This
post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's
notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for
further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off
in a text box (as this one).
Most
of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption
indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT”
placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such
as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification,
indicate that source in the caption.
The
weather forecast in the Viking Daily newsletter was “Sunny. 95°f / 35° C.”
We woke at 7 am and ate breakfast in the World Café.
The Viking Star arrived at the Piraeus port of Athens around 8:30 am.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019, 9:15 AM – Piraeus: port terminal.
Piraeus (Greek: ΠΕΙΡΑΙΆΣ, Pireás) is a port city (pop. 163,688), in a municipality
of the same name, located within the Athens urban area, 8 km (5 mi) southwest
of the city center. It is the 5th largest municipality in Greece, following the
municipality of Athens. Piraeus has long recorded history, dating to ancient
Greece. The city was founded in the early 5th century BC, when this area was
selected to become the new port of Athens. Thus, it became the chief port of
ancient Greece but declined gradually after the 3rd century BC. In the Middle
Ages, it was little more than a fishing village, but it grew once more in the 19th
century, after Athens was declared the capital of Greece. Today, it remains the
chief port of Greece, the largest passenger port in Europe and second largest in
the world, serving about 20 million passengers annually.
The Viking Daily newsletter and Viking
Cruise Documents described “ATHENS (PIRAEUS), GREECE” as follows:
“Athens has been called the ‘birthplace
of democracy.’ Its legacy looms large from atop Acropolis Hills, the pinnacle
of ancient Greece. Its open air museum is an astonishing repository of
once-mighty structures. From its colonnaded Parthenon—more than 2,600 years ago—revered
Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle formulated new ideas of government
and debated its role in civic life to captivated audiences. Remnants of spiritual
life are also here in the several temples to Athena and Zeus. Athens offers plenty
of culinary temples too. Its Plaka District, full of cafés and restaurants, is
an inviting cluster of historic buildings on the slopes of Acropolis Hill, the
ideal setting in which to enjoy traditional small plates of mezes and a sip of
ouzo.”
Athens (Greek: ΑΘΉΝΑ,
Athina) is the capital and largest city of Greece. It is one of the world’s oldest
cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,500 years and its earliest known
human presence started somewhere between the 11th and 7th millennia BC. However,
its greatest glory was during the Classical period of ancient Greece (478-336
BC), from which many buildings and artifacts still survive. Within the
Byzantine Empire and under Ottoman rule, Athens played only a minor role. It
returned to prominence in 1834, when it was established as the capital of the independent
Greek state.
According to the ancient Athenian founding
myth, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, competed against Poseidon, the god of the
seas, for patronage of the yet-unnamed city, and Athena won. In antiquity, it
was debated whether Athens took its name from its patron goddess Athena or
Athena took her name from the city. Modern scholars now generally agree on the
latter.
The Athens Urban Area (Greek:
ΠΟΛΕΟΔΟΜΙΚΌ ΣΥΓΚΡΌΤΗΜΑ ΑΘΗΝΏΝ, Poleodomiko Sugkrotima Athinón)
consists of 40 municipalities, 35 of which are referred to as the Greater Athens
municipalities, with the other 5 making up the Greater Piraeus municipalities.
At 9 am, we met at the pier side for the (included) shore excursion “Panoramic Athens & Archaeological Museum.” We chose this over the optional excursions because it would give us a good overview of the city in which we would spend 4 extra days after the cruise.
The Viking Cruise Documents
describe the 4-hour shore excursion “Panoramic Athens & Archaeological Museum”
as follows:
“A Motor Coach Tour of Greece’s
Capital
“See the highlights of Athens by
motor coach and visit the national Archeological Museum. From the port of Piraeus,
journey with your guide into ancient Athens. You will pass the small harbor of
Zea, whose 5th-century BC dock still survives, and the elegant promenade at
Mikrolimano. In the center of historic Athens, you will see the Helleni[c] Parliament
and Syntagma (Constitution) Square. as well as the distinctively uniformed
Presidential Guard, or ‘Evzones,’ at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Your
scenic drive includes views of Panathenaic Stadium and the Temple of Olympian
Zeus. Following the panoramic tour, you will visit the National archaeological
Museum, one of the world’s greatest
museums. With more than 11,000 exhibits, it provides a panorama of Greek
civilization from the beginnings of prehistory to Late Antiquity. If you like,
enjoy a coffee at one of the many local cafes during your free time.”
The bus took us on a whirlwind tour of Athens with “drive-by” photo opportunities.
9:37 AM – Athens: view, from bus windshield, of a
peak of Lykavittós Hill, higher than the
Acropolis, towering over Athens (mild telephoto 63 mm).
Lykavittós Hill, also called Mount
Lycabettus, is a limestone hill with pine trees covering its base. At 300 m (908
ft) above sea level, its summit is the highest point in Athens. The ancient
belief was that Athena accidentally dropped this rock here that she had been
carrying for the construction of the Acropolis citadel. At its two peaks are
the little white Chapel of Saint George Lycabettus (founded in 1834), a theater,
and a restaurant.
Lykavittós Hill (By User:Greenshed
- Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1772481).
9:41 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of columns
of Temple of Olympian Zeus, near Hadrian’s Arch.
9:41 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Acropolis
(mild telephoto 63 mm).
MT 9:34 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Acropolis
and columns of Temple of Olympian Zeus.
9:42 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Lykavittós
Hill, higher than Acropolis (telephoto 81 mm).
9:45 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Panathenaic
Stadium.
Athens: Panathenaic Stadium (By
George E. Koronaios - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79981054).
The Panathenaic Stadium, also
called Kallimármaro (beautiful marble) is a multipurpose stadium. It is the
only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. The original Panathenaic
Stadium was built on the site of a simple racecourse in 330-329 BC, primarily for
the Panathenaic Games, held every four years from 566 BC to the 3rd century AD,
which incorporated a religious festival, athletic events, and cultural events. It
was first reconstructed for gladiatorial contests during the reign of Hadrian
(117-138 AD). Then it was rebuilt in white marble in 144 AD by Herodes Atticus,
for the Panathenaic Games, and had a capacity of 50,000 seats. After the rise
of Christianity in the 4th century, it was largely abandoned. Its marble was quarried
for use in new buildings. The stadium was excavated in 1869-79 and, after being
refurbished, hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, when it held 80,000. The
present structure is a faithful replica of the stadium of Herodes Atticus. Its
current capacity is 60,000, and it was again used as an Olympic venue in 2004.
9:45 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Panathenaic
Stadium.
9:48 AM (Cropped) – Athens: another view, from bus
windshield, of Lykavittós Hill.
9:49 AM – Athens: another view, from bus window,
of Lykavittós Hill with white Chapel of St. George (telephoto 119 mm).
9:49 AM – Athens: view, from bus window through
trees, of small brick Byzantine-style
church (telephoto 119 mm).
9:53 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Hellenic
Parliament
9:53 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Hellenic
Parliament building, center portion.
9:53 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of Hellenic
Parliament building, right end.
9:55 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of University
of Athens.
9:56 AM – Athens: view, from bus window, of columns
in front of University of Athens.
10:07 AM – Athens: our tour group approaching National
Archaeological Museum exterior, led by our guide with red “paddle” for “Viking
Star 4” tour group.
The National Archaeological
Museum of Athens is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of
the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. Founded
in 1829, its original headquarters was in Aegina, the first capital of Greece. When
the capital was transferred to Athens in 1834, the Museum moved there, at first
housed in various buildings all over the city. The present building was
constructed between 1866 and 1889, opened in 1891, and expanded in 1932-39. It houses
and protects antiquities from all over Greece, as well as Cyprus, Egypt, Italy,
and other regions that were part of the ancient Greek world.
10:08 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum entrance.
National Archaeological Museum ticket.
10:17 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
sign for “Chronological Chart” and “Map of Greece / Prehistoric Sites” near entrance;
our guide at left (mild telephoto 34 mm).
10:17 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
sign for “Map of Greece / Prehistoric Sites” near entrance (mild telephoto 34
mm).
We first visited the Mycenaean Art section.
10:21 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
two death masks; the one at the right was mistakenly called the Mask of Agamemnon.
The “Mask of Agamemnon” discovered
by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876 (By DieBuche, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95150).
The “Mask of Agamemnon,” found at Mycenae, is a gold death mask originally thought to have belonged to the legendary king Agamemnon. It dates from the mid-1600s BC.
10:23 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
scales for weighing the soul (telephoto 72 mm).
10:23 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
death masks and thin gold covering entire child (telephoto 63 mm).
10:23 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
more death masks (mild telephoto 38 mm).
10:26 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
Mycenaean wall paintings and (at right) a leather shield.
10:27 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
Mycenaean wall paintings.
10:29 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
model and sign in Greek and English for “The acropolis of Mycenae.”
Mycenae is an ancient
city (first occupied around the 7th millennium BC) in Peloponnese in southern
Greece. The Bronze-Age acropolis, or citadel built on a hill, is one of the
great cities of the Mycenaean civilization that played a vital role in classical
Greek culture. The fortified palace (acropolis) was uncovered by archaeologist
Heinrich Schliemann in 1874.
10:32 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
sign in Greek and English for “The palace at Pylos” ad “Linear B tablets”; here,
the English text is legible:
“The
palace at Pylos
“The
Mycenaean palace at Pylos, Messenia, is conventionally named ‘The Palace of
Nestor’ after the elderly king of Pylos who participated in the Trojan War and
was much respected for his wisdom. The excavations, which the American archaeologist
Carl W. Blegen (1887-1971) began in 1939, uncovered a Mycenaean palace on the
peak of the Ano Eglianos hill, near modern-day Chora, which flourished in the
13th century BC.
“This
unfortified palace had a central courtyard with adjacent utility spaces. A small
room near the main entrance to the courtyard contained the Linear B archive,
which illustrates vividly the power of the palace as an administrative,
economic, military and religious centre for Messenia. The tablets, together
with a large number of clay sealings that were used to certify the commercial
products, show that the king and palace officials administered the assets and
controlled commercial activity over a wide region”
“Linear
B tablets
“Linear
B script has been proven to be the first form of Greek writing. In 1900, Arthur
Evans recognised and named the script in the palace at Knossos in Crete, which
was occupied by the Mycenaeans after 1450 BC. But the language of the Linear B
texts was not read until the greatest archive of clay tablets was discovered in the Mycenaean palace at Pylos
in 1939. British architect Michael Ventris, with the assistance of philologist
John Chadwick, deciphered Linear B in 1952 and showed that the tablets were
written in an early form of Greek, earlier than that of the Homeric poems.
“Linear
B is a syllabic script, that is, each symbol corresponds to a certain syllable,
It consists of approximately ninety syllabic signs, ideograms (every picture
denotes a concept) and numerals. The palace kept these inscribed clay tablets,
which were administrative documents such as lists, inventories and tax forms.
These documents provide invaluable
information on palace hierarchy, the professional and social classes, the trade
and the production and manufacture of goods.”
The
symbols at the right (from top to bottom) are for Phylos, Man, Woman, Gold,
Deer, Horse, and Wool.
10:32 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
clay tablets with Linear B writing (telephoto 63 mm).
MT 10:27 AM – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – ancient Greek safety pins.
10:34 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –leather
helmet with wild boar teeth for armor; same shape as later metal helmets (telephoto
93 mm).
MT 10:29 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– jewelry.
MT 10:30 AM – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum –scales for everyday use.
“November 16/28, 1876
“Your
Majesty, it is with great pleasure that I inform you that I have discovered the
tombs which, according to Pausanias’ account, belong to Agamemnon, Cassandra and
their comrades who were murdered by Clytaemnestra and her paramour, Aegisthus,
during a feast. The tombs are enclosed within a double stone circle, something
which would only have been erected in honour of exalted personages. Inside the
tombs, I have discovered fabulous treasures and ancient objects of solid gold.
These treasures alone are enough to fill a large museum which will become the
most famous in the world and will attract myriads of foreigners to Greece from
every land. Since I work out of sheer love of science, I naturally make no
claim on these treasures and enthusiastically make them over, in their entirety,
to Greece. May these treasures be the foundation of immensurable national
wealth.
“(originally written in Greek)”
Heinrich Schliemann (1822-90) was a German
businessman and amateur archaeologist who, by the age of 47, had become a millionaire,
enabling him to fund his archaeological digs. Having discovered Troy and demonstrated
the factual basis of Homer’s epics, he came to Mycenae in 1874 and started digging
in Grave Circle A. On discovering a gold
death mask that had preserved the skin of a royal skull, he proclaimed, :I have
gazed upon the face of Agamemnon.” Although archaeologists have since dated the
mask to 300 years earlier than any historical Trojan warrior, the discovery
corroborated Homer’s description of “well-built Mycenae, rich in gold.”
10:43 AM (Cropped) – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – Diplyon Amphora, which our guide said was a large water jar with family
and friends pulling out hair; water was a symbol of new life.
The Diplydon Amphora is a huge
Geometric vase that was used to mark an 8th-century BC woman’s burial (around
750 BC). It shows the dead body surrounded by mourning women, It is named after
the location where it was discovered intact, in the Diplydon cemetery near the
Diplydon Gate in Athens’ Kerameikos. Kerameikos was the ancient potters’
quarter on the northwest side of ancient Athens. Painted amphorae (containers
with pointed bottoms) of this size were made as grave markers. The outer surface
of this amphora bears horizontal bands painted in the Lage Geometric style. Its
tall, cylindrical neck, halt the height of the body, includes friezes of repeated
stylized deer and goats. A rectangular panel between the handles on one side
depicts a prothesis scene, the lying in repose of a draped dead woman on a
bier, with a checkered shroud above the body, and stylized figures of male and
female mourners to either side, each with lines for their arms raised to their
blob head, a triangular torso, and hips and legs that are modelled and swell abruptly
from a wasp waist.
10:43 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
Diplyon Amphora, which our guide said was a large water jar with family and
friends pulling our hair and geometric designs; water was a symbol of new life
(telephoto 93 mm).
Next, we visited the section with statues called koúroi.
A koúros (plural koúroi)
is the modern term given to free-standing ancient Greek sculptures that first appear
in the Archaic period in Greece and represent beardless, nude male youths. In
ancient Greek, koúros means “youth, boy, especially of noble rank.” These sculptures
were typically marble, but the form is also rendered in limestone, wood,
bronze, ivory, and terracotta. Derived from Egyptian art (particularly the figure
of Horos), these figures share common pose and proportions. From the Egyptian
style, Greek koúroi typically have a frontal stance, with arms by the sides and
have their left leg extended forward as though walking. The clothed kore
(plural kórai) is the female counterpart.
It was previously thought that the purpose of a koúros was only to represent
the god Apollo. This belief was supported by the description of the statue of
the Pythian Apollo at Samos by Diodoros as “Egyptian in style, with his arms hanging
by his sides and his legs parted.” However, not all koúroi images are of a
deity; many have been found in cemeteries, where they most likely served as
commemorative tombstones of the deceased (functioning as votive offerings to
gods or demigods); also the type was used as a memorial for heroes or victors
in the games (like trophies).
10:45 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – statue
of Koúros with head, both arms and both lower legs missing.
10:45 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – Thera
Koúros with both arms (telephoto 72 mm).
Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – statue of Thera Koúros with both arms (By Dorieo Own Work https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_a_kouros_-_Thera_Island.JPG).
The Thera Koúros (590-570 BC),
in Naxian marble, was found in 1836 on the island of Santorini in a necropolis (cemetery)
below Ancient Thera. The figure wears a ribbon on his head. The hair sits in shell-like
curls above the forehead and hangs down the back in beaded tresses. This is a typical
product of an island workshop.
10:47 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
another statue (Koúros from Kerameikos) with part of head and arms missing (mild
telephoto 30 mm).
10:47 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
plaque in Greek and English for “71. Statue of kouros. Naxian marble. Found in
Athens, near the Kerameikos. He originally stood atop a grave. About 580 B.C.”
(telephoto 93 mm).
The torso of Koúros from
Kerameikos (NM 71) was found in fragmentary condition in 1887. The statue is
preserved from the top of the head to the top of the thighs; most of the face
and a few small pieces at the neck and waist, as well as some of the hair, has
been preserved. The hair is divided into crinkled locks (effected through the
use of alternating grooves and ridges) that terminate in elongated rectangular
elements. The hair is pulled back over the drown and down the back, where it
terminates just below the shoulders. A narrow hairband, or taenia, is tied around
the crown.
MT 10:39 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– our guide by Sounion Koúros with left arm missing.
10:48 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
Sounion Koúros with left arm missing.
The Sounion Koúros is an early
Archaic statue of a naked young man, carved in marble from the island of Naxos
around 600 BC. It is one of the earliest examples of the koúros type. Found buried
in a pit near the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, this koúros was badly
damaged and heavily weathered. It was most likely left at the site after the
Persians destroyed the temple, along with its votive offerings, in 480 BC. Most
of the left leg and the lower right leg below the knee were missing; the left arm
below the shoulder and parts of the right arm were missing; and the face was badly
chipped. After the statue was found in 1906, it was restored to its original
height of 3.05 m (10.0 ft), larger than life size. The figure stands in the conventional
pose of a koúros, with the still body facing frontally, the fists clenched by
its thighs, and its wide shoulders contrasting to the narrow waist and hips. Fixed
to a cylindrical neck, the head is large and square. The face is flat with the
lips curved into an archaic smile. Some details are abstracted: the figure has
large volute earlobes, oversized almond-shaped eyes, and elongated proportions.
Some red coloring remains in the strands of braided hair. The hair pattern
creates a row of shell-like curls that start on the forehead and hang down the
statue’s back, tied with a double ribbon. The figure has harsh contour lines,
especially on the knees and abdomen.
Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – back side of Sounion Koúros (By Paolo Villa - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87506018).
The archaic smile was used by sculptors in Archaic period (roughly 600-480 BC) in Greece, possibly to suggest that their subject was alive and infused with a sense of well-being.
10:49 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – statues
of female kore and male koúros, with our guide, who thought they might be
siblings.
MT 10:49 AM – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – female statue, Phrasikleia Kore.
Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – Phrasikleia Kore with traces of polychrome and small sign showing polychromed
reconstruction (By I, Sailko, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4268887).
The Phrasikleia Kore, in
Parian marble, is an exceptionally preserved kore created between 550 and 530
BC and excavated in 1972. It was found carefully buried in the necropolis of
the ancient city of Myrrhinous (modern Merenta or Merenda) in Attica, on the
grave of a woman named Phrasikleia (Frasikleia), as indicated by an inscription
on its pedestal. Scholar believe that a wealthy family from Athens was responsible
for commissioning the sculpture and for its subsequent burial in a “custom-designed
pit,” which accounts for its excellent state of preservation. She is wearing a
long peplos (also called chiton, a body-length garment that was typical attire
for women of ancient Greece by 500 BC), decorated with flowers and meanders.
Around her waist, she wears a girdle. Her left arm is bent in front of her and
holds a still-unopened lotus bud (an Egyptian funerary symbol used by the
Greeks) near her chest. On her head, she wears a garland of lotus buds, around
her neck a necklace, and on each arm a bracelet. The statue was originally
covered with paint (polychrome).
Phrasikleia Kore: full polychrome
recreation with reconstructed inscription on block, which travels to major
museums around the world (By R.Marthaler - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64578182).
A visitor to Greece in 1729-30 described a block of marble with an inscription found in the church of Panagia (All Saints) in Merenta. The inscription had been rendered illegible before the block was used in the church, but it was able to be reconstructed. The Greek inscription on the front translates: ‘Tomb of Phrasikleia. Kore (maiden) I must be called evermore; instead of marriage, by the Gods this name became my fate.” In 1972, an archaeologist discovered two marble statues in the tombs at Myrrhinous, the female Phrasikleia Kore and a male (Myrrhinous Koúros). The two sculptures matched the inscription found on the blocks at the church of Panagia, located just 200 m (660 ft) from where the statues were excavated.
10:49 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – statues
of female kore and male koúros, with our guide turning to the male.
10:50 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – statue
of sphinx behind the Phrasikleia Kore (telephoto 93 mm).
This statue of a sphinx, in Pentelic
marble, was found in Sparta, Attica. One of the earliest known Archaic
sphinxes, it was once used as a finial of a grave stele (about 570 BC).
A stele (plural stelae)
is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than wide, erected in the ancient
world as a monument. Stelae as slabs of stone were used as ancient Greek and
Roman government notices or as boundary markets. Grave stelae were used for funerary
or commemorative purposes. Traditional Western gravestones may technically be considered
the modern equivalent of ancient stelae.
10:50 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – statue
of Myrrhinous Koúros.
The Myrrhinous Koúros (550-530
BC), also known as the Koúros of Merenda, in Parian marble, was found in the
necropolis of ancient city of Myrrhinous (modern Merenta or Merenda) in Attica,
together with the female sculpture known as Phrasikleia Kore. Like the kore, it
is extremely well-preserved, having been buried in ancient times for protection.
Unlike the kore, however, little is known of the identity of this youth.
10:50 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –statue
of sphinx behind the Myrrhinous Koúros (telephoto 119 mm).
This statue of a sphinx, in Parian
marble, was found in Piraeus, near Athens. It originally crowned a grave stele
(about 540 BC).
10:50 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
another view of Phrasikleia Kore and Myrrhinous Koúros, with another sphinx on
a stele (mild telephoto 38 mm).
10:51 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
base of stone with wrestlers on front side and six athletes including “ball-players”
on left side (telephoto 63 mm).
Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – “Ball-Player Base”; left side with six athletes (CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5172391).
The object NM 3476, called the “Ball-Player Base,” was found in the Kerameikos cemetery of Athens, built into the Themistokleian wall of 478 BC. Three sides are decorated in relief: wrestlers are on the front side, 6 athletes in various athletic games, including two in an unspecified athletic game (known as “Ball Players”) on the left side, and two youths stirring up a cat and dog fight scene on the right side. To the left of the wrestlers is an athlete ready to jump, and to the right is another preparing a pit. Carved in Pentelic marble, it is dated around 510-500 BC.
10:52 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
front side of stone base with wrestlers (telephoto 63 mm).
MT 10:45 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– front side of stone base with wrestlers (telephoto 44 mm).
10:52 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – Mesogeia
Koúros (mild telephoto 38 mm).
This koúros, known as Aristodikos
or Mesogeia Koúros, was found at Mesogeia, near Mt. Olympus. It is made
of Parian marble, preserved with a low rectangular base made of Pentelic marble.
Inscribed on the base is the name of the dead man, Aristodikos, in the genitive
Aristodikou. He has slightly bent arms that were attached to the body with struts,
emerging just below the hips. His hair is short at the back and ends high on
the neck. Although the hair is picked on the crown (as if a head ornament might
have been added, or to simulate hair), it is arranged in rows of intricate spiral
curls across the brow and across the back of the neck. Traces of red pint on
the crown color the hair. The muscles are no longer rendered schematically, as
in earlier koúroi, but in a plastic, almost naturalistic way.
10:53 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
left side of Hockey-Player Base, with chariot and walking soldiers (telephoto 63
mm).
10:53 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
front side of Hockey-Player Base with plaque (barely legible) for “3477” (telephoto
63 mm).
The object NM 3477, called the “Hockey-Player
Base,” is a marble statue base decorated with relief scenes of athletes and
warriors. It is dated around 500 BC and was found around 1922 in the Kerameikos
cemetery of Athens, built into the Themistokleian wall of 478 BC. Three sides of
the statue base are decorated with active scenes. On the front is a scene of
six nude youths, the center two facing off in a game with curved sticks and a
ball—perhaps a precursor of hockey. The right and left sides are decorated with
nearly identical scenes of a military procession. The procession on the left side,
which advances to the right, consists of a two-horse chariot, which a hoplite (heavily
armed foot soldier) is in the process of
mounting, while two walking hoplites follow. Scenes like this evoke the leisure
activities of aristocratic youths like the deceased.
10:54 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
weights used by long jumpers (telephoto 56 mm).
A pair of weights used for
the long jump in the Olympic Games around 500 BC. Found in Corinth, Greece.
Then we moved into the Classical Sculpture section.
10:54 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
our guide pointing to bronze statue of Poseidon (mild telephoto 30 mm).
10:59 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –another
bronze statue of Poseidon, here throwing his trident, or perhaps Zeus with a
thunderbolt.
MT 10:52 AM – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum –another bronze statue of Poseidon, here throwing his trident, or perhaps
Zeus with a thunderbolt (mild telephoto 41 mm.
The Artemision Bronze (often
called the God from the Sea) is an ancient Greek sculpture that was
recovered from the sea off Cape Artemision, in northern Euboea. It is the highlight
of the museum’s collections. It represents either Zeus or Poseidon and is
slightly over lifesize at 209 cm. It would have held a thunderbolt is Zeus or a
trident if Poseidon, However, the iconography of Ancient Greek pottery portrays
Poseidon wielding the trident, when in combat, in more of a stabbing motion
(similar to a fencing stance or an “advance-lunge”). Zeus is depicted with his arm raised, holding the lightning
bolt overhead, in the same position as this statue. Those who would identify
this statue as Poseidon have argued that it must be the great god of the sea
since it was found in the Mediterranean. However, like other statues of totally different subjects, this one went into
the sea simply because it was aboard a ship that sank. It was first discovered
in 1926 and further excavated in 1928 at the site of a shipwreck that occurred
no earlier than the mid-2nd century BC. Many such shipwrecks are of Roman date
and were vessels looting Greek art to Italy. The statue is essentially a larger
version of an extensive series of smaller bronze figurines extending back to
the 7th century BC, all of which strike the same pose and represent Zeus. The
empty eye sockets were originally inset (probably with bone), as well as the
eyebrows (with silver), the lips, and the nipples (with copper). This is one of
the very few bronze originals of Ancient Greek statues that have survived to
the present day (most are only known from more recent marble copies).
10:59 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
plaque for “Bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon. Found in the sea of Cape
Artemision, in northern Euboea. The god, shown in great stride, extends his
left arm before his body while holding a thunderbolt or trident in his right
hand. His identification as Zeus or Poseidon is controversial (the former identification
is more probable). It is one of the few preserved original statues of the
severe Style, notable for the exquisite rendering of motion and anatomy. It is
certainly the work of a great sculptor of the early Classical period. ca. 460
B.C.”
11:00 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
back side of bronze statue of Poseidon, here throwing his trident, or perhaps
Zeus with a thunderbolt.
11:00 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
face of bronze statue of Poseidon or perhaps Zeus (telephoto 156 mm).
The sculpture’s head is now an
icon of Hellenic culture, appearing on postage stamps and banknotes.
MT 10:54 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– grave stele with inscription Agathoklixlire.
NM 742. The grave stele
represents a naked youth with a mantle thrown over his shoulder. In his left
hand he holds a strigil and a purse. The figure is probably an athlete. A dog
is represented at the bottom right. The inscription ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΗΧΛΙΡΕ (romanized: AGATHOKLIXLIRE,
meaning Greetings Agathokles), preserved at the top of the stele, was probably
inscribed at a later time. Boethian marble workshop. Found in Tespiai, Boetia. Around
440 BC.
A strigil was an
instrument with a curved blade used, especially by ancient Greeks and Romans,
to scrape sweat and dirt from the skin in a hot-air bath or after exercise. It
was used primarily by men, specifically male athletes.
11:02 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
our guide and marble funerary lekythos showing the deceased facing Hermes (mild
telephoto 34 mm).
Funerary lekythos: Hermes
conducts the deceased, Myrrhine (her name is inscribed over her head) to Hades
(By User:Marsyas (2005-12-16), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=468900).
A lekythos (plural lekythoi) is a type of ancient Greek vessel used for storing oil, especially olive oil. It has a narrow body and one handle attached to the neck of the vessel, and is thus a narrow type of jug, with no pouring lip. Lekythoi, often found in tombs, were especially associated with funerary rites, and they were used for anointing dead bodies of unmarried women, to allow them to prepare for a wedding in the afterlife. They were also used to smear perfumed oil on a woman’s skin prior to getting married. They are associated with the white ground technique of vase painting. Because of their handle, they were normally only decorated with one image, on the other side from the handle.
A chlamys was a type
of short cloak worn by men in ancient Greece. It could be worn over another
item of clothing but was often the sole item of clothing for young soldiers and
messengers, at least in Greek art. As such, the chlamys is the characteristic
garment of Hermes (Roman Mercury), the messenger god usually depicted as a
young man.
11:02 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – marble
funerary lekythos showing the deceased (at right) facing Hermes (telephoto 81
mm).
11:02 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum – marble
funerary lekythos showing relatives (at left) and Hermes facing the deceased (telephoto
81 mm).
MT 10:57 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– marble funerary lekythos showing relatives (at left) and Hermes facing the deceased
(mild telephoto 37 mm).
11:05 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
statue of (Athena?).
MT 10:58 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– statue of (Athena?) (mild telephoto 34 mm).
11:06 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
statue of Varvakeion Athena (telephoto 81 mm).
MT 10:59 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum
– statue of Varvakeion Athena (mild telephoto 49 mm).
The “Varvakeion” Athena is a copy from
200-250 AD of the original from 438 BC. This statuette of the goddess Athena was made of Pentelic marble. Found in 1880 in Athens, near the Varvakeion school.
Known as the Varvakeion Athena, this statuette is the most faithful and best
preserved copy of the cult statue of the Athena Parthenos by Pheidas, which was
erected in the Parthenon in 438 BC [or 447 BC]. The original, which was
approximately 12 times larger than the Varvakeion copy, had the naked parts of
the body made of ivory, whereas the rest of the statue was faced with leaves of
gold. Athena wears the Attic peplos belted with a girdle in the form of two
snakes. Her entire breast is covered by a scaly aegis adorned with the gorgoneion
at the center and snakes around the edge. On her head she wears an Attic helmet
with cheekguards upturned and three crests, the one in the middle ending at the
front in a sphinx and the side ones in winged horses (pegasoi). Her outstretched
right hand is supported by a column and holds a winged figure of Nike, about to
fly, but her head is missing. This smaller image is also garbed in a peplos and
is turned somewhat toward the main figure. Athena’s left hand rests on the rim
of a shield, on the inside of which is Erichthonios, the legendary founder of Athens,
coiled as a sacred snake. Traces of red and yellow paint are preserved in many
parts of the statue. Height 1.05 m.
11:07 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
statue of Varvakeion Athena (telephoto 81 mm).
11:09 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
Stele of Hegeso (mild telephoto 56 mm).
The Funerary Stele of Hegeso,
a low relief sculpture of Pentelic marble, was found in 1870 in the ancient
cemetery of Kerameikos west of Athens. This is from the family burial plot
belonging to Koroibos of Melite and shows his wife, Hegeso, admiring her jewels
with a servant girl. A girl (servant) standing in a relaxed pose to the right, wearing
slippers, a long, unbelted tunic, with long sleeves, and her hair bound in a
sakkos, holds an opened box on the knees of a mature woman, seated in profile to
the left, on a klismos. Her sandaled feet rest on a footstool. Her himation,
which is veiled over her head and bunched in her lap, mostly covers her undergarment
(chiton). She holds the box with one hand and raises her right hand slightly,
presumably holding a beloved jewel, at which she gazes. On the architrave,
beginning above the right edge of the servant’s head, is the Greek inscription that
means “Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos.” 410-400 BC.
A sakkos was a type
of head covering worn by many ancient Greek women. It could be a soft woven cap
or just a piece of material wrapped around the head. In either case, the sakkos
completely covered the hair, which was tied into a bun, except for the bangs or
curls by the ears.
A klismos, or klismos
chair, was a type of ancient Greek chair, with a curved backrest and tapering,
outcurved legs. This light, elegant chair was perfected by the 5th century BC
and popular throughout the 4th century BC; it was often depicted on painted
pottery and in bas-reliefs from that time.
A himation was a type
of clothing, a mantle or wrap worn by ancient Greek women from the Archaic
through the Hellenistic periods (750-30 BC). It was usually worn over a chiton and/or
peplos but was made of heavier drape and played the role of a cloak or shawl.
A peplos was a body-length garment
typically worn by women in ancient Greece. It was a long, tubular cloth with
the top edge folded down about halfway so that it draped below the waist.
11:10 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
statue of Horse with the Little Jockey.
The Jockey of Artemision, sometimes
called Horse with the Little Jockey, is
a large Hellenistic bronze statue of a young boy riding a horse, dated around 150-140
BC. Most ancient Greek bronzes were melted down for their raw materials some
time after creation, but this one was saved from destruction when it was lost
in a shipwreck in antiquity before being discovered off Cape Artemision, in
north Euboea, in 1926. The first parts of the equestrian statue were recovered
in 1928, with more pieces found in 1936-37. The statue was reassembled in 1971,
after restoration of the horse’s tail and body, and it went on display at the National
Archaeological Museum of Athens in 1972. X 15177
The horse is approximately
life-size, with a length of 2.9 m(9.5 ft) and a height of 2.1 m (6.9 ft). The
horse and its rider are rendered realistically, as if captured as the horse
springs away in mid-gallop, with its rear feet on the ground and its front legs
raised/ The image of the goddess Nike is engraved on the horse’s right thigh—a brand
of racehorses in ancient Greece. The horse dwarfs its jockey, a boy only 84 cm
(2.76 ft) tall and perhaps 10 years old, possibly from Africa based on his physiognomy
and original black patinated surface coloring. His hairstyle, however, is
Greek, suggesting a mixed heritage.
11:11 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
other side of statue of Horse with the ittle Jockey, with jockey’s face.
11:15 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
wall-painting of boxers from Akrotiri, Santorini (Thira).
11:15 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
wall-painting of antelopes from Akrotiri, Santorini (Thira).
Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – frescoes of boxing children and antelopes (By Ricardo André Frantz
(User:Tetraktys) - taken by Ricardo André Frantz, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2930669).
11:16 AM – Athens: National Archaeological Museum –
room adorned with wall-paintings of red lilies from Akrotiri, Santorini
(Thira).
Athens: National Archaeological Museum - Spring Fresco from Akrotiri Archaeological Site on Santorini – (By Marsyas (2007), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=472993).
The Spring Fresco is the only Akrotiri fresco to have been found in situ, covering three walls of the same room (Room D2, Building D). It depicts a rocky landscape of the island, before the volcanic eruption: small groups of red lilies dominate the red and gray volcanic formations, while swallows fly over the scene and symbolically announce the annual rebirth of nature.
Also in the “House of the Ladies” in Akrotiri is a room (Room 1) with murals representing clusters of enlarged papyrus flowers.
Santorini: Akrotiri – fresco of papyrus plants from “House of the Ladies” (By see above, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=539869).
MT 11:13 AM – Athens: National Archaeological
Museum – Don on steps leaving the building, followed by our guide.
11:39 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of
Parliament Building.
11:41 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of Tomb
of Unknown Soldier, with two marching guards meeting in center, in front of Parliament
Building (telephoto 156 mm).
11:41 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of Tomb
of Unknown Soldier, with two guards now marching away from each other, in front
of Parliament Building (telephoto 156 mm).
11:43 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of unidentified
equestrian statue in center of intersection and columns at right (mild telephoto
34 mm).
11:43 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of columns
(Temple of Olympian Zeus, near Hadrian’s Arch) beyond trees (mild telephoto 34
mm).
11:44 AM – Athens: view, through bus window, of Hadrian’s
Arch.
11:59 AM – Athens: Monument of Lysikrates.
Athens: Choragic Monument of
Lysikrates (By C messier - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46750539).
The Choragic Monument of Lysikrates,
also called the Lantern of Demosthenes, is located on a small square of the same
name (Plateía Lysikrátous), on Lisikratous street on the west side of Tripodon
street, in the east of the Plaka district near the Acropolis. It was erected by
the choregos Lysicrates, a wealthy patron of musical performances in the theater
of Dionysus to commemorate the prize in the dithyramb contest of the city
Dionysia in 335/334 BC, of Which performance he was liturgist. This monument is
a cylindrical structure built on a square podium out of porous stone (2.93 m) with
six Corinthian columns of Pentelic marble, rising to a circular marble dome, and
panels of Hymettian marble. It is the first known use of the Corinthian order of
columns on the exterior of a building in Greece. The dome has an elegant finial
of acanthus leaves that supported the winner’s bronze trophy. Despite Lord
Elgin’s attempts to remove it to England, it is the city’s only intact coragic monument. Lord
Byron wrote some of his poem “Childe Harold” sitting in this monument during
his final visit to Athens in 1810.
In ancient Greek theater, the choregos
(from χορόσ “chorus” + ἡγεῖσθαι
“to lead”) was a wealthy Athenian
citizen who assumed the public duty (choregiai) of financing the preparation
of the chorus and other aspects of dramatic production.
A dithyramb
was an ancient Greek hymn sung and danced in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine
and fertility.
We went to the Best Western Plus Amazon Hotel, at the corner of Mitropoleos and Pentelis streets, to see if they had a shuttle that would be better than taking a taxi from the cruise port the next morning. The clerk said it was the same (€25), but we let her know we would arrive around 10:30 am.
MT 12:33 PM – Athens: Best Western Plus Amazon
Hotel – Don in front of entrance.
12:33 PM – Athens: MT by small church, Church of
Agia Dynamis, on Pentelis street across street from our hotel.
MT 12:27 PM – Athens: MT by small church, Church
of Agia Dynamis, on Pentelis street across street from our hotel.
The Greek Orthodox Church of Agia Dynamis (Greek:
Ι. Ν. ΓΕΝΝΕΣΕΩΣ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ
"ΑΓΙΑ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΣ" (The Holy Power of the
Virgin) is located at the intersection of Mitropoleos
and Pentelis streets, completely surrounded by the modern building of Electra
Metropolis Hotel. The barrel-vaulted Byzantine-style church was erected in the
16th century, in the early years of Ottoman rule, over the ruins of an ancient
temple of Hercules. The name Agia Dynamis refers to the Virgin Mary and was given
to the church so that all pregnant Athenian women would give birth to strong
children. This small church belongs to the type of one-aisle vaulted basilica.
Its walls are densely decorated with murals depicting several saints, among other
things. Under the floor of the church is a large underground cave approximately
15 m long. According to legend, the priests had hidden the ecclesiastical treasures
and church documents in this cave during the years of Turkish occupation. During
the War of Greek Independence (1821-30), Greek munitions experts were forced to
make ammunition for the Turks in the cave under the church; however, they were
also able to make large numbers of bullets for the Greek revolutionaries,
smuggling them out at night. The church used to be surrounded by several other
buildings that were demolished following the victory in that war, so that
Mitropoleos street could be widened to serve growing traffic needs. The church
was restored in 1912. In the 1950s, the area was again redeveloped, and the
Greek government attempted to obtain the land on which the church sat as part
of a planned new headquarters for the Ministry of Education and Religion.
However, the Greek Orthodox Church refused to surrender the property, so it was
decided to build around and above it, with the church wedged between the supporting
pillars of the modern municipal building that was converted into the Electra
Metropolis Hotel in 2016. In 1963, a bell tower was built over the passage to
the cave, prohibiting access to it.
12:33 PM – Athens: sign outside Church of Agia
Dynamis, in Greek except for the times 8:30 and 10:30 (we later learned that
there is one mass on Sundays lasting 2 hours, from 8:30 to 10:30, with no place
to sit in the church) and poster at right.
MT 12:26 PM – Athens: poster outside Church of Agia
Dynamis, with Greek and English translation: “Church of Birth of MOTHER 16th
cen, ‘SAINT DINAMIS’ celebrated on 8 SEP.” (although the Greek Theotoku is better
translated as God-bearer or Mother of God; the Orthodox and Catholic churches celebrate
the Feast of the Nativity of Mary on September 8).
12:35 PM – Athens: Church of Agia Dynamis – interior
with murals, iconostasis, and other icons on stands.
12:35 PM – Athens: Church of Agia Dynamis – interior
with mural (on side wall at left) and icons on iconostasis; at right is the
lady in charge.
MT 12:28 PM – Athens: Church of Agia Dynamis – icon
on stand near entrance, with caption in Greek: ΟΙ ΑΓΙΟΙ ΔΟΜΕΤΙΟΣ ΟΣΙΟΜ, ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟΥ
ΤΟΥ ΝΕΟΥ ΝΙΚΑΝΩΡΟΣ ΟΣΙΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΤΕΡΙΟΣ ΟΣΙΟΜΑΡΤ. 7 ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΥ (The Saints Dometios,
Theodosios of the New, Nikanoros and Asterios mart[yr]. 7 August).
August 7 is the feast day
of all four saints in the Greek Orthodox Church. [This was also the day we
first visited the Church of Agia Dynamis and saw this icon displayed.]
Saint Dometios of Persia (top left on this
icon) was born during the reign of Emperor Constantine in 318. He came from
Persia, where he was catechized and taught the Christian faith, However, he
abandoned his family and went to a place on the border between the land of the
Romans and the land of the Persians. There he entered monastery, where he was
baptized and became an ascetic monk. When other monks slandered him, he left
and went to another monastery in Theodosiopolis. When the abbot there
considered elevating him to the office of Presbyter, he withdrew to a mountain
cave in Mesopotamia, where he was responsible for the conversion of Greek
pagans to Christianity. When Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363) learned of
this, he went to Persia and ordered Dometios to be stoned to death in 362.
Saint Nikanor (bottom left),
Nikanor the Wonderworker of Mount Kallistratos, was born in 1491 in Thessaloniki
of wealthy parents who baptized him as Nicholas. When his parents died when he
was 20 years old, he distributed all his large inheritance to the needy and
became a monk, taking the name Nikanor, While praying one night when he was 27,
a heavenly voice told his to go to Mount Kallistratos. There he built a monastery
where he died peacefully in 1549. Icons typically show him holding a model of
the monastery.
Saint Asterios the Senator (top right), or Asterius
the Senator, although he was a Roman senator, held firmly to his Christian
faith in spite of persecutions. While he was in Palestine, he happened to be
present at the sufferings of the Martyr Marinos in Caesarea Philippi. When the
execution was over, he took off his senatorial garb and wrapped the head and
body of Marinos in it. For doing this, he himself was sentenced to death and
was beheaded in 260.
Saint Theodosios the New (bottom right) of
Argos was born in Athens in 862 to pious Christian parents. When he decided
to withdraw to the monastic life a short distance outside Athens, he divided
his property to those in need. However the many who went to see him and seek
his council hindered his contemplation. So, to live alone, he fled in 880 to
Argos in the Peloponnese, where he died peacefully of old age around 922. His
relics in the monastery he founded there have been credited with miraculous
healings. [He seems to be called “the New” to distinguish him from his own
patron saint, Theodisius the Cenobiarch, called Theodosius the Great (ca. 423-529),
the founder of cenobitic monasticism.]
12:37 PM – Athens: Best Western Plus Amazon Hotel –
ground floor with entrance, at the corner of Pentelis street (spelled “Pendelis”
on blue street sign, although the Greek has a T).
Nearby, on Mitropoleos street was the Mitrópoli Cathedral (Metrolpoitan Cathedral).
12:44 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – apse, dome,
and bell tower.
Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral –
west façade flanked by twin bell towers, with small Panagia Gorgoepikoos church around to right (south) (By C messier - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51359657).
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens (Greek: Καθεδρικόσ Ναόσ Ευαγγελισμού τησ Θεοτόκου, romanized Kathedrikós Naós Evangelismoú tis Theotókou, meaning Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Mother of God) is popularly known as the Mitrópoli or Mētrópolis. It is the cathedral church of the Archbishopric of Athens and all Greece. When Athens became the capital of Greece in 1834, a cathedral was needed here. Its construction began in 1842, using marble from 72 demolished churches to build its immense walls. It was completed in 1862 and dedicated to the annunciation of the Mother of God. It is a three-aisled, domed basilica that measures 40 m (130 ft) long, 20 m (65 ft) wide, and 24 m (80 ft) high. It has three aisles, a dome over the crossing, and twin bell towers on the west. Over its 20 years of construction, it was designed by three different architects in a mixed Romanesque-Renaissance-Byzantine style. Its 19th-century architecture is not generally admired, especially when compared to the small 12th-century Byzantine church Panagia Gorgoepikoos (Our Lady Who Swiftly Hears), also known as the Agios Eleftherios (Church of St. Eleftherios) or Kikrí Mitrópoli (Little Metropolis), located just a few feet away.
MT 12:38 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – Don
near apse and dome, with bell tower in distance.
12:47 PM – Athens: statue of Damaskinos
(1891-1949), Archbishop of Athens, in square in front of Mitrópoli Cathedral.
Archbishop Damaskinos Papandreou (1891-1949) was
the archbishop of Athens and all Greece from 1941 until his death. He was also
the regent of Greece between the pull-out of the German occupation force in
1944 and the return of King George II to Greece in 1946. During the German
occupation, he frequently clashed with the German authorities and the quisling
government, and he formally protested the German effort to exterminate Jews in
Greece, writing that he and others of the Orthodox faith followed the words of
St. Paul that “there is neither Jew nor Greek.”
12:47 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – west façade
with twin bell towers, with small Panagia Gorgoepikoos church around to right
(south).
12:47 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – mosaic
over entrance in west façade (mild telephoto 44 mm).
12:48 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – sign on west
façade, in English, for “Athens Cathedral the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary
1842.”
MT 12:43 PM – Athens: Mitrópoli Cathedral – west façade
with twin bell towers.
Heading back toward Hadrian’s Arch, we happened to pass a linen shop where MT bought souvenir dishtowels that said “Greece” for her friends. She got a discount for buying so many of them. (Don said they were discounted because they had Greece (sounds like grease) on them. She also bought some wine bottle bags with “ Greece” on them.
MT 12:57 PM – Athens: MT and owner of linen shop
with dishtowels and wine bags.
MT 1:12 PM – Athens: Socrates quotation on sign in
store window.
MT 1:12 PM – Athens: Aristotle quotation on sign
in store window.
MT 1:12 PM – Athens: another Socrates quotation on
purse in store window.
MT 1:23 PM – Athens: view of a corner of the Acropolis,
with Monument of Lysikrates at street level below (telephoto 99 mm).
1:34 PM – Athens: Hadrian’s Arch - northwest side, across street.
Hadrian’s Arch (Greek: Αψίδα του
Αδριανού, romanized Apsida tou Adrianou) is most commonly known in Greek as
Hadrian’s Gate (Greek: Πύλη του Αδριανού, romanized Pyli tou Adrianou). The
monumental gateway with two identical sides was built in 131 AD. An early idea,
shown to be false, was that it was deliberately positioned to mark the boundary
between the ancient city and the new Athens of the Roman emperor Hadrian (ruled
117-138 AD). There are two inscriptions on the architrave of the arch, facing
in opposite directions, naming both Theseus and Hadrian as founders of Athens. The
inscription on the northwest side, toward the Acropolis, says: This is Athens,
the ancient city of Theseus.” The one on the southeast side, facing the Temple
of Olympian Zeus, says: “This is the city of Hadrian, and not of Theseus.” It
is unclear whether the inscriptions refer to the city as a whole or to the city
in two parts: the old and the new. The northwest inscription could be read: “This
is Athens, once the city of Theseus,” thus claiming the whole of Athens for Hadrian,
giving him credit for the refoundation of the entire city.
Athens: Hadrian’s Arch -
southeast side, facing the Temple of Olympian Zeus, with Acropolis seen through the arch (By
Joanbanjo - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18698206).
The arch was constructed without
cement or mortar from solid Pentelic marble, using clamps to connect the cut
stones. The single arched passageway was supported by pilasters crowned with
Corinthian capitals. Similar but taller pilasters flank the outer corners of the
lower level. The lower level was crowned with an Ionic architrave. The upper
level of the arch (the attic) was composed of a series of Corinthian columns
and pilasters dividing the space into three rectangular openings. Each of the
outer openings was crowned with an Ionic architrave. However, the central
opening was flanked by antai (purely decorative posts or pillars) with engaged
Corinthian half-columns that supported a projecting triangular pediment.
MT 1:28 PM – Athens: Hadrian’s Arch - northwest side, across street
(telephoto 99 mm).
Back on the Viking Star, we ate a light lunch in the World Café. In the buffet line, they had only fried fish. However, MT asked the chef and he made us grilled salmon (which was very good), and they brought it to our table.
On the way out of the World Café, we saw the Head Waiter, and MT talked to him about the mix-up regarding our “anniversary dinner” at the Chef’s Table. He then scheduled us for Manfredi’s at 6:00 or 6:30 that evening.
Then we went to our stateroom and packed our suitcases for setting them outside our door by 10 pm that night for our disembarkation the next morning. We would only keep the bare necessities to pack in Don’s carryon bad in the morning.
After reviewing his photos of the day and recording them in his notebook, Don replaced the SD card in his camera (for safety).
Then Don showed MT the exercise equipment he had seen on the Sports Deck (Deck 9).
MT 6:03 PM – Viking Star: Sports Deck – MT on “Seated
Rowing” machine.
MT 6:04 PM – Viking Star: Sports Deck – MT on “Seated
Rowing” machine, with sign about that machine behind her and sign about “Sports
Deck Safety Information” at top right.
MT 6:07 PM – Viking Star: Sports Deck – Don with
another exercise machine.
MT 6:08 PM – Viking Star: Sports Deck – Don with
another exercise machine.
We went to dinner at Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant around 6:15. It was a nice meal, ending with a 6x6” cake decorated for “Happy Anniversary” and the waiter congratulating us.
MT 6:18 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – Don and MT
with our menus and wine.
MT 6:40 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – MT’s plate
with mussels and bread.
MT 6:57 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – MT’s bowl
with pasta dish.
MT 7:20 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – plate with (another
main) course.
MT 7:43 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – our “Happy Anniversary”
cake.
MT 7:43 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – MT and Don
with our “Happy Anniversary” cake.
MT 7:44 PM – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – MT and Don
with our “Happy Anniversary” cake.
MT Wednesday, August 7, 2019 – Viking Star: Manfredi’s – MT’s collage of our “Happy
Anniversary” dinner.
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