Acropolis was not notable compared to other Ionian temples before his effect. 560 BCE and onwards, Acropolis under continuous construction.

Athenians adopted trend of grand temples, typically intented for "self-promotion" of wealthy families such as the Peisistratids.

Temple of Zeus unfinished when dynansty fell in 510s BCE.

During reign, Athens economy depended on grain imports from north coast of the Black Sea.

People began expressing wealth through fashion.

Theatre is a formal, structured religious spectacle.

Previous system = Plainsmen (wealthy landowners, Shoresmen (merchants), and Hillsmen (rural poor). These were further divided into 4 hereditary tribes (or phylai).

New system =

• approx 139 demes, division units comprised of all male athenians in local neighbourhood/area.

• demes divided into 3 geographical regions. City, Hills, Shores.

• Each region has 10 Trittyes, 30 in total.

• 10 tribes (phylai) comprised of 1 Trittyes of each region.

• Boule or council of 500. comprised of 50 men from each tribe (phylai)

Stylobate/base = 69.5m long by 30.9m wide

Cella = 29.8m long by 19.2m wide

Exterior doric columns =

• 1.9m in diameter and 10.4m high

• *corner columns slightly larger in diameter*

• 4 centimeter "swelling" in the center of the columns

Frieze = 160m long

East metope = 14 1.35m x 1.35m squares

The fact they slant slightly inward and the floor is slight bowed (about 10 centimeters on the sides and six centimeters on the front and back with a slight bulge in the middle) not only helped to relieve some of the stress of the roof but it also gave the structure the illusion that it was reaching towards a pinnacle.

depicted as

• athena born, fully grown and armed

• athena standing beside Zeus

• next to zeus is Hephaestus and Hera

• around central action is chariots

• at far left hand side Helios is rising in his chariot of the sun

• at right end moon goddess Selone descending

Details

• athena in full glory, fully grown, ready armed

• athena was birthed from Zeus' head

• Hephaestus split Zeus head open for athena to come out

• chariots frame centre from other olympians witnessing event

meaning / purpose / function

• "..the revelation of the power of intellect and the establishment of Athena, wisdom, civilization, light as the leader and focus of Athena.."

• celebrate heritage and protectoress Athena

Depicted as

• athena and poseidon in centre

• chariots surrounding them/ framing them

• around action is well-dressed figures , likely ancient kings of athens and their families

• at either end river gods reclining peacefully

Details / story

• athena offered olive tree

• poseidon offered salt spring

• athena won

Meaning / purpose / function

• "..struggle between irrational, hostile, bestial forces and the enlightened, reasoned world of civilization.."

• "..struggle between the earth shaker, the old Titan-born god of earthquakes, the god of the terrifying sea, the god of the uncontrollable, violent forces against nature, and the goddess of intellect and reason, a second generation olympian, symbol of wisdom and light, of the positive forces of the cosmos.."

Techniques

• "the Giants courted their own primordial destruction by a challenge of extreme self-esteem or hubris -

• the same sort of hubris that Xerxes would manifest when he launched his invasion via the Hellespont, threatening the very elements of the earth." referring to story of Xerxes whipping sea in revenge after a bridge broke, which was "archetypal of the greek characterization of their Oriental enemy."

• enemy again eastern

• very much like persians

• = rode on horses and used bow/arrow

• = aimed to capture Attica

*shield of athenas statue in parthenon showed amazons attacking acropolis

• centaurs battling lapiths

• at the wedding of Pirithoos, the lapith prince

• centaurs apparently admired by persians , bc of pride in horsemanship, according to Xenophon

• represents persians invading and intruding on greek territory

The huge pieces of stone had to be hauled to the building site by oxcart.

Many of the sculptures were made of the more expensive Parian marble, from the island of Paros, which most sculptors proclaimed the best kind of marble for their work.

More metopes and columns than necessary in design.

Larger than the previous temple for Athena.

• Goldsmiths, coppersmiths, marble sculptors, carpenters, rope makers and ox owners worked for the construction of the Parthenon.

• Designed by the architect Iktinos to hold the monumental gold and ivory (chryselephantine) statue of Athena designed by the sculptor-architect Pheidias.

The first temple stood for 100 years.

It was then somewhat destroyed in the Battle of Marathon and contruction began to replace.

This II Parthenon (replacing the prior one) was destroyed by the Persians whilst in contruction and unfinished.

The Parthenon standing now is the III, and its contruction was called for by Pericles. It took 10 years to build.

• massive, 'masculine' appearance

• heavy and robust

• thicker and shorter

• no base and sits flush on temple floor/top step (stylobate)

• doric capital is simple, resembles pillow/cushion

• columns middle is carved into deep flutes that come to a point

• columns taper slightly towards the top (parthenon has this)

Ionic

• 'feminine' appearance

• taller and slimmer

• more embellished then doric

• ionic capital less simple, more detailed/embellished

Peristyle

• When a single row of columns surrounds a Greek Temple

• far more common temple type on mainland greece

• typically would have 6 columns on front/rear, parthenon has 8

• After the columns were smoothed and polished, a stripling pattern was added to dull the shine and mask the flaws.

• It (parthenon) has been surmised using ropes, pulleys and wooden cranes like those used to build their great navy.

• Some scholars also believe the Athenians possessed chisels, axes and other tools that were stronger and more durable that their modern counterparts and this, combined with superior temple building skills honed over a century and a half, enabled them carve blocks at twice the speed of modern restorers.

• The walls of the cella were built with no mortar. They were carved perfectly to fit into place with one another. The same was true for the drums of the columns.

• In order to transport the marbles, the ancient craftsmen built the "Lithagogias Street". The road started from the quarry in the cave of Davelis in Penteli and ended at the south side of the Acropolis. The journey took about 6 hours. It is estimated that there were about 20 carriages that covered the route ten times a day.

Contruction methods =

• The peristyle, entablature, and pediment are built using the post-and-beam method of construction.

• Amount of Outer Columns = 46 (have to take away corners)

• Amount of Inner Columns = 23

• Amount on short side of outer (front/back) = 8

• Amount on long side of outer = 17

• Each column had 20 flutes. (Flutes are the grooves carved vertically up the column)

• Entasis refers to the slight swelling, of 4 centimetres (1.6 in), in the center of the columns to counteract the appearance of a hourglass shape that could be interpreted as weak or flimsy, and make them appear straight from a far.

• Blend of Doric and Ionic styles.

Stylobate

• designed with mathematical ratio to create subtle rounded base, intended to counteract or compensate for anticipated "sagging" effect that the temple, if on a straight surface, would have had on the human eye from a far.

Roof

• consisted of large overlapping marble tiles knowns as imbrices and tegulae, supported by massive wooden beams.

• The roof itself consisted of wooden structural members and marble tiles to cover and enclose the space.

• The roof was sloped, resulting in a triangular shape at the front and rear ends.

• When a roof forms a triangular shape, it is called a gable, and in Classical architecture, this triangular element is known as a pediment.

Frieze

• This continuous sculpted frieze is normally characteristic of Ionic temples.

Pediments

Metopes

Cella

Sculptures

• sculptural program completed 6 years after building process

Architrave

Entablature

• The entablature is divided into two horizontal bands: the architrave and the frieze. The architrave is unadorned , but the frieze is divided into nearly square-like sections.

Temple

• rectangular load-bearing structure that consists of a front porch and a back porch (which was largely decorative and served no ceremonial or functional purpose).

• In the naos, a double-height colonnade laid out in a "U" shape ringed the room.

• In the back room, four Ionic columns stood in the middle, another Ionic touch in an otherwise Doric temple.

• inside naos was cult statue of Athena

  
  

Statue of Athena

• sculptor Pheidias created a wooden armature that was covered in a veneer of ivory with gold plating for the clothing and precious stones for the eyes. This type of sculpture is known as chryselephantine (gold and ivory).

• length of triangle base line = 28.35m

• largest height = 3.428-3.47 m

• depth = 0.90m

• cornice overhung/protruded = 70cm

Techniques

• carved in the round, high relief, free standing to give realism and use light/shadow

• symmetry and balance of centre and sides

• line of sight used by triangular shape and central action

• chisels, axes used etc

other

• marble extracted 439-438 BCE, sculpture commenced following year

• sculptures carved freestanding "in the round" by various artists

• sculptures of pediment installed nearing end of full construction, but before the roof was installed

• western pediment seems more refined or "artificial" then the eastern

• the statues of the parthenon pediment are the largest of all the pediments of ancient greece

• some artists may have finished them in entirety after mounting

• some sculptures which details would be invisible from below were left untouched whilst other finished

• some statues had to be planed to fit in placement

• Deep rectangular grooves at the corners of pediments could indicate the presence in these places of a lift-type mechanism for mounting statues.

• sculptures placed on overhanging cornice (of 25 marble blocks) above frieze

• "sima" detail of end of roof which was like a gutter? painted with "palmettes" and golden lotus flowers

• statues either on laying bed or plinth

• temple of zeus major influence on realism of pediment statues

• pediment and statues dimensions somewhat equal to temple of Zeus

• west pediment inspired by east pediment of Olympia

• "spectator" statues idea borrowed from sanctuary in the Peloponnese

• phidias modelled sculptures in clay or plaster

• phidias banished before completion

Depictions =

Purpose/function =

• Troy and the land of troy would become the persian empire.

• Expressing glory and victory

• battle between eastern enemy

Techniques =

• olympians battle giants for control of greek religion

• religion had been dominated by the Giants parents, Gaia and Uranus

• Gaia had previously attempted to hinder Zeus with the Titanomachy, which failed and only strengthened Zeus

• Olympians win battle when realising the "immortal" giant was only such at his place of birth

• giants killed, or alternately trapped underground - reason for earthquakes and volcanoes

Figures depicted =

• Hermes

• Dionysus; aided by lion and snake

• Ares or Hephaistos

• Athena and Nike

• A chariot/unkown charioteer

• Poseidon; crushing giant with rock

• Chariot with winged horses on rocky ground?

• Zeus; pulling at a Giants shield

• Heracles; with lion skin, defending himself

• Chariot; (woman?)

• Eros; with a bow

• A goddess (Artemis?)

• Hephaistos; wielding fire brands

• Chariot rising from sea, with driver (likely Helios)

Ideas / themes

• Order vs Chaos

• Civility vs barbarity

• influence of the gods

• respect to the gods

• war within the gods

• power of intelligence

Techniques

Depictions =

Purpose / function =

• an example of what women should not be, and the failure or losses which will always follow such behaviours of rejecting their feminine archetype.

• Amazon loosely translates to "breast-less"

• To condemn primitive instincts

• shows powerlessness and victimisation of women

• lack of moderation; not being able to control or restrain oneself = what Athenians were against and what the centaurs represent

Techniques =

• created between 420-438 BCE

• sculptures formed a continuous relief depicting a single unified action that encircled the outer side of the cella.

• starts at southwest corner, meets at centre east

Panathenaic procession

• was the greatest festival held in athens every 4 years, lasting 12 days

• festival included, rituals, sacrifices, athletic/musical contests

• non-mythological event = considered peculiar, ostentatious to depict, especially with mortals next to gods etc

Depictions/figures =

• figures = gods, heroes of the city, archons, citizens, men and women, children, youth and elders

• animals = mainly horses, some bulls and rams

• 378 figures , over 200 animals

• %70 dedicated to cavalcade led by chariots

• diverse moving groups

Ideas/Themes =

Purpose/Function =

• adorns upper part of parthenons naos

• 
  

Socio-historical =

random =

• (Athens) the only citizens

• duty was citizenship, contributing to army and politics/community

Women

• (Athens) manage household = make clothes, oversee slaves, educate kids

• (Athens) unable to vote, represent themselves in legal system and manage large amounts of $$$

• (Athens) significance in funerals / care for dead

• (Sparta) trained/ excercised to withstand childbirth and produce superior kids to become soldiers

• (Sparta) allowed to own land, became significant landowners in 4th cen BCE

Slaves

• acquired from foreign conquest, raiding, piracy, breeding etc, sometimes to other greeks

• depended on for agriculture, mining, manufactoring

• when freed dont get citizen rights

• (Sparta) conquered messenians became helot slaves

• (Sparta) helots farmed land, did housework for masters

• (Athens) either public or private = in households or civil service or contruction, managing city accounting and building temples etc

• (Athens) worst fate was to be sent to silver mines at Laurion

• (Athens) when freed = same status as metics - foreigners

• shared infastructure/ buildings such as = religious sanctuaries, fountains, gymnasia, theatres, assembly halls, agoras

Colonialism , Hegemony

• when populations grew beyond poleis agricultural land/resources, colonisation and trade sought

• greek colonies around mediterranean and black seas set up similarly to poleis

• larger, more powerful poleis dominated, pressured smaller neighbors

Spartan Helots

• helots work in household/farms etc gave citizens time to train/participate in community

• citizens/spartans lived in constant fear of helot uprising/revolution

Athenian Metics

• became involved in trade bc Athens unable to access land for agriculture

• had a community at port of Athens ( Piraeus)

• required to pay monthly tax, a source of funds for athens

• role in economy = trade, commerce, manufacturing

Procession preperation

• 1st third of west frieze is not apart of procession, rather showing preparations for participants

• marshal (officer) dressing, men prepping horses = could have been dokimasia or enrollment of knights

Horsemen, cavalry

• constitute %46 of whole frieze

• horsemen divided into 2 lines of 10 ranks – same number as Attic tribes

• all except 2 are beardless youths

• original frieze 160m

• only 128m survives - approx %80

• 1m in height

• 5.6cm forward at its max depth

• composed of 114 blocks

• blocks average of 1.22m length

Design

• doric temple expected to have doric metopes where the ionic frieze is

Building

• below the moulding and above the tenia there is a channel 17 mm high that would have served to give access to the sculptor's chisel when finishing the heads or feet on the relief; this scamillus or guide strip is the best evidence there is that the blocks were carved on the wall.

• the many drill holes found in Hera's and Apollo's heads indicate that a gilded bronze wreath would probably have crowned the deities.

Moments preserved =

• 2 figures in each car, a driver in long ceremonial tunic and a armed warrior/hoplite

• hoplite supposed to jump off chariot to finish race on foot at a certain point

• infront of chariots, groups of pedestrains walk slowly / solemnly

• slow contrasts fast tempo of cavalcade

pedestrains comprise of =

• bearded men (maybe elder civic or religious officials)

• musicians

• young men carrying water-jars

• tray-bearers

• youth leading sacrificial cattle or sheep

on turning corner onto east frieze =

• women/girls first depiction

• heavily draped

• moving forward in slow time

• carrying paraphernalia of ritual sacrifice = jugs and bowls for pouring libations, one stand for incense burning

• women/girls on north and south led / met by male marshalls

• men leading women = transitional figures between procession proper, do not participate in it, lean casually on sticks to converse with others

• leaning figures could be magistrates of athenians democratic government or eponymous heroes who gave name to 10 tribes of athens

• they provide cosmological interval between mortals behind and divine olympian family ahead of them

Immortals/gods/divine

• gods seated

• they are on larger scale then previous figures

• 2 groups of them, arranged like grand-stand audience

• one group faces the southern division of the procession, the other faces the northern

• panthenon conceived very much as human

• each god depicted with distinguishing attributes and posing

• dionysus leaning drunken arm on hermes , demeter rests chin solemnly on her hand (grieving daughter persephone loss), zeus leans arm over back of his thrown

• between 2 groups of gods is a carved scene of a religious ritual

• ritual left - right = 2 girls carry cushioned stools on heads towards priestess who is standing back to back with priest who is handling folded blanket cloth with young boy

• cloth = peplos, new robe for athens that is women every year and presented to her/put on her statue as the final event of the festival/procession

historic

• frieze doesnt present a literal rendering of the panathenaic procession

• instead shows an idealised, artificial synthesis of festival events which wouldnt have occured how it is shown

• competition and sacrifices together in idealised rendering of the people of athens

• athenains dressed in best atire and parading before their gods

• gods depicted as larger-then-life humans

• uncertain whether gods are watching procession from sacred citadel or holy mountain

• either heaven has come to earth or earth has gone to heaven

• ambiguity flatters athenians

• encapsulates moment where both human/animal, male/female, citizen/slave, young/old, mortal/divine, pay honour and are honoured in return

• 431 bce , athens had just had a disastrous war with sparta, consequence was a plague that grew behind athens fortified walls and ultimately killed pericles 2 years later

• uncertainty of human fortune

• stone sculptures of living flesh rescues life from earths corruption

• immortalized athenians

• often in greek sculpture deceased represented as "perpetual bloom of youth", not being old or withered , rotted etc