The Acropolis Flashcards
What is the Greek word for sanctuary?
temenos. Literally means ‘cut-off area’.
What does peribolos mean?
Boundary wall or markers. Literally means ‘encircling wall’.
What is a Greek sanctuary?
Areas set aside for religious purposes and separate from the normal secular world. The open space of the sanctuary was where the worshippers congregated to observe and participate in the ritual.
What was the Acropolis?
The religious centre of Athens. It became a key religious site in Attica and had significance for the whole of Greece.
What were the main festivals that took place at the Acropolis?
- Panathenaia
- Plynteria
What is the significance of the Acropolis in relation to Athena?
Many votive offerings were left by individuals to Athena. This reflects the deeply religious nature of the area.
What oath did the Athenians take after the Persian attack in 480 BC?
Never to rebuild on the Acropolis. The ruins were left as a memorial to the impious barbarity of the Persians.
Who instigated the reconstruction project of the Acropolis?
Pericles
What are the key buildings associated with the reconstruction of the Acropolis?
- Parthenon
- Propylaia
- Temple of Athena Nike
- Erechtheion
What was the date of the rebuilding project of the Parthenon?
447-432 BC
What architectural style is the Parthenon primarily built in?
Doric style with Ionic influence
What is the size of the Parthenon?
30.88 x 69.5 m
What type of statue was housed in the Parthenon?
Gold and ivory (‘chryselephantine’) statue of Athena Parthenos
What is depicted on the outer side of Athena’s shield in the Parthenon?
Amazonomachy
What is depicted on the inner side of Athena’s shield in the Parthenon?
Gigantomachy
What significant scenes are represented on the pediments of the Parthenon?
- Birth of Athena (East pediment)
- Contest between Athena and Poseidon (West pediment)
How many metopes are on the Parthenon?
92 metopes
What themes are represented in the metopes of the Parthenon?
- Gigantomachy
- Centauromachy
- Amazonomachy
- Trojan War
What does the Ionic frieze of the Parthenon depict?
Idealised Panathenaic procession
What function did the Parthenon serve besides a temple?
Served as a treasury or bank
What was the date of the Erechtheion’s construction?
421-405 BC
What significant statue was housed in the Erechtheion?
Olive-wood cult statue of Athena Polias
What unique feature does the Erechtheion have regarding its design?
Split level and uneven ground
What was the significance of the Plynteria festival in relation to the Erechtheion?
Involved the washing of the cult statue of Athena
