Acropolis

I

Introduction

Acropolis (Greek akros, “highest”; polis, “city”), fortified natural stronghold or citadel in ancient Greece. The Greeks built their towns in plains near or around a rocky hill that could easily be fortified and defended. The word acropolis referred both to the hill and to what was built on it. Almost every Greek city had its acropolis, which provided a place of refuge for townspeople during times of war. Sometimes the ruler of the town lived within the walls of this stronghold. In many cases the acropolis became the site of temples and public buildings and thus served as the town’s religious center and the focal point of its public life and as a place of refuge.

The best-known acropolis of the ancient world is the Acropolis of Athens. The ruins of its temples and their sculptures are widely regarded as the finest examples of ancient Greek art and architecture. Built on a limestone hill that rises about 150 m (about 500 ft) above sea level, the Acropolis dominates the city of Athens. It houses the remains of the Parthenon, a magnificent temple dedicated to the goddess Athena; the Propylaea, a monumental marble gateway and the main entrance to the Acropolis; the Erechtheum, a temple famous for the perfection of its details; and the Temple of Athena Nike.

II

Buildings on the Athenian Acropolis

The Athenian Acropolis has been occupied since Neolithic times, but archaeologists have found few remains of its early inhabitants. During the late Bronze Age (1450 to 1200 bc), a heavily fortified palace citadel was built on the hill, and a massive stone wall was built around it. Scholars know little about the Acropolis of Athens in the period from the late Bronze Age to the Archaic period (750 to 480 bc) because later building activities obscured the traces. The Acropolis probably remained a fortified citadel while also becoming a religious sanctuary. The first stone temple to Athena, the patron goddess and protector of the city, was built on the Acropolis at the beginning of the 6th century bc. It may have stood roughly where the Parthenon now stands. Simpler temples probably preceded it.

A Greek victory in the Battle of Marathon (490 bc) near Athens inspired the Athenians to undertake an ambitious program to build new temples in celebration of their defeat of the Persians (see Persian Wars). Construction of the first temple was underway when the Persians sacked Athens in 480 bc, plundering and burning the temples and monuments on the Acropolis. The Greeks finally defeated the Persians in 479 bc, but no building took place on the Acropolis for nearly 30 years. An enormous project to rebuild the Acropolis began about 450 bc under Pericles, the leading figure in Athenian politics of the 5th century bc. The masterpieces that resulted reflect Athens at the height of its power in the ancient world.

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A

The Propylaea

The principal entrance to the Acropolis is a monumental gateway called the Propylaea, which is made of white marble. It is located at the western end of a walled enclosure near the top of the Acropolis, at the head of a steep, winding path. It was begun in 437 bc, but work on it stopped five years later, probably because of a threat of war. The Peloponnesian War, between Athens and an alliance led by Sparta, finally broke out in 431 bc. Sparta’s alliance defeated Athens, and the Propylaea was never completed.

The Propylaea was designed by Greek architect Mnesicles to have a central section with wide openings and two wings, one to the north and the other to the south. The facade of the central section consists of six widely spaced columns in the simple Doric order (style). Inside, two rows of columns in the more elegant Ionic order divide the central area into three sections through which visitors proceed. The north wing was to house a gallery of paintings, and the south wing was to provide a passageway to the Temple of Athena Nike. The wings were never completed.

B

Temple of Athena Nike

The small marble Temple of Athena Nike stands just outside the Propylaea, on a projecting ridge to the south and west. This temple is the first building visitors see as they make their way up the Acropolis. It was designed by the architect Callicrates, who also worked on the Parthenon, and was built in the 420s bc in the Ionic style. Four Ionic columns stand in a row at the front and the back of this temple, which measures only 8.2 by 5.4 m (27 by 18 ft). A carved frieze (continuous horizontal band) runs around the temple just below the roof. On the east side it depicts a conference of the gods and on the other sides battle scenes from Greek mythology. The goddess Athena was the patron and protector of the city of Athens; nike (pronounced nee-kay) is Greek for “victory.” The temple is thus dedicated to Athena as the bringer of victory.

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