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Temple of Apollo Patroos: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 37°58′32″N 23°43′20″E / 37.975542°N 23.722099°E / 37.975542; 23.722099
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A colossal statue of Apollo found 20 metres south of the temple has been identified as the Apollo of Euphranor.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} The identification has been widely debated.
A colossal statue of Apollo found 20 metres south of the temple has been identified as the Apollo of Euphranor.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} The identification has been widely debated.
==Cult==
==Cult==
There were several sanctuaries of different aspects of Apollo at Athens. Apollo Patroos ("of the fathers") represented Apollo's role as protector of families and progenitor of the Athenians, as the father of [[Ion (mythology)|Ion]], ancestor of the [[Ionians]]. Literary sources often identify him with Apollo Pythios ("[[Pythian]] Apollo"), who was worshipped in Athens at the [[Pythion, Athens|Pythion]].<ref>[[Demosthenes]] 18.141; [[Plato]], ''[[Euthydemus (dialogue)|Euthydemus]]'' 302c-d</ref>{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=50-52}} Athenian children who were admitted to a [[phratry]] (cult association) were brought into a shrine of Apollo Patroos as part of a ceremony called the ''[[phratry#meion|meion]]'' - it is unclear whether that was this temple or separate sanctuaries belonging to the phratries in question.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} Some [[genos|gene]] (another kind of cult associations) and phratries, like the [[Gephyraei]], Therrhicleidae, and Elasidae, had their own sanctuaries and priests of Apollo Patroos; others, like the [[Salaminii]], did not sn therefore probably sacrificed to him at this temple.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} Athenians selected as [[Archon of Athens|archon]] were required to prove that they had their own cult of Apollo Patroos and indicate where it was located before they could assume office.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=50}} During the reign of Emperor [[Claudius]] (AD 41-54), the cult of the emperor was merged with that of Apollo Patroos.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=53}}
There were several sanctuaries of different aspects of Apollo at Athens. Apollo Patroos ("of the fathers") represented Apollo's role as protector of families and progenitor of the Athenians, as the father of [[Ion (mythology)|Ion]], ancestor of the [[Ionians]]. Literary sources often identify him with Apollo Pythios ("[[Pythian]] Apollo"), who was worshipped in Athens at the [[Pythion, Athens|Pythion]].<ref>[[Demosthenes]] 18.141; [[Plato]], ''[[Euthydemus (dialogue)|Euthydemus]]'' 302c-d</ref>{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=50-52}} Athenian children who were admitted to a [[phratry]] (cult association) were brought into a shrine of Apollo Patroos as part of a ceremony called the ''[[phratry#Meion|Meion]]'' - it is unclear whether that was this temple or separate sanctuaries belonging to the phratries in question.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} Some [[genos|gene]] (another kind of cult associations) and phratries, like the [[Gephyraei]], Therrhicleidae, and Elasidae, had their own sanctuaries and priests of Apollo Patroos; others, like the [[Salaminii]], did not sn therefore probably sacrificed to him at this temple.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=51}} Athenians selected as [[Archon of Athens|archon]] were required to prove that they had their own cult of Apollo Patroos and indicate where it was located before they could assume office.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=50}} During the reign of Emperor [[Claudius]] (AD 41-54), the cult of the emperor was merged with that of Apollo Patroos.{{Sfn|Wycherley|1957|p=53}}


A number of priests of the temple are attested in inscriptions:
A number of priests of the temple are attested in inscriptions:

Revision as of 01:28, 13 November 2023

Plan of the Agora at the end of the Classical Period (ca. 300 BC); the temple of Apollo Patroos is number 5.

The Temple of Apollo Patroos (meaning "from the fathers") is a small ruined temple of Ionic order built in 340-320 BCE on the west side of the Ancient Agora of Athens.

Description

Temple of Apollo Patroos, seen from northwest.
Temple of Apollo Patroos, seen from southeast.

The temple is located on the west side of the Agora, beneath the Kolonos Agoraios (Agora hill) and the Temple of Hephaestus. The Stoa of Zeus is located immediately to the north. To the south was an open space and then the Metroon. The space to the east was open, until the Roman period, when the Temple of Ares was built there.[1] The identification of these archaeological remains as the Temple of Apollo Patroos is based on the account of Pausanias, who mentions the temple after the Stoa of Zeus and before the Metroon.[2]

The temple faces east. It is an Ionic tetrastyle in antis temple, which means that it has a front portico (pronaos) with four columns along the front and two side walls that extend out on either side of them. The main structure is is 10.13 metres wide and 16.76 metres long. Of that length, 4.88 metres is the pronaos and 9.28 metres is the cella. On the right side of the cella at the back is a doorway leading to further chamber, which is 4.93 metres wide north to south and 5.62 metres long east to west. The tiny Temple of Zeus Phratrios and Athena Phratria is tucked into the space in front of this back room.[3]

The temple's altar was gilded by Neoptolemus son of Anticles in the 330s or 320s BC. IG II2 4984 inscribed "Of Apollo Patroos" may be part of this altar.[4]

Sculpture

Colossal statue of Apollo (Agora inv. S 2154), possibly the statue of Euphranor

The 2nd-century AD travel writer Pausanias Pausanias reports that the temple contained a cult statue carved by Euphranor and that there were two further statues of Apollo in front of the temple: one made by Leochares and an Apollo Alexikakos (Averter of evil) made by Calamis. Pausanias claims that the latter was dedicated in thanksgiving for the end of the Plague of Athens in 427 BC,[5] but seems to be mistaken.[2]

A colossal statue of Apollo found 20 metres south of the temple has been identified as the Apollo of Euphranor.[2] The identification has been widely debated.

Cult

There were several sanctuaries of different aspects of Apollo at Athens. Apollo Patroos ("of the fathers") represented Apollo's role as protector of families and progenitor of the Athenians, as the father of Ion, ancestor of the Ionians. Literary sources often identify him with Apollo Pythios ("Pythian Apollo"), who was worshipped in Athens at the Pythion.[6][7] Athenian children who were admitted to a phratry (cult association) were brought into a shrine of Apollo Patroos as part of a ceremony called the Meion - it is unclear whether that was this temple or separate sanctuaries belonging to the phratries in question.[2] Some gene (another kind of cult associations) and phratries, like the Gephyraei, Therrhicleidae, and Elasidae, had their own sanctuaries and priests of Apollo Patroos; others, like the Salaminii, did not sn therefore probably sacrificed to him at this temple.[2] Athenians selected as archon were required to prove that they had their own cult of Apollo Patroos and indicate where it was located before they could assume office.[1] During the reign of Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54), the cult of the emperor was merged with that of Apollo Patroos.[8]

A number of priests of the temple are attested in inscriptions:

  • Name lost (ca. 100 BC: Agora XV 260)
  • Theodosius son of Dius of Laciadae (ca. 100 BC, IG II2 2871)
  • Polycharmus son of Eucles of Marathon (AD 30-37: IG II2 3530), simultaneously priest of Emperor Tiberius
  • Dionysodorus son of Sophocles of Sounium (AD 41-54: IG II2 3274)
  • Name lost of Gargettus (AD 186: Agora XV 411)
  • Aphrodisius son of Eudemus of Phyle (late 2nd century AD: IG II2 3630)
  • Publius Aelius Zenon of Berenicidae (ca. 230 AD: IG II2 3697)

The priest of the Apollo Patroos had a designated seat in the Theatre of Dionysus.

References

  1. ^ a b Wycherley 1957, p. 50.
  2. ^ a b c d e Wycherley 1957, p. 51.
  3. ^ Travlos 1971, p. 98.
  4. ^ Wycherley 1957, p. 52.
  5. ^ Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 3. 4
  6. ^ Demosthenes 18.141; Plato, Euthydemus 302c-d
  7. ^ Wycherley 1957, p. 50-52.
  8. ^ Wycherley 1957, p. 53.

Bibliography

  • Shear, T. Leslie (1935). "The Campaign of 1934". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 4 (3): 352–354. doi:10.2307/146457. ISSN 0018-098X.
  • Thompson, Homer A. (1937). "Buildings on the West Side of the Agora". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 6 (1): 77–115. doi:10.2307/146486. ISSN 0018-098X.
  • Thompson, Homer A. (1952). "Excavations in the Athenian Agora: 1951". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 21 (2): 109–110. doi:10.2307/146780. ISSN 0018-098X.
  • Wycherley, R. E. (1957). The Athenian Agora III: Literary and Epigraphical Testimonia. Princeton, NJ: American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
  • Travlos, John (1971). Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Athens: John Travlos. Praeger. pp. 96–99. ISBN 978-0-500-05012-5.
  • Hedrick, Charles W. (1988). "The Temple and Cult of Apollo Patroos in Athens". American Journal of Archaeology. 92 (2): 185–210. doi:10.2307/505629. ISSN 0002-9114.
  • Camp, John McK; Mauzy, Craig A. (2003). The Athenian Agora: A Short Guide. ASCSA. ISBN 978-0-87661-643-7.
  • Cromey, R.D. (2006). "Apollo Patroos and the Phratries". L'Antiquité Classique. 75: 41–69. ISSN 0770-2817.
  • Lawall, Mark L. (2009). "The Temple of Apollo Patroos Dated by an Amphora Stamp". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 78 (3): 387–403. ISSN 0018-098X.
  • Stewart, Andrew (2017). "Hellenistic Sculpture from the Athenian Agora, Part 4: The East Pediment and Akroteria of the Temple of Apollo Patroos". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 86 (2): 273–323. doi:10.2972/hesperia.86.2.0273. ISSN 0018-098X.

37°58′32″N 23°43′20″E / 37.975542°N 23.722099°E / 37.975542; 23.722099

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