Athenian Treasury: Difference between revisions
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The '''Athenian Treasury''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Θησαυρός των Αθηναίων) at [[Delphi]] was constructed by the [[Athens|Athenians]] to house dedications and [[Votive offering|votive offerings]] made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of [[Apollo]]. The entire treasury including its sculptural decoration is built of [[Parian marble]]. The date of construction is disputed, and scholarly opinions range from 510 to 480 BCE.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book|title=Understanding Greek sculpture : ancient meanings, modern readings|last=Spivey|first=Nigel|date=1996|publisher=Thames and Hudson|isbn=978-0500237106|location=New York|oclc=36645523|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/understandinggre00spiv}}</ref> It is located directly below the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)|Temple of Apollo]] along the [[Sacred Way]] for all visitors to view the Athenian treasury on the way up to the sanctuary.<ref name=":32">{{Cite journal|last=Neer|first=Richard|date=2004-04-01|title=The Athenian Treasury at Delphi and the Material of Politics|journal=Classical Antiquity|language=en|volume=23|issue=1|pages=63–93|doi=10.1525/ca.2004.23.1.63|issn=0278-6656|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
The '''Athenian Treasury''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Θησαυρός των Αθηναίων) at [[Delphi]] was constructed by the [[Athens|Athenians]] to house dedications and [[Votive offering|votive offerings]] made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of [[Apollo]]. The entire treasury including its sculptural decoration is built of [[Parian marble]]. The date of construction is disputed, and scholarly opinions range from 510 to 480 BCE.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book|title=Understanding Greek sculpture : ancient meanings, modern readings|last=Spivey|first=Nigel|date=1996|publisher=Thames and Hudson|isbn=978-0500237106|location=New York|oclc=36645523|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/understandinggre00spiv}}</ref> It is located directly below the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)|Temple of Apollo]] along the [[Sacred Way]] for all visitors to view the Athenian treasury on the way up to the sanctuary.<ref name=":32">{{Cite journal|last=Neer|first=Richard|date=2004-04-01|title=The Athenian Treasury at Delphi and the Material of Politics|journal=Classical Antiquity|language=en|volume=23|issue=1|pages=63–93|doi=10.1525/ca.2004.23.1.63|issn=0278-6656|doi-access=free}}</ref> |
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[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] mentions the building in his account of the sanctuary, claiming that it was dedicated from the spoils of the [[Battle of Marathon]], fought in 490 BCE against the Persians. The Battle of Marathon can be seen in some of the images of the [[metope]]s which compare their victory to mythology. By using the founder of Athens, [[Theseus]], to show the victories of Athens, the treasury established Athens as one of the most powerful [[polis]] (city-states) of Greece. The Athenian treasury [[metope]]s display the earliest known presence of Theseus in a large-scale sculpture.<ref name=":0">{{cite thesis |last1=Smith |first1=Allison Elizabeth |title=The juxtaposition of styles in the metopes of the Athenian treasury |date=2019 |doi=10.17615/2ze8-4t05 }}</ref> Prior to this treasury, Theseus had been depicted on vase paintings, but no architectural depictions have been found. Although Herakles was also depicted in the metopes, the added heroic character showed the Athenian's increasing devotion to Theseus.<ref name=":12" /> The pairing of the two heroes was a metaphor alluding to the Battle of Marathon.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gensheimer|first=Maryl B.|date=2017|title=Metaphors for Marathon in the Sculptural Program of the Athenian Treasury at Delphi|journal=Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens|volume=86|issue=1|pages=1–42|doi=10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001|jstor=10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001|s2cid=193754955 }}</ref> The metopes show Athenian identity and how they viewed their enemies both foreign or domestic. |
[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] mentions the building in his account of the sanctuary, claiming that it was dedicated from the spoils of the [[Battle of Marathon]], fought in 490 BCE against the [[Persians]]. The Battle of Marathon can be seen in some of the images of the [[metope]]s which compare their victory to mythology. By using the founder of Athens, [[Theseus]], to show the victories of Athens, the treasury established Athens as one of the most powerful [[polis]] (city-states) of Greece. The Athenian treasury [[metope]]s display the earliest known presence of Theseus in a large-scale sculpture.<ref name=":0">{{cite thesis |last1=Smith |first1=Allison Elizabeth |title=The juxtaposition of styles in the metopes of the Athenian treasury |date=2019 |doi=10.17615/2ze8-4t05 }}</ref> Prior to this treasury, Theseus had been depicted on vase paintings, but no architectural depictions have been found. Although [[Heracles|Herakles]] was also depicted in the metopes, the added heroic character showed the Athenian's increasing devotion to Theseus.<ref name=":12" /> The pairing of the two heroes was a metaphor alluding to the Battle of Marathon.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gensheimer|first=Maryl B.|date=2017|title=Metaphors for Marathon in the Sculptural Program of the Athenian Treasury at Delphi|journal=Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens|volume=86|issue=1|pages=1–42|doi=10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001|jstor=10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001|s2cid=193754955 }}</ref> The metopes show Athenian identity and how they viewed their enemies both foreign or domestic. |
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The Athenian treasury was the first at a [[Panhellenic sanctuary]] that was dedicated by Athens.<ref name=":12" /> Several other city-states built treasuries at Delphi. |
The Athenian treasury was the first at a [[Panhellenic sanctuary]] that was dedicated by Athens.<ref name=":12" /> Several other city-states built treasuries at Delphi. |
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The building was excavated by the [[French School at Athens]], led by [[Pierre de La Coste-Messelière]], and reconstructed from 1903 to 1906.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal|last=La Coste-Messelière|first=Pierre de|title=Observations sur les sculptures du Trésor des Athéniens|journal=Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique|language=fr-FR|volume=47|issue=1|pages=387–419|doi=10.3406/bch.1923.3019|year=1923}}</ref> The structure is still visible ''in'' ''situ'', although the metopes are reproductions; the originals are in the museum of Delphi. |
The building was excavated by the [[French School at Athens]], led by [[Pierre de La Coste-Messelière]], and reconstructed from 1903 to 1906.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal|last=La Coste-Messelière|first=Pierre de|title=Observations sur les sculptures du Trésor des Athéniens|journal=Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique|language=fr-FR|volume=47|issue=1|pages=387–419|doi=10.3406/bch.1923.3019|year=1923}}</ref> The structure is still visible ''in'' ''situ'', although the [[Metope|metopes]] are reproductions; the originals are in the museum of Delphi. |
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== Mythology and the metopes == |
== Mythology and the metopes == |
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[[File:GRIEKENLAND 014 (17669611258).jpg|thumb|left|Metopes and triglyphs in the frieze]] |
[[File:GRIEKENLAND 014 (17669611258).jpg|thumb|left|Metopes and triglyphs in the frieze]] |
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The main characters of the |
The main characters of the metopes are from common Athenian mythology, showing these heroes undergoing their many trials. The metopes show Theseus, the mythological founder and king of Athens. His mother, though human, was possessed by [[Poseidon]] at the time of conception. The labors of Theseus began in order to claim the throne as he travels through the six entrances to the [[Greek underworld|underworld]]. Each labor is depicted in the form of a metope, his strength metaphorically showing Athenian prowess on the international stage that was Greece at the time. |
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Herakles at the time was the second most mentioned and decorated hero to appear in Athens.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book|last=Hoff|first=Ralf von den|editor1-last=Hoff|editor1-first=Ralf von den|editor2-last=Schulz|editor2-first=Peter|title=Structure, Image, Ornament: Architectural Sculpture of the Greek World|date=2009|chapter=Herakles, Theseus and the Athenian Treasury at Delphi|url=http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeumdok/id/eprint/2159|doi=10.11588/propylaeumdok.00002159|publisher=Oxbow Books|location=Oxford}}</ref> Athens wanted to be seen as related not just to their own personal hero Theseus but to connect him to Herakles as a relation to the gods. Each metope contains a single deed done by each hero as they tried to reach their goal. This put the polis-hero on equal level to Herakles; a later version of Theseus that occurred after 460 BCE even had Theseus using his club against [[Periphetes]], making him look similar to Herakles.<ref name=":12" /> The metopes also draw parallels between the two heroes with the bull which Herakles captured as his seventh labor from [[Crete]] and which later Theseus captures and sacrifices to Apollo and [[Athena]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bilić|first=Tomislav|date=2012-01-01|title=Apollo, Helios, and the Solstices in the Athenian, Delphian, and Delian Calendars|journal=Numen|language=en|volume=59|issue=5–6|pages=509–532|doi=10.1163/15685276-12341237|issn=1568-5276}}</ref> |
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==Metopes== |
==Metopes== |
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The thirty metopes of the treasury are 67 cm tall and 62–64 cm wide, nine along the long sides (north and south) and six along the short (east and west), depicted the labors of |
The thirty metopes of the treasury are 67 cm tall and 62–64 cm wide, nine along the long sides (north and south) and six along the short (east and west), depicted the labors of Theseus and Herakles. This is the earliest surviving juxtaposition of the two.<ref name=":52">{{Cite journal|last=Agard|first=Walter R.|date=1923|title=The Metopes of the Athenian Treasury as Works of Art|jstor=497851|journal=American Journal of Archaeology|volume=27|issue=3|pages=322–333|doi=10.2307/497851|s2cid=191392956 }}</ref><ref name=":62">{{Cite journal|last=Dinsmoor|first=William Bell|date=1946|title=The Athenian Treasury as Dated by Its Ornament|jstor=499752|journal=American Journal of Archaeology|volume=50|issue=1|pages=86–121|doi=10.2307/499752|s2cid=191355426 }}</ref> Many of these metopes were found scattered around the surrounding area, and the order to which they would have appeared is disputed. |
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Thesean metopes include: |
Thesean metopes include: |
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* Theseus and |
* Theseus and Athena |
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* Theseus and [[Sinis (mythology)|Sinis]] |
* Theseus and [[Sinis (mythology)|Sinis]] |
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* Theseus and the [[Crommyonian Sow|Crommyonian sow]] |
* Theseus and the [[Crommyonian Sow|Crommyonian sow]] |
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* Heracles and [[Cycnus]] |
* Heracles and [[Cycnus]] |
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* Heracles and [[Orthrus]] |
* Heracles and [[Orthrus]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
* Cows of Geryon (three metopes) |
* Cows of Geryon (three metopes) |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[File:Treasury_of_Athenians_at_Delphi,_Dlf468.jpg|thumb|Inscription]] |
[[File:Treasury_of_Athenians_at_Delphi,_Dlf468.jpg|thumb|Inscription]] |
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ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕ]Σ.<ref name=":62" /> |
ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕ]Σ.<ref name=":62" /> |
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The Athenians dedicated this to Apollo as first fruits from the |
The Athenians dedicated this to Apollo as first fruits from the Persians at the [[Battle of Marathon]]. |
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== Construction == |
== Construction == |
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[[File:Athenian Treasury antae.jpg|thumb|The Athenian Treasury with two antae framing two columns]] |
[[File:Athenian Treasury antae.jpg|thumb|The Athenian Treasury with two antae framing two columns]] |
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The Athenian Treasury in |
The Athenian Treasury in Delphi was built according to a typical [[distyle in antis]] design, with two [[Anta (architecture)|antae]] framing two columns.<ref name=":72">{{Cite book|title=The origins of the Greek architectural orders|last=A.|first=Barletta, Barbara|date=2001|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521792455|location=Cambridge|oclc=45582563|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/originsofgreekar00barl}}</ref> |
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The ancient writer and traveler [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] was “emphatic that the Athenian Treasury was built [meaning financed] from the spoils from the landing of the [[Persia]]n general [[Datis]] at [[Marathon]]”. This means that a date later than 490 BCE, after the |
The ancient writer and traveler [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] was “emphatic that the Athenian Treasury was built [meaning financed] from the spoils from the landing of the [[Persia]]n general [[Datis]] at [[Marathon]]”. This means that a date later than 490 BCE, after the Battle of Marathon and accounting for time of construction would be acceptable to Pausanias.<ref name=":82">{{Cite book|title=The Eye of Greece : studies in the art of Athens|date=1982|publisher=Cambridge University Press|others=Kurtz, Donna C., Sparkes, Brian A.|isbn=978-0521237260|location=Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]|oclc=8052280}}</ref> |
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Despite being a [[primary source]], Pausanias on occasion may have been misguided or misinformed, and classical scholars still debate the date of construction. [[John Boardman (archaeologist)|John Boardman]] notes that “on a purely archaeological, architectural and stylistic grounds the Treasury has appeared to many scholars to date around 500 BCE, and some would put it earlier.”<ref name=":82" /> |
Despite being a [[primary source]], Pausanias on occasion may have been misguided or misinformed, and classical scholars still debate the date of construction. [[John Boardman (archaeologist)|John Boardman]] notes that “on a purely archaeological, architectural and stylistic grounds the Treasury has appeared to many scholars to date around 500 BCE, and some would put it earlier.”<ref name=":82" /> |
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Recent findings compiled by [[University of Chicago]] professor [[Richard T. Neer]], referencing excavations from 1989 (summarized by [[Pierre Amandry]] in 1998), advocates for the |
Recent findings compiled by [[University of Chicago]] professor [[Richard T. Neer]], referencing excavations from 1989 (summarized by [[Pierre Amandry]] in 1998), advocates for the latter date:<ref name=":32" /><blockquote>A ledge of 0.30 meters in width projects from the Treasury’s [[stereobate]] along its south side only, and that this ledge helps to support the Marathon base. In other words, the plan of the Treasury takes the base into account from the earliest phase of construction. The two structures are thus integral, and both must date after the battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. With this archaeological datum, the chronology of the Athenian treasury must be considered settled. Pausanias was correct.</blockquote>It has been suggested to have an earlier construction date due to the late [[Archaic Greece|Archaic]] style used for the architecture. The [[Doric order|Doric]] style was modeled after the use of wood to create structures.<ref name=":72" /> The paintings inside the treasury were dated back to the 480's BCE, making specialists believe construction started before the military victory.<ref name=":62" /> |
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== Votive offerings == |
== Votive offerings == |
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The treasury was made to contain |
The treasury was made to contain votive offerings such as spoils of war and [[kouros]]. This is where the famous twin kouros statues, [[Kleobis and Biton]], we found.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book|title=Ancient Greek religion|last=Mikalson|first=Jon D.|date=2010|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|isbn=9781444358193|edition= 2nd|location=Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.|oclc=778339226}}</ref> They were originally made at the Temple of Athena in Argos, but were given to the Athenian Treasury as a mark of respect. Because Athens was a superpower at the time, many city-states paid it for protection.<ref name=":32" /> The treasury was not only an offering to the gods, but a statement of their power, showing off arms, statuettes, and other pottery. The treasury was also a statement about the wealth of their new government. After transitioning from a tyrant ruled city-state into a democracy, the Athenians sought to internationally display their increased military success, wealth and prosperity.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Votive offerings were often given after a great win, a prayer, or a funeral piece. These offerings were given by all Greeks to the gods in a sign of worship. Having a separate treasury allowed Athenians to show more of their prominent victories and achievements, establishing their identity as a people and also to show the rest of Greece that they were elites in the hierarchy. |
Votive offerings were often given after a great win, a prayer, or a funeral piece. These offerings were given by all Greeks to the gods in a sign of worship. Having a separate treasury allowed Athenians to show more of their prominent victories and achievements, establishing their identity as a people and also to show the rest of Greece that they were elites in the hierarchy. |
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== The Battle of Marathon == |
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The [[Battle of Marathon]] occurred in 490 BCE between the Persians and the Athenians. It was a decisive blow against [[Persian Empire|Persia]] during the first [[Greco-Persian Wars|Greco-Persian War]]. After the battle, the spoils of war were used to either create or upgrade the treasury and store many of the other spoils as gifts to the gods. The metope of Theseus and the Bull of Marathon shows how the Athenians tried to tie the win to their divine right to be the head polis and rule over the others. This also tied their mythology more closely to their reality. |
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== Role at a Panhellenic sanctuary == |
== Role at a Panhellenic sanctuary == |
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== The site of Delphi == |
== The site of Delphi == |
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[[File:Stoa of the Athenians at Delphi by Joy of Museums.jpg|thumb|The site of Delphi]] |
[[File:Stoa of the Athenians at Delphi by Joy of Museums.jpg|thumb|The site of Delphi]] |
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It is important to note the historical and geographical importance of the area in which the Athenian treasury is located. The Athenians, Siphnians, and the [[Sicyon|Sikyonians]] each had their own treasury lining the pathway to the Temple of Apollo, at the |
It is important to note the historical and geographical importance of the area in which the Athenian treasury is located. The Athenians, Siphnians, and the [[Sicyon|Sikyonians]] each had their own treasury lining the pathway to the Temple of Apollo, at the site of Delphi. The geographical location of the Temple of Apollo was significant in Greek mythology as it was the destination where two eagles, placed at opposite ends of the earth by Zeus, met.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Art history|last1=Stokstad|first1=Marilyn|last2=Cothren|first2=Michael Watt|year=2013|isbn=9780205873470|edition= Fifth|location=Boston|oclc=798923893}}</ref> |
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This temple was considered an [[oracle]], where Apollo could communicate to humans through the [[Pythia]]. The Greeks, their leaders and other foreign leaders journeyed to the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)|temple of Apollo]] seeking advice from the Pythia, despite misinterpretations often leading to twists in fate. |
This temple was considered an [[oracle]], where Apollo could communicate to humans through the [[Pythia]]. The Greeks, their leaders and other foreign leaders journeyed to the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)|temple of Apollo]] seeking advice from the Pythia, despite misinterpretations often leading to twists in fate. |
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Revision as of 19:28, 13 March 2024
| Athenian Treasury | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Treasury |
| Architectural style | Doric |
| Location | Delphi, Greece |
| Construction started | 507 BCE to post-470 BCE |
| Completed | 502 BCE to post-470 BCE |
| Owner | Delphi Archaeological Museum |
| Height | 9.75 metres (32.0 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 6.68 metres (21.9 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Parian marble columns |
The Athenian Treasury (Greek: Θησαυρός των Αθηναίων) at Delphi was constructed by the Athenians to house dedications and votive offerings made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of Apollo. The entire treasury including its sculptural decoration is built of Parian marble. The date of construction is disputed, and scholarly opinions range from 510 to 480 BCE.[1] It is located directly below the Temple of Apollo along the Sacred Way for all visitors to view the Athenian treasury on the way up to the sanctuary.[2]
Pausanias mentions the building in his account of the sanctuary, claiming that it was dedicated from the spoils of the Battle of Marathon, fought in 490 BCE against the Persians. The Battle of Marathon can be seen in some of the images of the metopes which compare their victory to mythology. By using the founder of Athens, Theseus, to show the victories of Athens, the treasury established Athens as one of the most powerful polis (city-states) of Greece. The Athenian treasury metopes display the earliest known presence of Theseus in a large-scale sculpture.[3] Prior to this treasury, Theseus had been depicted on vase paintings, but no architectural depictions have been found. Although Herakles was also depicted in the metopes, the added heroic character showed the Athenian's increasing devotion to Theseus.[4] The pairing of the two heroes was a metaphor alluding to the Battle of Marathon.[5] The metopes show Athenian identity and how they viewed their enemies both foreign or domestic.
The Athenian treasury was the first at a Panhellenic sanctuary that was dedicated by Athens.[4] Several other city-states built treasuries at Delphi.
The building was excavated by the French School at Athens, led by Pierre de La Coste-Messelière, and reconstructed from 1903 to 1906.[6] The structure is still visible in situ, although the metopes are reproductions; the originals are in the museum of Delphi.
Mythology and the metopes
.jpg)
The main characters of the metopes are from common Athenian mythology, showing these heroes undergoing their many trials. The metopes show Theseus, the mythological founder and king of Athens. His mother, though human, was possessed by Poseidon at the time of conception. The labors of Theseus began in order to claim the throne as he travels through the six entrances to the underworld. Each labor is depicted in the form of a metope, his strength metaphorically showing Athenian prowess on the international stage that was Greece at the time.
Herakles at the time was the second most mentioned and decorated hero to appear in Athens.[4] Athens wanted to be seen as related not just to their own personal hero Theseus but to connect him to Herakles as a relation to the gods. Each metope contains a single deed done by each hero as they tried to reach their goal. This put the polis-hero on equal level to Herakles; a later version of Theseus that occurred after 460 BCE even had Theseus using his club against Periphetes, making him look similar to Herakles.[4] The metopes also draw parallels between the two heroes with the bull which Herakles captured as his seventh labor from Crete and which later Theseus captures and sacrifices to Apollo and Athena.[7]
Metopes
The thirty metopes of the treasury are 67 cm tall and 62–64 cm wide, nine along the long sides (north and south) and six along the short (east and west), depicted the labors of Theseus and Herakles. This is the earliest surviving juxtaposition of the two.[8][9] Many of these metopes were found scattered around the surrounding area, and the order to which they would have appeared is disputed.
Thesean metopes include:
- Theseus and Athena
- Theseus and Sinis
- Theseus and the Crommyonian sow
- Theseus and Sciron
- Theseus and Cercyon
- Theseus and Procrustes
- Theseus and the Bull of Marathon
- Theseus and the Minotaur
- Theseus and the Captive Amazon
Heraklean metopes include:
- Heracles and the Nemean Lion
- Heracles and the Ceryneian Hind
- Heracles and the Centaur
- Heracles and Cycnus
- Heracles and Orthrus
- Geryon
- Cows of Geryon (three metopes)
Inscription
The platform upon which the treasury stands has a prominent inscription on its south face; it is dated internally to post-490 BCE.
ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕ]Σ.[9]
The Athenians dedicated this to Apollo as first fruits from the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.
Construction
The Athenian Treasury in Delphi was built according to a typical distyle in antis design, with two antae framing two columns.[10]
The ancient writer and traveler Pausanias was “emphatic that the Athenian Treasury was built [meaning financed] from the spoils from the landing of the Persian general Datis at Marathon”. This means that a date later than 490 BCE, after the Battle of Marathon and accounting for time of construction would be acceptable to Pausanias.[11]
Despite being a primary source, Pausanias on occasion may have been misguided or misinformed, and classical scholars still debate the date of construction. John Boardman notes that “on a purely archaeological, architectural and stylistic grounds the Treasury has appeared to many scholars to date around 500 BCE, and some would put it earlier.”[11]
Recent findings compiled by University of Chicago professor Richard T. Neer, referencing excavations from 1989 (summarized by Pierre Amandry in 1998), advocates for the latter date:[2]
A ledge of 0.30 meters in width projects from the Treasury’s stereobate along its south side only, and that this ledge helps to support the Marathon base. In other words, the plan of the Treasury takes the base into account from the earliest phase of construction. The two structures are thus integral, and both must date after the battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. With this archaeological datum, the chronology of the Athenian treasury must be considered settled. Pausanias was correct.
It has been suggested to have an earlier construction date due to the late Archaic style used for the architecture. The Doric style was modeled after the use of wood to create structures.[10] The paintings inside the treasury were dated back to the 480's BCE, making specialists believe construction started before the military victory.[9]
Votive offerings
The treasury was made to contain votive offerings such as spoils of war and kouros. This is where the famous twin kouros statues, Kleobis and Biton, we found.[12] They were originally made at the Temple of Athena in Argos, but were given to the Athenian Treasury as a mark of respect. Because Athens was a superpower at the time, many city-states paid it for protection.[2] The treasury was not only an offering to the gods, but a statement of their power, showing off arms, statuettes, and other pottery. The treasury was also a statement about the wealth of their new government. After transitioning from a tyrant ruled city-state into a democracy, the Athenians sought to internationally display their increased military success, wealth and prosperity.[3]
Votive offerings were often given after a great win, a prayer, or a funeral piece. These offerings were given by all Greeks to the gods in a sign of worship. Having a separate treasury allowed Athenians to show more of their prominent victories and achievements, establishing their identity as a people and also to show the rest of Greece that they were elites in the hierarchy.
Role at a Panhellenic sanctuary
A Panhellenic sanctuary was open to all of the city-states.[2] The Athenians took this chance to display their civic pride and prosperity to not only the other city-states but to the gods and show them that they deserved their favor.[1]
This treasury held and displayed the votive offerings dedicated to the god Apollo at Delphi. The amount of dedications given would determine the power, range, and existence of the god.[2] The treasury would house and protect the most durable offerings and also precious offerings that could withstand time. The Athenian Treasury is one of the more elaborate treasuries, showing the prosperity of Athens. The dedications belonged to Apollo and were not allowed to leave the sanctuary. The offerings stay within the temenos but were buried in votive pits once they were found to no longer be practical to display.[12] The offerings would become more elaborate as the status of the Athenians increased, especially after winning a war in which they thought Apollo had shown them favor.
The site of Delphi
It is important to note the historical and geographical importance of the area in which the Athenian treasury is located. The Athenians, Siphnians, and the Sikyonians each had their own treasury lining the pathway to the Temple of Apollo, at the site of Delphi. The geographical location of the Temple of Apollo was significant in Greek mythology as it was the destination where two eagles, placed at opposite ends of the earth by Zeus, met.[13]
This temple was considered an oracle, where Apollo could communicate to humans through the Pythia. The Greeks, their leaders and other foreign leaders journeyed to the temple of Apollo seeking advice from the Pythia, despite misinterpretations often leading to twists in fate.
Much like the Olympics today, the site of Delphi hosted the Pythian Games as a dedication to Apollo, in the site's Greek theater. As well as athletic competitions, the Pythian Games also held poetry, dance and music contests, drawing in spectators and crowds. The presence of the oracle and the Pythian Games, allowed the Athenians to showcase their treasury on an international scale.
See also
References
- ^ a b Spivey, Nigel (1996). Understanding Greek sculpture : ancient meanings, modern readings. New York: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 978-0500237106. OCLC 36645523.
- ^ a b c d e Neer, Richard (2004-04-01). "The Athenian Treasury at Delphi and the Material of Politics". Classical Antiquity. 23 (1): 63–93. doi:10.1525/ca.2004.23.1.63. ISSN 0278-6656.
- ^ a b Smith, Allison Elizabeth (2019). The juxtaposition of styles in the metopes of the Athenian treasury (Thesis). doi:10.17615/2ze8-4t05.
- ^ a b c d Hoff, Ralf von den (2009). "Herakles, Theseus and the Athenian Treasury at Delphi". In Hoff, Ralf von den; Schulz, Peter (eds.). Structure, Image, Ornament: Architectural Sculpture of the Greek World. Oxford: Oxbow Books. doi:10.11588/propylaeumdok.00002159.
- ^ Gensheimer, Maryl B. (2017). "Metaphors for Marathon in the Sculptural Program of the Athenian Treasury at Delphi". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 86 (1): 1–42. doi:10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001. JSTOR 10.2972/hesperia.86.1.0001. S2CID 193754955.
- ^ La Coste-Messelière, Pierre de (1923). "Observations sur les sculptures du Trésor des Athéniens". Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique (in French). 47 (1): 387–419. doi:10.3406/bch.1923.3019.
- ^ Bilić, Tomislav (2012-01-01). "Apollo, Helios, and the Solstices in the Athenian, Delphian, and Delian Calendars". Numen. 59 (5–6): 509–532. doi:10.1163/15685276-12341237. ISSN 1568-5276.
- ^ Agard, Walter R. (1923). "The Metopes of the Athenian Treasury as Works of Art". American Journal of Archaeology. 27 (3): 322–333. doi:10.2307/497851. JSTOR 497851. S2CID 191392956.
- ^ a b c Dinsmoor, William Bell (1946). "The Athenian Treasury as Dated by Its Ornament". American Journal of Archaeology. 50 (1): 86–121. doi:10.2307/499752. JSTOR 499752. S2CID 191355426.
- ^ a b A., Barletta, Barbara (2001). The origins of the Greek architectural orders. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521792455. OCLC 45582563.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b The Eye of Greece : studies in the art of Athens. Kurtz, Donna C., Sparkes, Brian A. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press. 1982. ISBN 978-0521237260. OCLC 8052280.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b Mikalson, Jon D. (2010). Ancient Greek religion (2nd ed.). Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781444358193. OCLC 778339226.
- ^ Stokstad, Marilyn; Cothren, Michael Watt (2013). Art history (Fifth ed.). Boston. ISBN 9780205873470. OCLC 798923893.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
- Michael Scott. "Delphi: The Bellybutton of the Ancient World". 39:56 minutes. BBC 4.
38°28′54″N 22°30′05″E / 38.4818°N 22.5014°E
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