Religion And City : The Parthenon

Question 1

Who sacked the city of Athens

Answer 1

The Persians

Question 2

What was the focal point of the new Athens

Answer 2

The Acropolis which was a sanctuary dedicated to Athena

Question 3

Who was the ‘first citizen of Athens’

Answer 3

Pericles - a Greek politician

Question 4

What does Pericles hope to turn Athens into

Answer 4

Into an architectural centre of the known world and the Parthenon being the most prominent building

Question 5

Give 5 facts about the Parthenon

Answer 5

• On entering the Acropolis: Athena Promachos
• In the south east corner: Athena Nike (victory)
• To the north: the Erechtheion
• In the south west corner: Athena Polias (city)
• On the south east side: Athena Parthenos (virgin)

Question 6

Give the length and width of the Parthenon

Answer 6

Width - 30.9 meters

Length - 69.5 meters

Question 7

What stood in the Naos of the Parthenon

Answer 7

13 meter high statue of Athena

Question 8

Describe the statue of Athena

Answer 8

• is made from gold and ivory (had a chryselephantine status)
• the helmet had sphinxes and griffins on - on the chest of the robe was the head of Medusa in Ivory
• one hand had an image of victory and the other a spear
• at her feet lay a shield

Question 9

What are the building did the Acropolis contain

Answer 9

The Erechtheion - housed a small wooden statue which the Peplos would be placed on during the Panathenia

Question 10

What did the Erechtheion symbolise

Answer 10

The competition for patronage of Athens between Athena and Poseidon. Outside is the Olive tree and inside is it is the salty well

Question 11

How is the Parthenon similar to standard Greek temples

Answer 11

• It was oriented east to west.
• It stood on a three-stepped base. It was - surrounded by a colonnade.
• It had a naos (inner chamber).
• It had an opisthodomos (rear room treasury).

Question 12

How is the Parthenon unique

Answer 12

• Behind the external façade was another row of columns that supported an Ionic frieze (the rest of the temple is Doric style)
• The frieze was 165m long and went around the whole Parthenon.
• The Ionic frieze increased the grandeur of the building, adding another surface for sculpture.

Question 13

What does the east pediment show

Answer 13

The birth of Athena

Question 14

What does West pediment show

Answer 14

The contest of Athens

Question 15

What does Parthenon friezes show

Answer 15

• a Panathenaic procession
• the victory of the Athenians at Marathon
• the power of Athens as a city-state
• the piety of its citizens

Question 16

How many Metopes did the Parthenon have

Answer 16

92

Question 17

What did the East Metopes show

Answer 17

The battle between Olympic gods and Giants (Gigantomachy)

Question 18

What did the West Metopes show

Answer 18

The battle between the Greeks and the Amazons

Question 19

What did the North Metopes show

Answer 19

The Fall of Troy

Question 20

What did the South Metopes show

Answer 20

The battle between Centaurs and humans (Centauromachy)