The Island of Aegina and the reconstructed Trireme

Greetings from Athens,

This will be my last entry on this blog. Tomorrow I greet the tour group of students from Lee University at the Athens airport. So I will begin making daily entries on the blog for that trip which you can see at http://leeu2006.blogspot.com/

Today we left the hotel early and rode on the bus to the port city of Piraeus. We then boarded a ferry bound for the island of Aegina. The bus drove on under the deck of the ship. The voyage lasted about 1 hour.

Along the way we got a good view of the harbor of Athens and also the island of Salamis and the straight of Salamis. This was the site of a famous naval battle the Persians and the Athenians. The Athenians used "misinformation" to help them in this battle. They sent a message via a slave that they were intending to the flee the battle. Then the Athenian ships engaged the Persian fleet (actually they used Phoencian ships to comprise their navy) and pulled them into the straights. Then the Athenians could pick them off in small numbers. The Phoencian ships could out run the Athenians in the open sea but the Atheian triremes were more nimble in close quarters. They turn faster and were quicker in the short run. The trireme is a long narrow ship with bronze covering the prow. The ship is the missile or weapon. The Athenians using a crew of about 200 rowers seated in 3 banks of oars (hence the name tri-reme) would maneuver the ship quickly so they could strike the enemy ship broadside so it would take on water and flip over. The crew of about 200 was from the lower classes clled Thetes but they were still citizens of Athens (unlike some movie depictions). The crew on top of the ship was about 30-40. If the trireme was hit it would not sink rather it would flip over trapping the rowers but the crew could swim away but they might be killed in the water or when they landed on shore.This remarkable victory at Salamis was an important turning point in the war with the Persians. At the end of our trip we were able to visit the reconstructed trireme called the Olympias which is on display at the naval shipyards.

When we arrive at the island of Aegina we got on the bus and drove to the site of the temple of Aphaea. This was our "final exam" we were divided into 3 teams and we worked on trying to figure the purpose and construction on the temple without consulting the information on the signs at the site. We were able to do a fair job of figuring the age of the temple early 5th century and that there was more than one phase of use to the temple complex. We also notice a unique water system with a cistenr on the site. The temple was of Doric construction. After our discussions we visited the museum to see many of the items which the German team uncovered at the site.

It is an impressive temple with a beautiful view of the sea.

After our "exam" we drove to the town of Perdika and had lunch. This is a small fishing village. I had some tiny fry fish that reminded me of smelt from Lake Michigan. (yes the head and tails were on the fish, yummy!!)

We stopped to buy pistachos because the island is covered with the trees and famous for these nuts.

It has been a great trip and experience. I have learned a great deal and enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy the blog. Remember that this adventure continues for me with the tour to Turkey and Greece you can see it at http://leeu2006.blogspot.com/

John Wineland
Athens, Greece

Pictures of Kerameikos and Eleusis

The Eleusinian Relief, Demeter is on the left, Persephone in the center

The Telestrion, Eleusis, Greece

Stelae at the Kerameikos

Eleusis and the Kerameikos

Hello Again from Athens,

We had another good day here in Athens. I have one more day with the Mellon group. I have a group of Lee University students arriving for a two week study tour on Friday. I also have a blog for this trip which I have been using to get everyone ready for that trip to Turkey and Greece. I will also try to post to this blog each day as the trip progresses so people can keep track of our progress. You can find it at http://leeu2006.blogspot.com.

This morning we rode the bus to Eleusis. This site was an ancient center of the mystery religion associated with the goddess Demeter. Any Greek speaking person who was not a murder could join this group so thousands of people joined. Eleusis was associated with this religious activity from from Mycenaen times until abour AD 400 when the Christian Emperor Theodosis closed it down.

The beliefs of this group are shrouded in mystery because the participants were sworn to secrecy. But the basis for the practices are centered in the story of Demeter who grieves after her daughter Persphone is abducted by Hades. She is the goddess of fertility so she does not allow crops to grow until her daughter is released. According to the myth her daughter is held for 9 months each year. This is related to the growing cycle and harvest.

The participants and intiates would walk at night down the Sacred Way in procession from the Kerameikos to Eleusis and make sacrifices. They would cleanse themselves and wear special clothes. When they arrived they would enter the Telestrion which was built in the 5th century BC. By Roman times this temple could hold 1000's of people. People would sit in the temple which was filled with many columns and was dark. Rites would take place which probably included an offering of grain. During this night the priestess would reveal the secrets and visions of the cult. Once someone became a member of this group they beleived that they had eternal life. Some of the seats for the temple were cut into to the bedrock and are still visible today.

There is also a cave which had a temple built in front of it called the Ploutonion. This was the place that Persephone was returned and it was a sanctuary to Hades the god of the underworld. The Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurielius enlarged and furbished the site during the second century A.D.

After a visit to the site we toured the small but important museum at the site. It has a nice model of the site and several items found at the site.

This site is west of Athens and near the Sea. From the museum we had a nice view of the island of Salamis and the straights of Salamis the place where the famous battle of Salamis took place between the Persians and the Greeks.

Then the bus drove us back to Athens and dropped us off at the Kerameikos. This is the ancient cemetary of Athens. It is just outside the old walls and gates of the ancient city. The remains of the Sacred Way to the Acropolis and Eleusis are still visible. The walls and gates of the city have been exposed by excavation. The remains of the Sacred Gate and the Dipylon Gate are also visible. This was the main route in and out of town. It also is where the long double walls which extend from Athens to the harbor at Piraeus. This was the first place that the devasting plague stuck during the Peloponnessian War.

There are still grave markers visible on the site. Often elaborate stelae mark the graves. We then visited the small museum at the site which houses pottery, stelae, and other articfacts found at the site.

John Wineland, Athens

Agora etc, pictures

Monument of Lysikrates

Theater of Dionysus, Athens

Hephaistion, Athenian Agora

Athens: Agora

Hello Everyone from Athens,

Today was a very busy day again for me. We left the hotel in the morning and walked to the Agora. This was the center of the city of Athens. It was sacred space so it had temples and the Sacred Road which led up to the Acropolis. Each year on Athena's Birthday the people of Athens would walk up to the acropolis to make sacrifices and adorn her statue with a new dress.

The area of the agora was purchased with money from John D. Rockefeller. The old house were moved form the area and excavations began. The rail line runs directly through the ancient Agora.

We walked to the altar of the 12 Olympic gods. This was the center of the ancient Agora and all distances were measured from the point to everywhere else in Greece. Now it is at the edge of the archeological park and a modern wall runs over the middle of the altar. This wall divides this area from the railway line.

We walked on the to the Hephaisteion also called the Theseion. This is the best preserved ancient Greek temple in Greece. It was built c. 449-440BC. It is a Doric temple with Ionic elements. The roof is well preserved and it is on hill which overlooks the Agora and has a commanding view of the Acropolis.

We then walked to the site of the ancient prison of Athens. It was located outside of the temenos which was sacred space. This is the likely site of the imprisonment and death of Socrates. At this site they found several small bottles which were used to hold the poison hemlock which was used as a forced suicide of the condemmed. Also found here is a small statue of a figure that looks much like Socrates and a fragment of a drinking cup with name of Socrates friend inscribed on the it. These items are nicely displayed in the Agora museum.

We also visited the Moument of the Eponymous Heros. Cliesthenes brought reforms to bring about democracy in Athens. He reorganized the tribes of Athens by forming 10 new tribes. These made of citizens from different parts of Attica. He went to Delphi and asked the Oracle for help and the Oracle endorsed this process and gave the names of the 10 Eponynomous Heros which became the names of the 10 new tribes. This monument was a place that members of each tribe could meet and post messages. This new organization of tribes made it possible for democracy to work. They formed the Council of 500 (Boule), with 50 from each of the 10 tribes. One tribal delegation would write laws for 1/10 of the year then it had to ratified by the 500. The writing of laws would rotate to each tribal delegation. The Tholos is where the Tribe writing the laws would meet and the Bouleterion is where the council of 500 would meet.

We then visited the Agora Museum. It has many interesting items it and it has been newly redone since my last visit in 2003. Inside are the items connected with the Athenian prison and Socrates death that I descibe above. Also on display are are several ostraca (singular from ostracon). An ostracon is any piece of broken pottery with writing on it. Ancient people used broken pottery like we might use an old envelope today, for lists, notes, etc. These ostraca are special because they were used for an unpopularity contest which could be held annual in Athens. Whoever was the top vote getter was voted out of Athens for 10 years. Several of these ostraca have the name Themistocles. Themistocles was a general and politician in Athens . He had fought in the battle of Marathon and organized the plan for the Battle of Salamis but he was voted out in 471BC because the people believed he had accepted bribes.

Also in the museum is a machine devised to pick juries at random. Names of the jurors chose at random from the 10 tribes where place in a stone grid. Then white and black rounded stones were dropped in the machine if a white one appear the row served on the jury if black they were dismissed. Near this was a water clock. This clock timed how long someone could speak during the trial.

Also we saw standards for weights and measures of dry and wet volumes and weights.

One of my favorite displays had toys and games that children would have used in Ancient Greece. They also had an ancient baby toliet seat!

After the museum we had a quick lunch. I had my favorite Greek salad and a gyro.

Then we began a long walk in the afternoon. We first walked up towards the Acropolis again.

We stopped for a visit to the Areopagus (the Hill of Ares) or Mars Hill. This is a stone outcrop which looks over the Agora and has commanding view of the Acropolis. It was an ancient place for trials especially those involving murder. By the Roman period there was a council called the Areopagus. It sometimes meet here on this hill and sometimes in a stoa in the Agora. Paul speaks before this council (see Acts 17). Acts records that Dionysios the Areopagite was converted to Christianity by Paul's preaching.

The Areopagus is also the setting for the trial of Orestes in the play Eumenides by Aeschylus.

We then walked to the Pnyx hill. This overlooks the Aeropagus, the Agora, and Parthenon. This is place where the bema would meet to discuss political and legal matters. Any citizen could speak but for a limited time (timed by a water clock). 6000 Athenians would gather here 40 times a year. They would also decide if an ostracism would be held. When it was held the vote would take place on top of this hill.

After this we visited the Theater of Dionysius. This is the birthplace of drama. In this theater contests would held in honor of Dionysus. Three playwrights works would performed and the winner would be chosen. The entire process would begin and end with a day of relgious worship and have 3 days (oen for each playwright) of plays in the middle.

We ended the day with a walk to the mounment of Lysikrates. He was the patron or producer of a winning play in one of the contests in the theater of Dionysius. It was built in 334BC to commerate the victory the year before. It has six Corinthian columns and is the earliest example of these on mainland Greece. Lord Byron was inspired by the monument while staying nearby in 1810. He wrote part of his poem Childe Harold while sitting by the monument.

After this we headed back to the hotel for some well deserved rest.

Tomorrow we will tour the Kerameikos the ancient cemetary of Athens.

John Wineland, Athens

Acropolis

Aerial View of the Acropolis

Bronze Statue of Zeus

Mycenanean Gold Death Mask from Mycenae

Acropolis

Acropolis And the National Archaeological Museum

Hello,

Today was a great day. We hiked from our hotel to the acropolis and also when in the Acropolis museum. Then we walk to the Plaka area and ate lunch. Then we walked to a metro stop and traveled to area of the National ArchaeologicalMuseum. After our visit we walked back to the metro and back to the area of our hotel. After a short break we walked to outdoor resturant near the acropolis. Overall a great day but a little tiring.

As we walked up to the Acropolis we arrived in time to see the army guard march in ranks and load up in the truck and leave. They do not allow backpacks on the acropolis. We walked up and it was sunny and warm day. the wind had been blowing for several days so the there was no haze and you could clearly see the harbor 5 miles away and the island of Salamis and even the mountains of the Pelopponessus.

We climb up the hill much in the same way the ancient people of Athens would walk up in Athena's birthday. They would bring sacrifices and a new dress for her statue in the Erechtheion.

As you enter the acropolis (which means high or upper city) you walk through the Propylaia a monumental entranceway. Which had a room on the to house pieces of art and a place for meals for the elite. They are still working on this area and in fact the entire emple to Athena Nike which is on the right has been dismantled and is in the process of restoration.

When would through the gate you see the Parthenon on the right. It gets its name from the Greek word parthenos which means virgin. Athena was the virgin goddess who according to the mythlogy competed for the control of Athens with Nepture. Her symbol is an owl which represents her wisdom. Of course the Parthenon is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It is amazing to see. It still has some reconstruction work taking place. But much of it has been reworked. Construction began in 447BC and the temple was dedicated in 438BC A large chryselephintine (ivory and gold) statue of Athena stood in front of the Partheon but it does not survive. The Partheonon was destroyed in 1687 when the Venetians attcked the city and the Turks had explosives stored in the building. The explosives were detonated during the battle. The temple has Doric constructionand several features built in to give it the illusion of perfection. The columns taper towards the tip but bulge slighty in the middle. They also lean slightly inward. The temple is uilt on a 9:4 ratio of height to width etc. The interior frieze is preserved in London at the British Museum. Lord Elgin moved many of the remaining sculpltures 1801-1803 he sold to the British in 1816. Many would like to have the material returned to Greece.

To the right of the Propylaia is the Erechtheion which is mostly reconstructed now bu they are sitll working on the center ares of the temple. The most famous feature is the Porch of the Caratids. Here carvings of women were used in the place of columns. This building is names after Erchtheus the mythical king of Athens. It was built between 421 and 406 BC.

After looking over all of the buildings on the acropolis we visited the Acropolis musuem which has objects found on the Acropolis including material from earlier temple structures. The museum has the Caratids and other parts from the metopes and Pediments of the temples especially the Parthenon.

It is a small but important museum.

We then left the acropolis walked by the Aeropagus and through the Agora and then stopped for lunch in the Plaka area. Then on to the then National Archaeological Museum.

This is a large and fine museum with material from all over Greece including the islands. There are mnay fine examples of Greek pottery from all the periods from Geometric on to Black and Red figures pottery. There are many fine bronze statues also. Most which were recovers from the sea. The large bronze of Zeus is one of the finest pieces in the museum. The museum also hs the Mycenaen materials from the tombs of Mycenae. Schliemann found gold desk masks and fine gold objects. Also on display on the second floor are some of the frescos from ancient Thera.

This is a world class museum that is worth several visits.

Tomorrow we will visit the Agora and musuem and the Areopagus or Mars Hill.

Some Trivia About the Modern Marathon Race Traditions

Pheidippides carrying a letter on a French Stamp

The Ancient Greeks never ran a Marathon race, this traditon began with the modern Olympics. The first modern Olympic games were held in 1896 in Greece. The legend of Pheidippides was honored by a 24.85 mile (40,000 meters) run from Marathon Bridge to Olympic stadium in Athens. At the 1908 Olympic Games in London, the marathon distance was changed to 26 miles to cover the ground from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium, with 385 yards added on so the race could finish in front of royal family's viewing box. This added two miles to the course, and is the origin of the Marathon tradition of shouting "God save the Queen!" (or other words relating to the Queen) as mile post 24 is passed.

Marathon

Drawing of the Battle of Marathon tactics, the Greeks allowed the Persians to Break their lines in the center so they could engulf the Persian forces.

Map of the area of the Plain of Marathon

The Tumulus at Marathon

Monastery Osios Loukas

Mosaic inside the church which shoes Christ washing Peter's feet

Exterior of the Monastery

This is Holy Luke from a mosaic inside the church

From Delphi to Athens

Greetings,

Today we left Delphi and drove to the Monastery Osios Loukas. This monastery is dedicated to Holy Luke but not the Luke of the Gospel of Luke but another Greek Luke from the 11th century AD. He was a hermit and a healer. It is an amazing building in a beautiful location overlooking a green valley. This site also was under attack during the Greek Revolution in 1821. The revolution resulted in Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Inside the church are beautiful ceiling mosaic with scenes from the Life of Christ, his baptism, washing the disciples feet, etc. Also there are images of Peter and Paul and many of the apostles. There are frescos in the crypt under the church which depict Thomas touching Jesus side after His Resurrection.

The monastery was built to honor Holy Luke and St. Barbara.

We then drove quite a while (about 3 hours) across the mainland of Greece to the coast and the city of Marathon. This is the location of a major battle between the Athenians and the Persians. Many people believe that this is the most important battle in the history of the west. Because here the Athenians out numbered two to one defeated the Persians and preserved Greek control and thereby the birth of democracy etc. This battle took place in 490 BC with the Athenians under the command of Miltiades. There were about 10,000 Greeks and about 25,000 Persians. After the victory of the Greeks about 6,000 Persians died in this battle while only 192 Athenians died. These 192 were buried in a tumulus on the battlefield and the tumulus is still there. We visited it today. This became an important symbol for the Athenians and was remembered by the Romans and us today.

After we we visited the Plain of Marathon we went to a small but nice museum of Marathon. It contains some of the objects found into he tumulus when it was excavated (and they found the remains of over 1000 men) this is important confirmation of Herodotus.

Also in the museum were some fine examples of Greek pottery and some amazing statues from a Temple to Isis built on a nearby island in the 2nd century AD.

We then ate a late lunch near the seashore. I had a Greek salad which has cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and olives with Olive oil and seasonings. It was nice way to end the trip.

We then drove the 26 miles to Athens and our hotel the Amazon hotel. After checking in and celaning up I came in post this report and check my email and also post my grades for my classes at Ohio University Southern campus. I taught two classes this quarter, History of the Middle East since 1800 and the History of Ancient Greece. I must admit this is the first time I have posted grades on a course on Ancient Greece while being in Greece!! I posted grades for Athens Ohio from Athens Greece!!

Tomorrow we go to the Acropolis and the National Museum.

John Wineland, Athens Greece

The Temple to Apollo Delphi

Temple to Apollo Delphi, the oracle would enter the basement of the temple ans sit on a tripod and breath in gases from a fissure coming from two fault lines under the temple.

The Delphic Oracle sitting on her tripod

A Day of Delphi

Hello From Delphi,

Today we visited the Ancient Site of Delphi. It is a beautiful site and the favorite of many people. I think that it is my favorite site in Greece. You are high up in the mountains but you have a commanding view of the sea below. Ancient Greeks climbed the hills to worship Apollo and Athena and seek guidance from the oracle at the Temple of Apollo. They also gathered for the Pythian Games, which is one of the four Pan-Hellenic games. There were also poetry and music contests and meetings where leaders of Ancient Greek City-States could talk politics over and come to decisions.

Today we walked from the hotel to the site. We made our way to the Roman Forum and then up the Sacred Way. Along the Sacred way there were statues to honor donors, athletes, and musicians. These statues lined the Sacred Way so everyone would remember what they had achieved. Also along the Sacred Way were several treasuries of cities housing their gifts to the god Apollo. For example at the prows of the warships were lined up to commemorate the Athenian victory over the Persians.

The retaining walls are built of polygonal construction to help them survive earthquake attacks. Many of these stones are covered with inscriptions, many of these inscriptions record masters freeing their slaves. At the heart of the site is the Temple of Apollo which has a large altar in front. Adjacent to the Temple stood a bronze tripod of Platea which is made of intertwined bronze snakes. This tripod was carried off by Constantine the Great and was put in the center of the hippodrome. A part of the tripod is located at the hippodrome in Istanbul. I will see it later this summer.

The Temple of Apollo is of Doric style and it is built over 2 fault lines which has recently been studied by geologist who have determined that a form of methane gas would have been released from these fissures which would have had a hallucinogenic effect on the priestess who would sit on a tripod over the opening and speak in a “language” only the priest could understand. People would wait in line on the seventh day of the month and would be chosen by lot to choose the order. They would tell the priest the question and he would rely it to the priestess and later return with her answer. An answer he would interpret for the one waiting. Sometimes the answers were straight forward and often the person would get the answer they desired. But sometimes the answers were veiled and opened to interpretation. Under the temple there are still passages which people climb in. The oracle would go into the basement of the temple to answer the questions.

Up above the Temple is a nice theater which was used for dramas and plays. Up even further is a stadium with stone seats and nice starting gates. We had a race and Michael won again so he is a three time winner.

After visiting the stadium we walked down through the ruins. We ate lunch and then returned to the lower part of the site which houses the temples of Athena. There is a nice view up the slope of the entire site from here.

On the way out we stopped at a column which was inscribed by Lord Byron when he visited the site almost 200 years ago. He carved his name Byron into the stone.

This evening we are going to a nearby village to see the shops and eat dinner.

Tomorrow we travel to Marathon and then on Athens.

John Wineland, Delphi, Greece

Gallio Inscription

Gallio Inscription, Delphi Museum

Bronze Charioteer

Bronze Charioteer, Delphi

From Olympia to Delphi

Greetings from Delphi home of the Oracle!

Today we left Olympia and drove north. We cross a new bridge built for the 2004 Olympics which links the Peloponnesus with the mainland of Greece. After crossing we stop to eat in the coastal town of Galaxidi. We had a nice lunch. They gave everyone calamari to try. That is deep fried squid.

After lunch we drove up to Delphi and checked in at our hotel the Delphi Palace. The we walked to the museum near the site.

The museum has several amazing objects all found during the excavations at Delphi. Delphi was home to the Pythian Games which was one of the Panhellenic Games. These games took place every four years in honor of Apollo, the god of wisdom. The temple to Apollo was home to oracle of Delphi. A priestess of the temple functioned as the oracle. People would come and ask questions of the oracle on special days. She would sit in the temple on a tripod over a crack where vapors would rise up and have a hallucinogenic effect on her and she would speak in “tongues” and predict the future often in vague ways. Recently geologists and archaeologists have worked together and discovered that a fault line runs under the temple and that have hallucinogenic properties.

As one of the panhellenic games as well as a home to an oracle Delphi was the most important religious site on the mainland. Several treasuries and monuments were built as each city tried to out do the other. Many of these offerings to Apollo were lost on the site and have now been recovered by archaeologists.

In the museum some of the most important objects include a large Sphinx. As I look at it I was reminded of Oedipus and the riddle of the sphinx. The Siphinian Treasury which dates to 525BC is one of the oldest Ionic marble buildings on the mainland. The pediments of the building are well-preserved. One side with the Judgment of Paris and the other with the combat of combat before Troy with the assembly of the gods. This has the name of the artist on one of the shields.

The Treasure Room has amazing objects such as parts of the chryselephantine (made from ivory and gold) statues of Apollo and Artemis. Also the remains of a large statue of a bull made of silver.

One of the most famous items in the museum is the Charioteer which is an original bronze which sections of the horse and chariot. This was made to honor the victor of chariot 478 or 474 in Pythian games.

Also there is a famous marble statue of Antinoos. He was a famous companion of Emperor Hadrian who died by drowning in the Nile during a trip their with the emperor.

Also the museum has an inscription which has musical notation on it. This is one the earliest indications of musical notation in Ancient Greece it dates to the 3rd century BC.

My favorite item in the museum was the Gallio inscription. This is an inscription that I have been talking about for many years. It makes reference to Gallio who is mentioned in Acts 18. Gallio is proconsul of Acacia. The emperor Nero wrote a letter honoring him which is preserved in this inscription. Paul was taken before Gallio by the Jews of Corinth. Here Gallio determined not to get involved in what he called Jewish disputes. Since a proconsulship only lasted one year and since Paul was only in Corinth for eighteen months this inscription establishes a benchmark in the chronology in Paul’s life and missionary journeys. So this is an important piece of evidence for New Testament studies.

Tomorrow we explore the site itself and make our way up pass the temple to the stadium at Delphi where a race will take place.

John Wineland

Starting Line Stadium at Olympia

Starting Line

The Stadium of Olympia

This is the stadium in Olympia