Archon) figure appear to be holding the peplos, which discredits the involvement of women in the process e.g. the arrephoroi and priestesses who wove it
Role of women
Shows the kanephoroi carrying sacred baskets and ritual objects e.g. to the left of the peplos scene, kanephoroi are seen carrying the diphroi. Other women are seen carrying hydrias and instruments.
Nature of sacrificial process
Oxen are shown being guided by various members of the pompe. This is accurate to the procession of oxen along the ramp in the middle of the propylaea. Some are even seen struggling which is atypical to the Greek ideal of willing sacrifices, but is more realistic.
This could be seen as inaccurate hyperbole/idealism as a hecatomb was atypical of Panathenaeas besides the Greater Panathenaea.
Cavalrymen
Although cavalry races did occur within the Greater Panathenaea, cavalrymen were not part of the Panathenaic procession and so their involvement is inaccurate. Some scholars eg Amy Smith think they represent an aspect of Athenian ideals, while others such as Nigel Spivey think they represent the men of the Battle of Marathon, according to Herodotus’ account.
Summarise the Panathenaeic procession.
A pompe gathered by the Dipylon gate on the outskirts of the city
They then passed through the Kerameikos, into the Agora, and up to the Acropolis via the Propylaea gateway
The kanephoroi carried sacred baskets and brought the sacrificial animals to be presented to Athene, as well as the peplos to present at Athene’s altar. During the procession they would mingle freely with noble Athenian men.
Summarise the peplos ceremony of the Panathenaea.
The arrephoroi and the priestesses of Athene would work together to weave the peplos to be presented to Athene Polias
During the procession, a much larger peplos was ceremonially draped like the sail of a ship over a cart on wheels. This was brought by the kanephoroi.
Priestesses of Athene draped the peplos over the Athene Polias statue at the end of the procession.
Summarise the ceremonial sacrifices of the Panathenaea.
The archons, treasurer of the goddess, sacrificial officials, generals, kanephoroi, and the Athenians who participated in the procession all consumed sacrificial meat on the acropolis. The rest was distributed and consumed in the Kerameikos.
This was special as meat was so prized by the Ancient Greeks that it wasn’t a traditional part of their diet.
Summarise the competitions of the Panethenaea.
There were sporting, musical, and religious events within the Great Panathenaea including:
The Apobates race (chariot)
The Eurandria (beauty competition for teenage boys)
The pyrrhic dance, performed by female participants
For musical and beauty contests the prize was money; for the athletic competitions the prize was oil in an amphora
Note
Flashcard