lesson 1- The acropolis at Athens

Question 1

what year is the Athenian Acropolis dated from?

Answer 1

it was rebuilt during the mid to late 5th century

Question 2

what is the significance of the Athenian Acropolis?

Answer 2

-Key religious site in Attica and important for the whole of Greece
-was the religious heart of Athens
-it was filled with votive offerings made by individuals, mainly to Athena- these offerings marked offerings of thanks or hope for protection and goodwill

Question 3

what significant festivals were celebrated at the Acropolis?

Answer 3

The Panathenai and the plynteria

Question 4

who commisioned the Acropolis to be rebuilt, and in what year?

Answer 4

Pericles, after the sack of the Athens by the Persians in 480 BC- he began rebuilding the acropolis in 447 BC

Question 5

what was the plynteria?

Answer 5

a cleansing festival in honour of Athena- aglauros, aheroine who also had a sanctuary on the foothills of the acropolis. The festival lasted several days, during which the temples were closed and business ceased. The Temple of Athena was surrounded by a rope and no one could enter so that the priestess could clean her statue properly.

Question 6

what temple was used in the panathenaia festival and for what purpose?

Answer 6

The Erectheion- this temple was used in the panathenai and was used as the last destination during the procession

Question 7

what was the propylaia?

Answer 7

a gatehouse on the western slope of the Acropolis which marked the division between the divine world with the ordinary world- it was built as part of pericles great rebuilding project for athens in 437 BC and was designed as a monumental entrance to the acropolis

Question 8

what was the temple of Athena Nike?

Answer 8

A small temple outside of the walls of the Acropolis in honour of Athena Nike- Goddess of Victory. It is the smallest temple on the Acropolis and was considered to be the home of the diety.

Question 9

what did the temple of Athena nike house?

Answer 9

the statue of Athena nike (athena the goddess of victory)- it is the smallest temple on the acropolis.

Question 10

when was the temple of Athena nike constructed?

Answer 10

420 BC

Question 11

what was the temple of Athena Nike considered?

Answer 11

the home of the Deity, represented in it’s statue, and was not a place where regular people would enter.
-The Athenians would simply perform rituals in front of the temple, where a small altar was placed, and could take a glimpse of the sculptured figure of the goddess through the space between the columns.

Question 12

who could enter the temple of Athena nike?

Answer 12

the privilege of entering the temple was reserved for the priestesses, who held a respected position in society.

Question 13

What new form of government was formed in many city states including Athens at the end of the 5th century BCE?

Answer 13

city states became democracies

Question 14

why did the persians want to attack Greece?

Answer 14

retribution for the ionian revolt as well as fear that if Athens became a democracy, other city states would follow as well

Question 15

when did the persians invade Athens and what did they do?

Answer 15

the persians invaded Athens in 480 BC after the battle of Thermoplyae and Xerxes, king of Persia ordered the Acropolis to be completely burned down as well as Athens.

Question 16

Why would the Persians have wanted to tear down all the statues on the Acropolis?

Answer 16

-gets rid of Athenian religion and culture completely and also gives them a sense of control over the Athenians. Xerxes also wanted to destroy the acropolis due to the fact that during the ionian revolt, the Athenians destroyed the temple of cybebe at Sardis and the statue of the goddess.

Question 17

what was the archaic temple of Athena Polias?

Answer 17

A temple which was dedicated to Athena polias (protector of the city)- the temple was known to the athenians of later years as the ‘ancient temple’ due to it’s old age compared to the other temples on the acropolis

Question 18

when was the archaic temple of Athena polias built?

Answer 18

between 525-500 BC during the transition from tyranny to democracy

Question 19

how did the Greek’s worship in the earliest Greek worship?

Answer 19

seems to have taken place in the open air, around sacred trees or isolated pillars

Question 20

when did temples start appearing in Ancient Greece?

Answer 20

After the 8th century BCE, a new form of free standing building appeared: a temple. Worship still continued outside: the temple became the house of the god or goddess. The earliest temples appear to have been built on the remains of Mycenaean palaces, making use of their old stone foundations.

Question 21

what did the pediments on the temple of Athena polias feature?

Answer 21

the temple contained statues made of parian marble, painted in vivid colours, and one pediment depicted an episode from the gigantomachy. The goddess Athena fights against the Giants and defeats Enceladus with her spear. In the right and left corners, other giants have already fallen.

Question 22

what was the interior of the temple of Athena Polias like?

Answer 22

The interior was divided into two main areas that did not communicate with each other. The eastern area was the main temple, where the cult statue of the goddess was housed. The western area (or Opisthodomus) was divided into three rooms dedicated to different deities or heroes, who continued to be worshiped in the Erechtheion, which was built later.

Question 23

what would you find next to the temple of Athena polias?

Answer 23

Next to the temple were smaller temples dedicated to other lesser deities and mythical heroes or kings, which during the classical period were worshipped in the Erechtheion, built on the same spot.

Question 24

what was the temple of Athena Nike built to commemorate?

Answer 24

the Athenian victory over the persians in the battle of marathon

Question 25

what statue was found on the Athenian acropolis?

Answer 25

The statue of Athena Promachos which was made entirely of bronze and estimated to be around 9 meters tall

Question 26

what did the location of the statue of Athena Promachos allow for?

Answer 26

The statue to be viewed from all angles and be visible from the ordinary Athenian world- the statue serves as a symbol of their patron goddesses strength and protection

Question 27

what does Athena Promachos mean?

Answer 27

Athena who fights in the front line