Olympia

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Map

1. Northwest Propylon, 2. Prytaneion, 3. Philippeion, 4. Temple of Hera, 5. Pelopion,

6. Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus, 7. Metroon, 8. Treasuries, 9. Crypt (arched way to the stadium),
10.Stadium, 11. Echo Stoa, 12. Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II, 13. Hestia stoa, 14. Hellenistic
building, 15. Temple of Zeus, 16. Altar of Zeus, 17. Ex-voto of Achaeans, 18. Ex-voto of Mikythos,
19. Nike of Paeonius, 20. Gymnasion, 21. Palaestra, 22. Theokoleon, 23. Heroon, 24. Pheidias'
workshop and paleochristian basilica, 25. Baths of Kladeos, 26. Greek baths, 27. and 28. Hostels,
29. Leonidaion, 30. South baths, 31. Bouleuterion, 32. South stoa, 33. Villa of Nero.
Treasuries. I. Sicyon, II. Syracuse, III. Epidamnus(?), IV. Byzantium(?), V. Sybaris(?), VI. Cyrene(?), VII.
Unidentified, VIII. Altar(?), IX. Selinunte, X. Metapontum, XI. Megara, XII. Gela.

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1 - Propylon
A propylaea, propylea or propylaia (/prpli/; Greek: ) is any
monumental gateway in Greek architecture. Much the best known Greek example is the propylaea
that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. The Greek Revival Brandenburg
Gate of Berlin and the Propylaea inMunich both evoke the central portion of the Athens propylaea.
#
2 - Prytaneion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prytaneion of Panticapaeum, II b.c. (Kerch,Ukraine)

A Prytaneion (Ancient Greek: ) was seat of the Prytaneis (executive), and so the seat of
government in ancient Greece. The term is used to describe any of a range of ancient structures
where officials met (normally relating to the government of a city) but the term is also used to refer
to the building where the officials and winners of the Olympic games met at Olympia. The
Prytaneion normally stood in centre of the city, in the agora. The building contained the holy fire
of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, and symbol of the life of the city.

At Olympia, the Prytaneion[4] was where the priests and magistrates lived; the high priests lived in
the Theokoleon.[5] It stands to the north-west of the Temple of Hera and was used for celebrations
and feasts by the winners of the games.[6] It also housed the Altar of Hestia where the
original Olympic flame once burnt.[6]

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3 - Philippeion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Philippeion at Olympia, Greece

Detailed view of the Philippeion, showing the construction of the crepidoma

The Philippeion after it had undergone a recent reconstruction
The Philippeion (Greek: ) in the Altis of Olympia was an Ionic circular memorial in
limestone and marble, which contained chryselephantine (ivory and gold) statues of Philip's family;
himself, Alexander the Great, Olympias, Amyntas III and Eurydice I. It was made by
the Athenian sculptorLeochares in celebration of Philip's victory at the battle of Chaeronea (338
BC). It was the only structure inside the Altis dedicated to a human.
The temple consisted of an outer colonnade of Ionic order with 18 columns. Inside, it had nine
engaged half-columns of the lavishly- designedCorinthian order. It had a diameter of 15 metres. The
naos contains two windows, much like Hera II at Paestum. It had a carved marble roof which was
decorated with a bronze poppy head on top. [1]

The Temple of Hera, or Heraion, is an ancient Archaic Greek temple at Olympia, Greece, that was
dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek Gods.[1] The temple was built in approximately 590 BC, but
was destroyed by an earthquake in the early 4th century AD.
In the Archaic Greek time period, the temple stored items important to Greek culture, and other
offerings of the people.[citation needed] In modern times, the torch of the Olympic flame is lit in its
ruins.[2]

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4. Temple of Hera
The Temple of Hera, or Heraion, is an ancient Archaic Greek temple at Olympia, Greece, that was
dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek Gods.[1] The temple was built in approximately 590 BC, but
was destroyed by an earthquake in the early 4th century AD.
In the Archaic Greek time period, the temple stored items important to Greek culture, and other
offerings of the people.[citation needed] In modern times, the torch of the Olympic flame is lit in its
ruins.[2]

Layout[edit]
The temple measures 50.01 by 18.76 m (164.1 by 61.5 ft) at the level of the temple platform,
the stylobate. It was longer and narrower than the common architecture of the previous era,
though the elongated proportions are a common feature of early Doric architecture. It has
a peripteros a colonnaded perimeter of 6 by 16 columns which were originally wooden
because those were the materials available at the time.
Columns[edit]

Doric capital at the Temple of Hera (east side, 4th column from south corner).
The columns were only gradually replaced with stone ones due to the wood rotting out, and other
natural and man-made events.[3] In the second century AD, one of the two columns in
the opisthodomos was still oak.[4] As the replacements took place at widely differing periods
between the Archaic and Roman periods, and were carved under the influence of their respective
contemporary styles, they differ considerably in proportions and detail. This becomes apparent in
the columns' capitals, as each one is slightly different to the next. No remains of
the entablature above the columns were found, but are believed to have been wooden.
Walls and roof[edit]
The walls had a bottom course of stone with a mudbrick superstructure, another feature typical of
early Greek architecture. Other parts of the temple were made from limestone, unbaked bricks,
and terracotta tiles. Holes in the protrusions at the ends of the wallsantaeindicate that a
wooden cladding protected them from the elements. The temple had a Laconian-style roof; its
pediments were decorated with disk acroteria of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) diameter, each made in one single
piece (one is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia).[citation needed]
Contents[edit]
The opisthodomos was also used to store numerous other objects, including many further statues
of deities and votive offerings of Zeus and Hera.[5] Among the few of these objects to survive was a
statue of Hermes holding baby Dionysos, which is generally identified as the Hermes ofPraxiteles,
one of the most important preserved examples of Greek sculpture.[citation needed]
The travel writer Pausanias also witnessed a small ivory-clad couch (purportedly once belonging
to Hippodameia), the bronze disc of Iphitus of Elis (commemorating the truce that according to
legend founded the Olympic games), and the table on which the olive wreaths for the victors were
displayed during the Olympic Games.
The table of Colotes[edit]
The table was made with ivory and gold, and was sculpted by Colotes. It displayed the figures of
the Hera, Zeus, Rhea, Hermes, Apollo, and Artemis in front of the Games. On one side
wasAsclepius and his daughter Aceso, and Ares and the Olympian spirit of contest Agon. On the
other were Pluto, Dionysos, Persephone and nymphs.[4][6]
The statue Hermes and the Infant Dionysos[edit]
Main article: Hermes and the Infant Dionysos
The Chest of Cypselus[edit]
The temple contained a cedarwood chest (Ancient Greek: kypsele) in which Cypselus,
the tyrant of Corinth was reportedly hidden by his mother. The chest was reportedly dedicated at
Olympia in gratitude to the gods,[4] and so, according to folktale, Cypselus gained his
name.[7] According to Dio Chrysostom in the 1st century AD, the chest was found in
the opisthodomos.[8] The chest had various mythological figures inscribed on it in ivory, gold, or in
the wood of the chest itself. Accompanying many of the figures were inscriptions
in Corinthian (Doric) indicating their identity, some of the text being written boustrophedon in
alternating directions.[4]
#
5. Pelopion
Pelopion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the modern town, see Pelopio.
The Pelopion was a structure at the ancient site of Olympia, Greece. It was the alleged tomb
of Pelops a figure in Greek mythology. It was a monument surrounded by a pentagonal structure.
The tomb became an altar for animal sacrifices in Archaic Greece and continued to serve as an altar
into the Roman era, until it fell into disuse with the advent of Roman Christianity. It consisted of a
mound of ashes and compacted earth, at the peak of which the sacrifice would take place - a black
ram was sacrificed here every year in honor of Pelops.[1] In order to get to the top of the altar,
priests would carve steps into the mound. This packed earth form of altar was a particularly ancient
one, quite unlike the more modern stone altars such as those evidenced at Delphi and the
Acropolis.

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6. Nymphaeum of Herodes Atticus,
Nymphaeum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses of this term, see Nymphaion (disambiguation).

The Jerash nymphaeum.

A nymphaeum or nymphaion (Ancient Greek: ), in ancient Greece and Rome, was
a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those ofsprings.
These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habitations to the
local nymphs. They were sometimes so arranged as to furnish a supply of water, as at
Pamphylian Side. A nymphaeum dedicated to a local water nymph, Coventina, was built
along Hadrian's Wall, in the northernmost reach of the Roman Empire. Subsequently, artificial
grottoes took the place of natural ones.

Roman period[edit]
The nymphaeum in Jerash, Jordan (illustration, right), was constructed in 191 AD. The fountain was
originally embellished with marble facing on the lower level, painted plaster on the upper level, and
topped with a half-dome roof, forming a giant niche. Water cascaded through seven carved lion's
heads into small basins on the sidewalk.
The Nymphenbad, the nymphaeum of the Zwinger palace in Dresden
The nymphaea of the Roman period, which extended the sacral use to purely recreational
ones,[1] were borrowed from the constructions of the Hellenisticeast. The majority of them
were rotundas, and were adorned with statues and paintings. They served the threefold purpose of
sanctuaries, reservoirs and assembly-rooms. A special feature was their use for the celebration of
marriages. Such nymphaea existed in Corinth, Antioch and Constantinople; the remains of some
twenty have been found in Rome and many in Africa. The so-called exedra of Herodes
Atticus (which corresponds in all respects to a nymphaeum in the Roman style), the nymphaeum in
the palace of Domitian and those in Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli (Tibur) five in number may be
specially mentioned.
Mosaics[edit]
Nymphaea were important in the architectural movement of mosaic from floor to walls and ceiling
vaults in the 1st century. Initially they were often decorated with geometrical mosaics often
incorporating shells, but by the end of the century could contain ambitious figure subjects.[2]
Later periods[edit]

Ceiling of the 17th-century nymphaeum of the Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy-les-Moulineaux,

France.
The term nymphaeum was also applied to the fountains of water in the atrium of
the Christian basilica, which according to Eusebius were symbols of purification. Phiale is an
equivalent Greek term.
A nymphaeum for al fresco summer dining featuring artificial grottoes with waterflows was
designed by Bartolomeo Ammanati (1550-1553), and was reintroduced at the Villa Giulia, Rome.[3]

Herodes Atticus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herodes Atticus bust, from his villa at Kephissia. mid-2nd century

Herodes Atticus (Greek: , Hrids ho Attikos; ad 101177),[1] or Atticus
Herodes,[2][3] was a distinguished and rich Greek aristocrat andsophist who served as a Roman
senator. Appointed consul at Rome in 143, he was the first Greek to hold the rank of consul
ordinarius, as opposed to consul suffectus. In Latin, his full name was given as Lucius Vibullius
Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes (Greek:
).[1] According to Philostratus, Herodes Atticus was a notable proponent
of the Second Sophistic. M.I. Finley described Herodes Atticus as "patron of the arts and letters
(and himself a writer and scholar of importance), public benefactor on an imperial scale, not only in
Athens but elsewhere in Greece and Asia Minor, holder of many important posts, friend and
kinsman of emperors."[4]
#
7. Metroon,

A metroon (Greek: , Mtron or Mtrion) was an ancient Greek temple dedicated to

a mother goddess. They were often devoted to Cybele,Demeter, or Rhea.

The Olympian Metroon was erected in the late 4th or early 3rd century bc immediately below the
terrace which housed the Treasuries.[6]

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8. Treasuries,
The Treasuries at Olympia were a series of small temple-shaped buildings located to the north side
of the Altis or sanctuary at the site of Olympia in Greece. All but two were erected by Greek
colonies to store valuable votive offerings.
The Treasuries were built on a natural terrace at the foot of Mt. Kronos. The best preserved and
earliest treasury is that dedicated by Sicyon. West to east the treasuries were dedicated
by: Sicyon,Syracuse, Byzantion, Sybaris, Cyrene, Selinus, Metapontium, Megara and Gela.

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9. Crypt (arched way to the stadium),
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10.Stadium,
Stadium at Olympia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Location Olympia, Greece

Capacity 50,000
Surface Grass, Stones
Tenants
2004 Summer Olympics
Panhellenic Games
Olympia Stadion
Stadium at Olympia

The vaulted tunnel leading into the stadium

The 'exedra' (stone platform) on which the judges sat, located on the south bank of the stadium
The stadium at the archaeological site of Olympia, Greece is located to the east of the sanctuary
of Zeus. It was the location of many of the sporting events at the Ancient Olympic Games.
History[edit]
The stadium was a holy place for the ancient Greeks, as this is where sporting activities dedicated
to Zeus were held. The stadium was originally located within the temenos, with spectators able to
view races from the slopes of Mt. Kronos. It was gradually relocated east until it reached its present
location in the early 5th century BC. The stadium is connected with the sanctuary by a vaulted
stone passageway. It acted like the Colosseum but only in Olympia.
The track is 212.54 m (697.3 ft) long and 28.5 m (94 ft) wide and surrounded by grassy banks on all
sides. All the seats were made of mud and on the southern slope there was a stone platform,
the exedra, on which the Hellanodikai, the judges, would sit. Opposite this, on the north slope, was
an altar to Demeter Chamyne. The stadium could hold 50,000 spectators.
The games were held between 776 BC and 393 AD. Greek legends suggest that the games were
held even earlier, from the tenth to the eleventh century BC, this is also known as the Bronze Age.
According to records, the earliest that we know of the games being held here were during the
revival of The Festival of Zeus in 776 BC. The games were held every four years at the beginning,
and the middle of the "Great Year". The Great Year, was a way that people in Greece would
determine the difference between solar and lunar years.
There were three stadiums constructed. The first one, (Stadium I), was created during the archaic
period. It was mainly used to hold games for the contestants of nearby city-states of Greece.
(Stadium II) was built to the east of the first stadium, this was built to add on events. In addition, a
racetrack was also built. It was built ideally next to a large hillside that served as a natural sitting
area. The third stadium, (Stadium III), was built mainly to hold larger audiences. Along the
embankments surrounding the stadium are large wells that not only served as water offerings, but
also served as votive offerings, mostly of bronze.
The Olympic games is believed to have begun in the year 776 BC. For all participating city-states, a
sacred truce was made by the three kings Iphitus of Elis, Lycourgus of Sparta, and Cleostenes of
Pisa. The truce ensured that no one would be hostile towards one another and it also ensured a
suspension of any executions for the duration of the games. From the lists that we have of victors
from these Olympic games, we know that the Olympic games eventually brought in many
champions from different parts of the world. Champions were from as far as Sicily and Northern
Africa.
Around the time of 680 BC, victors of the Olympic games would offer statues to the stadium for
thanking them for allowing them to participate.
In 472 BC, two more days were added to the Olympic games.
For the women, the Heraia was held. This was the games for the women in honor of Hera, the wife
of Zeus.
The Olympic games were held for the last time during the year 393 AD. Emperor Theodosius, a
Roman Emperor, issued a ban on all acts of paganism and any kinds of sanctuary activity.[1][2]
During the 2004 Summer Olympics, it hosted the shot put events.[3][4][5]

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11. Echo Stoa,
Echo Stoa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Echo Stoa is located within the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. It is part of an ancient
archaeological site excavated and preserved by the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. A
stoa is a covered walkway or portico, typically colonnaded and open to the public. In ancient
Greece a stoa could be used for a variety of reasons including the selling and display of goods, and
religious or public meetings. Aside from Delphi, this sanctuary was the most important one in
Greece.
Otherwise known as the Stoa Poikile (meaning painted stoa), because of the paintings that once
lined the hall, the stoa later became known as the "Echo Stoa" due to the acoustics of its design. It
is said one word uttered, would echo seven times.[1] Almost 100 meters long, it was probably
begun after the mid-fourth century, but not completed for a long time thereafter [2] It was lined
with inner and outer Doric style columns. The stadium was moved eastwards and a stoa was built
to separate it from the sanctuary. The intention is clear: it was to provide a colonnaded boundary
to the sanctuary along the east side."[3] Before the Echo Stoa, the finish line of the stadium was in
full view of the temple. The structure also provided a backdrop for the penultimate stages of
procession, however, this was less prominent than with the south stoa. During Hellenistic times this
type of architectural layout, based heavily on view towards and from important buildings, especially
with stoas became more common. It was one of the most prominent features of the site at the
time of Pausanias visit.[4]

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12. Building of Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II,
Ptolemy II Philadelphus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Ptolemy II)
This article is about the Egyptian ruler. For the son of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony, see Ptolemy
Philadelphus (Cleopatra). For the medieval Italian count, see Ptolemy II of Tusculum.

Ptolemy II Philadelphus (front), and his sister/wife Arsinoe II

Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Greek: , Ptolemaos Phildelphos, 309246 BCE)
was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 to 246 BCE. He was the son of the founder of the
Ptolemaic kingdom Ptolemy I Soter and Berenice, and was educated by Philitas of Cos. He had two
half-brothers, Ptolemy Keraunos and Meleager, who both became kings of Macedonia (in 281 BCE
and 279 BCE respectively), and who both died in the Gallic invasion of 280279 BCE. Ptolemy was
first married to Arsino I, daughter of Lysimachus, who was the mother of his legitimate children;
after her repudiation he married his full sister Arsino II, the widow of Lysimachus.[1]
During Ptolemy's reign, the material and literary splendour of the Alexandrian court was at its
height. He promoted the Museum and Library of Alexandria, and he erected a commemorative
stele, the Great Mendes Stela.

Arsino II (Ancient Greek: , 316 BCunknown date from July 270 BC until 260 BC) was
a Ptolemaic Greek Princess of Ancient Egypt and through marriage was Queen of Thrace, Asia
Minor and Macedonia as wife of King Lysimachus (Greek: ) and later co-ruler of Egypt
with her brother-husband Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Greek: , which means
"Ptolemy the sibling-loving").

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13. Hestia stoa,
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14. Hellenistic building,
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15. Temple of Zeus,
Temple of Zeus, Olympia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Temple of Zeus" redirects here. For other uses, see Temple of Zeus (disambiguation).

Wilhelm Lbke's illustration of the temple as it might have looked in the fifth century BCE
The Temple of Zeus at Olympia was an ancient Greek temple in Olympia, Greece, dedicated to the
god Zeus. The temple, built between 472 and 456 BC, was the very model of the fully developed
classical Greek temple of the Doric order.[1]
Setting[edit]
The temple was probably established toward the end of the Mycenaean period during the period
470-456 BC at an ancient religious site dating from the fourth millennium BC that was dedicated to
the earth mother, Gaia, and eventually, was the site of a temple to Hera that dated to
the Archaic period. The Altis, the enclosure with its sacred grove, open-air altars and
the tumulus of Pelops, was first formed during the tenth and ninth centuries BC,[2] Greece's "Dark
Age", when the followers of Zeus had joined with the followers of Hera.[3]
Sculpture and Decorations[edit]
The temple featured two pediments; The Eastern pediment depicts the chariot race
between Pelops and Oenomaus while the Western pediment features a Centauromachy with
Theseus and theLapiths. Pausanius reports in his Description of Greece (5.10.8) that the Eastern
pedimental sculpture was created by Paeonius and the Western sculpture was carved
by Alcamenes. The metopesfrom the temple depict the twelve labors of Heracles.
Statue of Zeus[edit]
Main article: Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The temple housed the renowned statue of Zeus, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World. The Chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue was approximately 13 m (43 ft) high,
and was made by the sculptor Phidias in his workshop on the site at Olympia. The statue's
completion took approximately 12 years. On the head was a sculpted wreath of olive sprays. In the
right hand, Zeus held a figure of Nike (the goddess of victory), also made from ivory and gold and
held in the left hand a scepter made with many kinds of metal, with an eagle perched on the top.
Zeus' robe and sandals were made of gold. His garments were carved with animals and with lilies.
The throne was decorated with gold, precious stones, ebony, and ivory. At each foot of the throne
there was a victory depicted as a dancing girl. There were also four rods stretching between the
feet of the throne depicting an amazonomachy with the figures of Theseus and Heracles present.
The statue was one of Classical Greece's most revered artistic work. Another notable
chryselephantine statue by Phidias is the statue of Athena Parthenos, which was located in
the Parthenon.
Construction[edit]
The temple was constructed by the architect Libon, with carved metopes and triglyph friezes,
topped by pediments filled with sculptures in the Severe Style, now attributed to the "Olympia
Master" and his studio.
The main structure of the building was of a local limestone that was unattractive and of poor
quality, and so it was coated with a thin layer of stucco to give it an appearance of marble like all
the sculptural decoration on the temple
Subsequent history[edit]

Ruins of the temple

The Roman general Mummius dedicated twenty-one gilded shields after he sacked Corinth in 146
BC; they were fixed at the metopes of the eastern front side and the eastern half of the south side.
In AD 426, Theodosius II ordered the destruction of the sanctuary. Earthquakes in 522 and 551
devastated the ruins and left the Temple of Zeus partially buried.[4]
The site of the ancient sanctuary, long forgotten under landslips and flood siltation, was identified
in 1766. In 1829 a French team partially excavated the Temple of Zeus, taking several fragments of
the pediments to the Muse du Louvre. Systematic excavation began in 1875, under the direction
of the German Archaeological Institute, and has continued, with some interruptions, to the present
time.

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16. Altar of Zeus,
#
17. Ex-voto of Achaeans,
Achaea (ancient region)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Achaea Phthiotis in Central Greece.
Achaea

Region of Ancient Greece

Roman odeon, Patras

Map of ancient Achaea

Location Peloponesse
Major cities Patras, Dyme
 Dialects Doric
Key periods Achaean League
(ca. 260146 BC)
Achaea or Achaia (/ki/, Ancient Greek: [akaa], ) was (and is) the northernmost region of
the Peloponnese, occupying the coastal strip north ofArcadia. Its approximate boundaries were to
the south the mountain range of Erymanthus, to the south-east the range of Cyllene, to the
east Sicyon, and to the west the Larissos river. Apart from the plain around Dyme, to the west,
Achaea was generally a mountainous region.
Contents
[hide]
1Name
2Proto-History
3History
3.1Archaic and Classical Greece
3.2Achaean League
3.3Roman period
4References
5Sources
Name[edit]
Main article: Achaeans (tribe)
The name of Achaea has a slightly convoluted history. Homer uses the term Achaeans as a generic
term for Greeks throughout the Iliad; conversely, a distinct region of Achaea is not mentioned. The
region later known as Achaea is instead referred to as Aegialus.[1] Both Herodotus and Pausanias
recount the legend that the Achaean tribe was forced out of their lands in the Argolis by
the Dorians, during the legendary Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese.[2] Consequently, the
Achaeans forced the Aegialians (now known as the Ionians) out of their land.[3] The Ionians took
temporary refuge in Athens, and Aegialus became known as Achaea.[4][5] It was supposedly for this
reason that the region known as Achaea in Classical Greece did not correspond to Homeric
references.
Under the Romans, Achaea was a province covering much of central and southern Greece. This is
the Achaea referenced in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 18:12 and 19:21; Romans 15:26 and 16:5).
However, Pausanias, writing in the 2nd century AD, devotes one of the books of Description of
Greece to the ancient region of Achaea, showing that the name, locally at least, still preserved the
use from the Classical period.[6] The name, Achaea, was later used in the crusader state,
the Principality of Achaea (12051432), which comprised the whole Peloponnese, thus more closely
following Roman use. The modern Greek prefecture of Achaea is largely based on the ancient
region.

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18. Ex-voto of Mikythos,
#
19. Nike of Paeonius,
Paeonius[pronunciation?] (Greek: Paionios) of Mende, Chalkidiki was a Greek sculptor of the
late 5th century BC. He most likely received his early training in Northern Greece and is thought to
have later adapted Athenian stylistic elements into his own work, based upon his probable
interaction with the Olympia workshop of Pheidias.[1] In any case, he was attic-trained.[2]
Paeonius won the commission to decorate the acroteria of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, as
described in the pedestal inscription on his Nike statue. An ancient account also references
Paeonius' work at Olympia.Pausanias attributes the front (east) pedimental sculptures of the
Temple of Olympian Zeus to Paeonius. The Nike Temple parapet at Athens is also often attributed
to Paeonius, on the basis of similarities between the styles of drapery on both
monuments.[3] Despite this assertion, scholars continue to debate the reliability of these
attributions based upon the various interpretations of the scant additional evidence.
Nike by Paeonius featured prominently in the design of medals of the 2004 Summer
Olympics in Athens, as it did in the design of medals from the next three Olympiads. The statue
likely influenced later artistic renderings of victory personified. It is on permanent exhibition at
the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.
Nike of Paeonios[edit]
The only work that can be positively attributed to him is the statue of Nike (c. 420 BC) discovered
at Olympia. The Nike of Paeonios adorned a three-sided triangular pillar roughly 30 feet tall. She
stood in the altis of the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. With her wings and head intact, the statue
itself was about 3 meters tall. Her drapery would have been painted red. The German School began
excavations at Olympia in 1875; the French School had done excavations earlier in the nineteenth
century.[4]
The Nike of Paeonius was erected c. 420 BC; a few years after the Athenian allies defeated the
Spartans at the Battle of Sphacteria in 425 BC. The inscription reads that it was dedicated by the
Messenians and Naupaktians as a tithe of the spoils of their enemies.[5]
The Messenians and Naupaktians, allies of the Athenians, are careful not to mention their
enemies, the Spartans, by name. Pausanias, a travel writer in the 2nd century AD, wrote, But the
Messenians themselves say that the offering is a trophy of the battle in which they fought on the
Athenian side in the island of Sphacteria and that they refrained from inscribing the name of the
enemy for fear of the Lacedaemonians (Spartans)." [6] The placement of this dedicatory statue at
Olympia, considered Spartan ground, is most often interpreted by scholars as a deliberate and
assertive act of dominance.[7]
This sculpture may be understood as political propaganda within the context of the Messenian
Wars[disambiguation needed]. At least a century earlier, the Spartans had erected a statue of Zeus
in the sanctuary, commemorating a victory over the Messenians. This dedication is also mentioned
by Pausanias.[8] The positioning of the Nike may be seen as a visual response: the Nike erected by
the Messenians and Naupaktians would appear to the visitor in front of the hand of the Zeus
dedication behind it.
 Paeonios combined both Ionian and Doric traditions in this monument. The erection of an offering
on a high pillar is of Ionian origin, as the Dorians tended to use lower bases. By placing a well-
known, generic image of triumph upon a pillar to symbolize a specific Victory, Paionios added to
this tradition. The Ionians also favoured marble more often, yet the Nike wears a Dorian peplos.[9]
Paeonios slips his own victory into the inscription on his Nike monument. It reads that he was the
successful competitor in the construction of the akroteria for the temple. [10] His victory in the
competition was likely the result of devising not only the most aesthetically pleasing option, but
also the most financially feasible.[11] That this piece of artwork is inscribed with the fund, occasion,
and artist makes it invaluable for creating a history of Greek artistic and dedicatory work.

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20. Gymnasion,
Gymnasium (ancient Greece)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Gymnasion)
The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games.
It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the
Ancient Greek term gymns meaning "naked".
Athletes competed nude, a practice which was said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male
body, and to be a tribute to the gods. Gymnasia and palestrae (wrestling schools) were under the
protection and patronage of Heracles, Hermes and, in Athens, Theseus.[1]

Pompeii gymnasium, from the top of the stadium wall.

Contents
[hide]
1Etymology
2Organization
2.1Origins, rules, and customs
2.2Historical development
2.3Organization in Athens
2.4Construction
3See also
 4Notes
5References
Etymology[edit]
The word gymnasium is the latinisation of the Greek noun (gymnasion), "gymnastic
school", in pl. "bodily exercises" and generally "school"[2] which in turn is derived from the common
Greek adjective (gymnos) meaning "naked",[3] by way of the related verb
(gymnazo), whose meaning is "to train naked", "train in gymnastic exercise", generally "to train, to
exercise".[4] The verb had this meaning because one undressed for exercise. Historically, the
gymnasium was used for exercise, communal bathing, and scholarly and philosophical pursuits. The
English noun gymnast, first recorded in 1594,[5] is formed from the Greek
(gymnasts),[6] but in Greek this word means "trainer" not "gymnast". The palaistra was the part of
the gymnasium devoted to wrestling, boxing and ball games.
Organization[edit]
The gymnasium was formed as a public institution where young men over 18 received training in
physical exercises.[7] The supervision of the gymnasiums was entrusted to gymnasiarchs, who were
public officials responsible for the conduct of sports and games at public festivals and who directed
the schools and supervised the competitors. The gymnastai were the teachers, coaches, and
trainers of the athletes. The Greek gymnasiums also held lectures and discussions on philosophy,
literature, and music, and public libraries were nearby.
Origins, rules, and customs[edit]
A hermaic sculpture of an old man, thought to be the master of a gymnasium. He held a long stick
in his right hand. Ai Khanoum,Afghanistan, 2nd century BC.
The athletic contests for which the gymnasium supplied the means of training and competition
formed part of the social and spiritual life of the Greeks from very early on. The contests took place
in honour of heroes and gods, sometimes forming part of a periodic festival or the funeral rites of a
deceased chief. The free and active Greek lifestyle (spent to a great extent in the open air)
reinforced the attachment to such sports and after a period of time the contests became a
prominent element in Greek culture. The victor in religious athletic contests, though he gained no
material prize other than a wreath, was rewarded with the honour and respect of his fellow
citizens. Training of competitors for the greater contests was a huge matter of public concern and
special buildings were provided by the state for such use, with management entrusted to public
officials. A victory in the great religious festivals was counted an honour for the whole state.
The regulation of the Athenian gymnasium is attributed by Pausanias (i. 39. 3)
to Theseus. Solon made several laws on the subject; according to Galen these were reduced to a
workable system of management in the time of Cleisthenes (late 6th century and early 5th century
BC). While the origins of physical exercise regimes cannot be pinpointed, the practice of exercising
in the nude had its beginnings in the 7th century BC. The same purpose is frequently attributed to
the tradition of oiling the body, a custom so costly that it required significant public and private
subsidies (the practice was the largest expense in gymnasia).

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21. Palaestra,
Palaestra at Olympia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Palaestra from near the southeast corner.

The palaestra at Olympia is an ancient edifice in Olympia, Greece, part of the gymnasium at
the sanctuary. It is a sixty-six metre square building that dates to the end of the 3rd or beginning of
the 2nd century BC.
It is thought to be a building in ancient Greece that was devoted to the training of wrestlers and
other athletes.
Architecture[edit]
The palaestra is oriented precisely to the cardinal points and is very symmetrical in plan. Like all
palaestra, the palaestra at Olympia is centered on a large courtyard covered with sand for use as
a boxing or wrestling surface. Along all four sides of the palaestra are rooms that opened onto the
porticoes.
The building is entered through the south side through two separate doorways, each
with Corinthian columns distyle in antis, thus immediately establishing symmetry within the plan of
the structure. The doorways open into bench-lined vestibules leading to anterooms that open
directly onto the southern portico. Between the two anterooms is a long, shallow hall lined with
benches and faced with Ionic columns. This room is identified as the apodyterion, or undressing
room, a space that would need to be close to the main entrance and have room for athletes and
friends to meet. Directly across from the apodyterion, along the north side of the palaestra is
the ephebion, or clubroom. This large, colonnaded hall is deeper than the apodyterion but does not
run the entire length of the courtyard. The entire north side of the palaestra has deep rooms, a
feature mentioned by Vitruvius, which offered shelter from the sun. Also in the north side of the
building is a doorway that leads directly into the rest of the adjoining gymnasium space. The room
in the northeast corner of the palaestra is identified as a bathroom. The brick-lined, 4 meter square
and 1.38 meter deep tank found here is dated to the Roman period, however.
An unusual feature of the palaestra is the 24.20 by 5.44 meter strip of concrete pavement on the
north side of courtyard, which is formed with alternate bands of ribbed and smooth tiles arranged
to create continuous ridges stretching the length of the pavement. This was probably a sort of
bowling alley, as suggested by a similar pavement found at Pompeii with heavy stone balls on it.
It is not possible to say for what most of the other rooms lining the porticoes were used. Since
Olympia had no resident population, the palaestra and gymnasium would not have included spaces
for lectures or intellectual discourse and would have been used primarily by competitors in the
sanctuary games. The stone benches found in six of rooms would certainly have been used by
athletes and spectators rather than by intellectuals. The unidentified rooms of the palaestra would
have included rooms such as the elaiothesion or oil store, the konisterion or dusting-room, rooms
for storing athletic apparatus, and a few sphairisteria, which were rooms or open courts for ball
play.

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22. Theokoleon,
#
23. Heroon,
Heroon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The northwest heroon atSagalassos, Turkey.
A heroon or heron (/hro.n/; Greek , plural , heroa), also called heroum, was a
shrine dedicated to an ancient Greek or Roman hero and used for the commemoration or cult
worship of the hero. It was often erected over his or her supposed tomb or cenotaph.
The Romans and the Greeks practised an extensive and widespread cult of heroes. Heroes played a
central role in the life of a polis, giving the city a shared focus for its identity. The cult typically
centred on the heroon in which the hero's bones were usually believed to be contained. In a sense,
the hero was considered still to be alive; he was offered meals and was imagined to be sharing
feasts. His allegiance was seen as vitally important to the continued well-being of the city. This led
to struggles between Greek cities for control of heroic remains.
Greek literature records how Cimon of Athens avenged the death of the legendary hero Theseus in
469 BC, finding a set of bones allegedly belonging to the hero and returning with them in triumph
to Athens. Similarly, Herodotus records in his Histories that the Spartans raided the heroon of the
city of Tegea, stealing the bones of Orestes. This was regarded as changing the hero's allegiance
from Tegea to Sparta, ensuring that the Spartans could defeat the Tegeans as foretold by the Oracle
of Delphi.[1]
Many examples of heroa can be found around the tholos tombs of Mycenaean Greece and in or
near the sacred areas of a number of Greek cities around the Mediterranean. A particularly well-
preserved example, the so-called Tomb of Theron, can be found at Agrigento in Sicily. The Greek
city of Paestum, south of Naples, has an unlooted heroon of an unknown figure, perhaps the city
founder, with its contents intact (now in the museum there), including large metal vases. Another
notable one, at Vergina in Greek Macedonia (the ancient city of Aigai - ), is thought to have
been dedicated to the worship of the family of Alexander the Greatand may have housed the cult
statue of Alexander's father, Philip II of Macedon.
A well-preserved Roman heroon from the Augustan period is situated in the ancient city
of Sagalassos in what is now Turkey. Another well-preserved and well-known heroon is the Library
of Celsus in Ephesus, Turkey. It was built to honor a Roman senator, Tiberius Julius Celsus
Polemaeanus, a consul and proconsul of Asia from 92 to 107 and governor of Asia when he died in
114. He bequeathed a large sum of money for its construction which was carried out by his son.
Apart from the library in Alexandria, Egypt, it was one of the largest libraries of the ancient world.
#
24. Pheidias' workshop and paleochristian basilica,
Phidias
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Pheidias)
For the Australian artist who used the pseudonym "Phidias" in radio talks, see Jeffrey Smart.

Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his Friends (1868) by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Phidias or Pheidias (/fdis/; Greek: , Pheidias; c. 480 430 BC) was a Greek sculptor,
painter and architect. His statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World. Phidias also designed the statues of the goddess Athena on the Athenian Acropolis, namely
the Athena Parthenos inside the Parthenon, and the Athena Promachos, a colossal bronze statue
of Athena which stood between it and the Propylaea,[1] a monumental gateway that served as the
entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. Phidias was the son of Charmides of Athens.[2] The ancients
believed that his masters were Hegias[3] and Ageladas.
Plutarch[4] discusses Phidias' friendship with the Greek statesman Pericles, recording that enemies
of Pericles tried to attack him through Phidias - who was accused of stealing gold intended for the
Parthenon's statue of Athena, and of impiously portraying himself and Pericles on the shield of the
statue. The historical value of this account, as well as the legend about accusations against the
'Periclean circle', includingAspasia and Anaxagoras, is debatable, but Aristophanes mentions an
incident with Phidias around that time.[5]
Phidias is often credited as the main instigator of the Classical Greek sculptural design. Today, most
critics and historians consider him one of the greatest of all ancient Greek sculptors.[6][7]
#
25. Baths of Kladeos,

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26. Greek baths,

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27. and 28. Hostels,

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29. Leonidaion,
Leonidaion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged
and removed. (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template
message)
Floor plan of the Leonidaion
The Leonidaion () was the lodging place for athletes taking part in the Olympic
Games at Olympia. It was located at the southwest edge of the sanctuary and was the largest
building on the site. It was constructed around 330 BCE and was funded and designed by Leonidas
of Naxos.
The building consisted of four Ionian colonnades with 138 decorated columns, forming a square of
approximately 80 metres. In its interior there was a central Doric peristyle with 44 columns.

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30. South baths,

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31. Bouleuterion,
Bouleuterion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bouleuterion of Priene.
 A bouleuterion (Greek: , bouleutrion), also translated as council house, assembly
house, and senate house, was a building in ancient Greece which housed the council of
citizens (, boul) of a democratic city state. These representatives assembled at the
bouleteurion to confer and decide about public affairs. There are several extant bouleuteria
around Greece and its former colonies. It should not be confused with the Prytaneion, which
housed the executive council of the assembly and often served as the boule's mess hall.
Contents
[hide]
1Athens
2Olympia
3Other bouleuteria
4External links
Athens[edit]
The Athenian Boule is better known as the Council of 500. Solon was credited with its formation in
594 bc as an assembly of 100 men each from Athens's four original tribes. At the adoption of the
new constitution around 507 bc, this was changed to 50 men each from the 10 newly created
tribes. Each served a one-year term.
The Old Bouleuterion was built on the west side of the Agora below the Kolonos Agoraios around
450 bc. It was almost square and included an oblong antechamber and a main council chamber, a
large rectangular room with wooden benches arranged in rows along the walls. The roof was
supported by five columns. It is now better known as the Metroon ("House of the Mother") since it
was repurposed as her temple after the construction of the New Bouleuterion.
The New Bouleuterion was built west of the old building in the late 5th century bc. It was smaller
but more sophisticated, with an amphitheater-like system of 12 levels of semicircular benches. Both
the Old and New Bouleuteria used the nearby Tholos.
Olympia[edit]

Bouleuterion ruins in Olympia.

The Olympian Bouleuterion was shaped like an early Greek temple, a kind of square horse-shoe. It
had a tiered seating arrangement and was located near the city's agora.

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32. South stoa,

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33. Villa of Nero.
Villa of Nero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Villa of Nero is an ancient Roman villa built for the Roman emperor Nero in the 1st century AD,
and situated south-east of the ancient site of Olympia, Greece. Archaeological excavations reveal
the presence of a lead water pipe bearing the inscription "ner. aug.", an abbreviation of the name
Nero Augustus.[1]

Treasuries. I. Sicyon, II. Syracuse, III. Epidamnus(?), IV. Byzantium(?), V. Sybaris(?), VI. Cyrene(?), VII.
Unidentified, VIII. Altar(?), IX. Selinunte, X. Metapontum, XI. Megara, XII. Gela.