Brock Odyssey 2017

Source: http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/stoa-poikile-excavations-in-the-athenian-agora/

A bronze shield from the Battle of Sphacteria, 425 BCE, is displayed at the Agora Museum in Athens, Greece. The round and heavily damaged shield has lost its bronze colour and is now grey. Spartan shields were generally created from wood with bronze for its outer layer. The 30-pound shield is small enough to hold with one arm, while still able to guard much of the body.

The Athenians obtained the shield after their victory against the Spartans at the Battle of Sphacteria. Many of the shields from the Battle of Sphacteria were recovered and returned to Athens as trophies of the triumph. This was a proud moment for the Athenians and a devastating time for the Spartans, having just surrendered.

Because these shields have been in battle and are misshaped from damage, this bronze shield specifically is the only one of its kind, making it quite unique. The shield contains an inscription on its back which reads: “ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΙ ΑΠΟ ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΩΝ ΣΚΠΥΛΟ.” This translates to “the Athenians from the Lacedamonians at Pylos.” This adds to the uniqueness of the bronze shield at the Agora Museum. It is clear this shield was important to the Athenians because they inscribed it and showed it off as a trophy for people to see.

Although the battle is at Sphacteria, the Athenians claim they received it from the Spartans (Lacedamonians) at Pylos, which is on the Peloponnesus in Greece, not the island where the battle occurred. Sparta had a base at Pylos, but sent a fleet to Sphacteria after the Battle of Pylos where they were isolated.

This shield was significant because it demonstrated the power that the Athenians had. They were powerful enough to defeat the militaristic Spartans. Initially, Sparta did not want to fight in the battle, as they proposed a truce knowing that they were outnumbered. The Athenian, Cleon, decided to attack regardless due to the failed peace treaty, achieving victory.

This defeat for Sparta resulted in a demoralizing citizen-state. The Spartan army was too weak after the Battle to successfully attack Athens, meaning that there was proof Sparta was no longer the biggest military power in Greece.

Much of the Battle of Sphacteria is known through the source of Thucydides who documented the events of the Peloponnesian War, ultimately ending in Spartan victory. Thucydides disliked Cleon so there is some biased against him in his History.

Examining the shield while in Greece at the Agora Museum will provide an opportunity to see the damage and colour easier and closer. If there is information written about the shield, then I may obtain more information about it that I don’t know as well. I’m interested to see if a lambda symbol (Λ) is noticeable on the shield. This letter represents Laconia for the Spartans which was the region in which Sparta resides.

Overall, the bronze shield from the Battle of Sphacteria was an important symbol of victory for the Athenians. They demonstrated that they were a powerful citizen-state in Greece, during the fifth century BCE. The shield at Agora Museum honours the Athenian victory at the Battle of Sphacteria and allows the audience to view a piece of the past.

Resources used:

http://www.ancientmilitary.com/spartan-weapons.htm

http://ancient-greece.org/museum/agora.html

http://www.livius.org/articles/battle/sphacteria/

http://www.greece-athens.com/page.php?page_id=85

http://www.athensinfoguide.com/wtsagora9.htm

Nike of Paionios, Olympia

The ancient Greeks are known for their magnificent sculpting skills and creations with the realism the pieces of art created. One of the many known sculptures from ancient Greece is the Nike of Paionios, known for its drapery. The Nike of Paionios is located in Olympia, Greece and is seen as a flying woman. It is a statue of the Greek goddess Nike, who was the goddess of victory for both war and peaceful competitions. Paionios of Mende from Thrace was a sculptor in the late 5th century who created the Nike statue from Parian marble. Parian marble is a fine-grained semi-translucent, pure white, and flawless marble that was highly prized by the ancient Greeks. The statue was created between 425 – 420 BCE, which is the Classical period in Greece and this time period is mostly known for Athens becoming more involved in both art and politics. The Classical period is most known for tragic poets, Socrates and the Parthenon.
The figure itself shows a women’s body that is landing down onto Earth gently with her left foot. Her dress is draped over her body, which would have been painted red and is flowing intricately behind her showing that the wind is blowing against her. The Nike statue that can be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia in Greece shows that she is missing her wings and her lower left arm. Her face has also been broken off and her head is not fully attached at the neck. The Nike statue is 2.16m tall today but in Ancient Greece it would have been 12m tall including the pillars that were attached to it on either side.
The Nike of Paionios is unique in many different ways but mainly for how it was build and the material that was used to build it. The statue was created because of a war that was won and it was dedicated to Zeus. This explains why the statue was found outside of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia. A theory concerning the dedication of the statue is that the Messenians and Naupactians created it as a tribute to Zeus after they won a battle against Sparta. This is shown by the inscription found on the statue that states, “The Messenians and Naupactians dedicated this to Olympian Zeus, a tithe from the spoils of war. Paionios of Mende made this, and was victor [in the competition] to make the akroteria for the temple”. (University of Cambridge, 2017) What is unique about the Nike of Paionios is that the Parian marble used to make it was from the spoils of war and made out of other statues that had been torn down or destroyed. It is also unique because it tells us as historian’s information about military conflicts in the Peloponnese and how the culture of Ancient Greece viewed victories, but also defeats.
The Messenians and the Naupactians were careful not to mention ‘their enemies’ by name in the dedicational script to Zeus on the Nike of Paionios. This is because even though both of these people defeated the Spartans, they were still afraid of them. Later, a script was found by a writer named Pausanias, who was a traveler in the 2nd century AD, wrote, “But the Messenians themselves say that the offering is a trophy of the battle in which they fought on the Athenian side in the island of Sphacteria and that they refrained from inscribing the name of the enemy for fear of the Lacedaemonians (Spartans).” The placement of the statue shows a symbolic gesture of dominance against the Spartans. Even though the statue does not depict the Spartans by name, it was placed in Olympia outside the Temple of Zeus, which was considered Spartan ground. This demonstrates the political and cultural lives the Ancient Greeks lived in, where they were able to show victory for their winnings but careful not to show whom exactly they defeated for fear of revenge. This show just how politically complicated the Ancient Greeks had it even in the 5th century BCE.
One of the questions I have that may be answered in Greece is why did the Messenians and the Naupactians pick the goddess Nike to show their triumph rather then another god or goddess? I am looking forward to see the Nike of Paionios in person to see how weather damaged the sculpture is. Also I want to see the sculpting work of how Paionios of Mende made the goddess Nikes fabric drape and flow over her like the wind is still blowing on her. I am fascinated to see just now much detail and work this artist has put into this sculpture and how much of the detail has lasted through the thousands of years.

By: Teagan O’Halloran

Bibliography

Aaron J. Atsma. “Nike – Greek Goddess of Victory (Roman Victoria).” Theoi Project.
Accessed May 25, 2017. http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Nike.html

Mark Cartwright. “Nike of Paionios (Illustration).” Ancient History Encyclopedia.
Accessed May 26 2017. http://www.ancient.eu/image/445/

“Museum of Classical Archaeology Databases, Nike of Paionios.” University of
Cambridge. Last modified June 2017. http://museum.classics.cam.ac.uk/collections/casts/nike-paionios

“Nike of Paionios, Paionios.” Wikipedia. Last modified March 20 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paeonius

“Parian marble, Marble of Paros Island.” The Greek Island Specialists. Last modified
2014. http://www.greeka.com/cyclades/paros/paros-products/parian-marble.htm

The road from Delphi to Olympia descends from Mount Parnassus at an elevation of 1,800 feet to the Gulf of Corinth at sea level. It is a thrill ride of switchbacks on narrow mountain roads, that takes you from the Ancient Greeks’ most important sanctuary at Delphi, to the fertile farmland around Olympia.

The route passes through country that is harsh and rugged, but filled with pink and white rhododendrons and wildflowers that support the bees from the numerous apiaries located on the mountainsides. From the bus you see the houses pass in flashes of white stucco and red terracotta roofs, white-walled cemeteries full of tall white crosses, beside little white churches and the  frequent small and brightly painted roadside shrines. Many of the rounded mountains are topped with windmills and houses wear solar panels on their roofs-a reminder of the modern world-in a landscape where you can see the remains of abandoned farms hiding in the tall yellow grass. The old and the new exist side by side here in Greece-the past runs into a present in a state that must struggle to meet the needs of its living citizens while preserving the legacy its ancestors.

One image of modernity is the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge  (the longest fully suspended cable type bridge in the world) that spans the Gulf of Corinth and connects mainland Greece to the Peloponnese. You can see the length of it gleaming white in the distance as you reach the coastal plain. The cables that suspend the bridge arch gracefully towards the sky giving the structure an appearance of lightness that belays the reality of the supporting piles that anchor it to the sea bed sixty-five feet below the surface of the treacherous strait. It is a blend of technical mastery over the elements and yet still a thing of beauty-so very Greek.

The bridge takes you to the Peloponnese where the land is lush and fertile, for there is water here to nourish the growth of the vegetables and vines that grow in abundance, and the olive trees of course. Tall green cedars rise above everything as they soar towards the sky like dark spears against the backdrop of blue.  This landscape is such a contrast to the rugged power of the sanctuary in the mountains, but both scenes have their own particular beauty.

This is the landscape of the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, an ancient site where athletes worshipped the god in athletic competitions that drew participants from all over the ancient world. The ancient Olympics began here in 776 B.C.E. and like the modern games were held every four years. Before the games started word would go out in all directions to inform the various city states that the games would be held soon, so that hostilities would cease and the games would be peaceful. The tradition was ended at the end of the fourth century C.E. but the modern Olympics are based on those long ago athletic events.

At Olympia the ruins of the Temples of Hera and of Zeus, state treasuries and monuments such as the Philippeion sit along paths that are shaded by large trees. Under some of the trees there are architectural fragments from the site that provide a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the breeze. The foundations of the Temple of Zeus hint at the grandeur of the temple that once stood here, but only one lonely column stands among the tumbled ruins that have succumbed to floods, earthquakes and the passing years.

The museum displays the wealth of the archaeological finds from the site, from the votives left by worshippers, armour and weaponry dedicated to Zeus and moulds used in the workshop of Pheidias who created the enormous statue of the god that resided in the Temple of Zeus. The museum also displays the magnificent sculptures from the temple pediments that have to be seen in order to appreciate their scale and the mastery of the sculptors.

The truly adventurous can enter the ancient stadium through the same gateway that the ancient athletes and umpires used, stand behind the balbis (the starting line) and race against their friends to the finish line about 200 yards away. If you do run, you can say that you raced at Olympia and be proud of that feat, after all the only people who know that you finished last were the friends who cheered you all the way to the finish line.

Few people have the opportunity to ever visit the ancient site of Olympia, fewer still have the chance to run with their peers on the very track were the first Olympics took place in 776 BCE.

The Temple of Hera was the first stop on our site tour of Olympia. To read of and view pictures is nothing like standing in front of temple ruins and visualizing what stands before you as it was in the 6th century BCE.  Looking at the remaining columns that were originally wooden and then replaced, the Doric temple comes alive.

Built as the first temple at Olympia perhaps originally to honour Zeus, it would become the Temple of Hera to honour the womens’ quarterly games. To see the stone columns drums that remain, the size and visual detail in the stonework in relation to the other buildings and how it was situated within the site plan alone was so much more than you can get from a book. Will’s informative talk and the digital reconstruction photo that he provided made it possible to truly visualize the magnificence of the Temple.

Directly east of the Temple of Hera is the site of the nymphaion. The expansive width of remaining blocks of black stone and the intricate detail on them provides an indication of the massive size of the fountain. After a visit to the museum housing so many of the archaeological finds, the grandeur of the fountain materializes once you see the schematic of the basin sizes, the lion’s head spouts and the statues that were housed in a two tiered pavilion at the back.

The most impressive temple area is the Temple of Zeus. Standing next to the tumbled column drums is something that is indescribable. It isn’t until then that the full scope of the enormity is seen. The area looks like toppled dominos belonging to a giant. The Temple of Zeus would have been breathtaking. The whole site must have been made one breathless with its beauty.

A highlight of my day was Charles’ presention on Pheidias. As we stood within the great sculptor’s workshop you could envision the activity, training and skill that the space once housed. At each site we have visited what has been foremost in my thoughts is the training and skill required to design and sculpt these great masterpieces and the sheer number of works.

The visit afterwards to the Olympia Museum and the exquisite treasures was so wonderful. The warrior helmets and armour, the votive offerings, and the sculptures were all there. The visit was overwhelming in many ways on account of the extent of the site itself and the quantity of the museum’s artifacts. How does one take in centuries of history in an afternoon? It is some place to visit again.

What would it be without a footrace in the very footsteps of Greece’s earliest Olympians? The Brock Olympians strode through the secret entrance mentioned by Pausanias to the cheers of spectators lining the gentle slopes of the stadium. In view of the altar for  Demeter Chamyne on the north embankment, the runners lined up behind the ancient stone threshold. Behold the victors! The Brock Odyssey continues.

June 9th was our first and only full day spent in the little town of Delphi. Yesterday evening we were all met with jaw dropping scenery and one of the best sunsets I have ever seen! It was a promise of a good stay there and it did not disappoint.

After a slightly sleepy start, the group headed down the road towards the site and museum of Delphi. After a little detour to the gymnasium, which happened to be closed in the morning, and by the fountain where the priestess Pythia would bathe before deciphering the oracles at Delphi, we started up the first steps to the sacred sanctuary.

The only thing that underwhelmed me about my expectations for the site was how the “hike” turned out to be more of a steep walk. The remains of the various treasuries needed some imagination to be well appreciated, but I’m learning that that is to be expected at sites. After all, these buildings had been out of use since before the Ottoman period.

It was easy to understand why the ancient Greeks believed the sight to be so revered. They thought it to be the navel of the earth and they placed a specific stone called the Omphalos of Delphi in the middle of their world. I cannot imagine a more beautiful setting and I think this could have influenced the ancient Greeks as well. Standing on the side of Mount Parnassus, looking out into the valley, a connection is made between the person and the ground they stand on. I am not a religious or spiritually connected person and even I felt complete and peaceful the entire time I was at the site. Almost as though the location was answering my own uncertainties.

After learning more about a few structures and practices that would have occurred in the sanctuary we made our way down and enjoyed free time before going back to peruse the artifacts in the museum. Nearing the end of the day, a small group of us started a lovely dinner on a balcony restaurant and more people from our group obviously had the same idea. An impromptu “family dinner” ensued and was followed by a night of laughter and connecting that sent me to bed with a smile on my face.

Aside from the views of the mountains and valley, I could not get over how many friendly and genuine locals I met during our very short stay. Each shop owner was helpful and eager to answer my many questions. The residents seemed genuinely pleased to give us tourists a little slice of their piece of heaven.

One shop owner in particular was without a doubt the nicest man I have ever met. He was very appreciative of us telling others about his store and he gave everyone great deals and even better service. He even invited a few of us to come to his family event the next day and watch his traditional dance group perform! What an experience that would have been. Unfortunately we had to move on the next morning and continue our whirlwind trip around Greece.

I know that I am not the only one who enjoyed this tiny town more than the hustle and bustle of Athens. Both towns have incredible sights to offer, however Delphi provided an unforgettable experience. A calm and friendly atmosphere enveloped me as soon as I stepped off the bus and when I left it was with a heavy but happier heart.

Waking up to mountain views and a rooster calling, Delphi was like a beautiful flower in a summer meadow. Every place that we have visited on this tour has been wonderful, but Delphi uniquely so. Though it is quaint it leaves an impact as strong as a big city like Athens.

(Fig.1) Cat looking above the Temple of Apollo

The town of Delphi where we stayed at the Hotel Acropole was as I mentioned quite little, a village really, but filled with genuine people with streets stacked much like the tiers of a cake and every view was a panorama of the mountainside/harbour below. We walked from the town to the site of Delphi, where people from across Greece travelled to ask the oracle of Delphi questions at the Temple of Apollo. Here the biggest and richest city-states displayed their wealth, and attempted to outshine one another in the building of treasuries and what they dedicated to the gods there.

On site there is a theatre where singing contests were held in honour of Apollo, though no one from the group stepped up and belted out a tune this time. Also at the highest point of the site itself there is a stadium, where footraces were held, though today it has been roped off to the public and our race had to be postponed. As a group we are trying to not be kicked off a site by the whistleblowing guards so we made our way back down rather than hop the rope and attempt a race anyway. The view down was worth the walk up.

After the site we reached the heat of the day, which meant a little break for lunch and naps for some (ie. me!), then later we went to the museum of all the artifacts discovered at the site of Delphi. Once regrouped after the heat was slightly more manageable, maybe by a degree or so in direct sunlight, we all hit the museum. Among the collection is a larger than life sphinx that used to guard Delphi from negative forces, as well as the Omphalos or the “Navel”of the world. When looking at all the statues and everything dedicated, it’s almost hard to imagine the hard work that must’ve gone into each little detail of each little piece so long ago. Then to carry it up the side of a mountain to give to someone else. I don’t imagine that every life would’ve been easy, so even the smallest piece that we have is quite priceless to have lasted.

After the museum the group split up for the evening and headed for dinner and shopping in the town. All of the shopkeepers were extremely friendly, and more than willing to deal with students and budgets than the other places we have stopped to shop before. There was a lot that Delphi had to offer, from the average tourist stuff found in most tourist shops to paintings and jewelry made in Delphi.

Though our group separated we always seemed to have a magnet pull us back together again around dinner time, as we all ended up at the same restaurant, Phivos. Like every restaurant in Delphi all its windows faced the spectacular view with the addition this time of a sunset. It had the typical fare I’ve come to know and appreciate from Greek restaurants – who knew Greek food would be so good. With the sunset came the return to the Hotel Acropole, and packing up in preparation for the long bus journey the next day.

(Fig.2) View of Temple of Apollo.

Delphi was a hidden gem, and I expect every place will stick solidly locked in my memories for years to come. Delphi will.

June 8 2017
Today started like any other day on the trip. We all got up and packed to catch the bus to Delphi today but we had an unfortunate mishap. The bus broke down about 100m away from our hotel and we had to wait two hours until a new one came. After that however it was a great day.

We first went to Marathon and saw the burial mound for the 192 Athenians that fought and died against the Persians. This tumulus is important because it was unusual for  the Athenians to bury their died in a different spot besides their home. This was done to commemorate  the great victory against the Persians and Great King Darius I, who was the king of Persia at the time. Something else significant about Marathon was that it was the home of Herodes Atticus, who was a distinguished and rich Greek sophist and aristocrat who served as a Roman senator. His estate still exists at Marathon for people to see.
Then we quickly traveled to the museum of Marathon that holds a lot of pottery, red figure, jewelry and tributes that were found in the Cave of Pan. What was also found was a inscribed stele with the rules of the worship of the god Pan. Another amazing thing about this museum and Marathon was that they had Egyptian statues in the museum. The Romans created an Egyptian sanctuary and the balneum, which held four statues of the Egyptian gods. The balneum was a bath house and the four gods were Isis, Osiris, Serapis and a marble sphinx. It was built in the second century CE and possibly by Herodes Atticus.

Afterwards we went to Rhamnous, which is the location of the temple of Nemesis and the temple of Themis. This site is important because of its unique design of the two temples that were only built 10 to 15 years apart. The temple of Themis was build just before the temple of Nemesis and is very different from the  temple of Nemesis. It does not have any evidence of columns attached or around the temple, not even in front of the pronaos. However about a decade later they built a temple to Nemesis after defeating the Persians. It was created out of marble and had Doric columns that were unfinished, suggesting the temple was never completed. They  are two very differently built temples that are right beside each other.

Finally, we arrived in Thebes at the  museum where we learned about Thebes and the history and culture of the place. The museum was amazing and was very informative of the history. It had amazing artifacts and sculptures. It was one of my favorite museums so far on the trip. It had many of the items I am interested in like weapons and armour. They had this magnificent Bronze style helmet that was of the Corinthian type. However the city state that created the helmet is still unknown. It has owl shaped eyes with a piece coming down in front of the nose. The museum also has many more helmets, shields, spears and swords from all different time periods of Greece.

At the end of the day we finally arrived in Delphi at our hotel. We had all seen a lot today and experienced a long but amazing day. I personally learned a lot that I did not know prior to this trip. I look forward to the next days of it and can’t wait to see, experience and learn more about ancient and present Greece from these experiences.

June 8th, our last day in Athens; a city rich in culture and history.  Somehow, we managed to explore all the different archeological sites and museums in the span of three days.  Although we were sad to leave the country’s capital, we were even more excited to continue our journey throughout Greece.  However, leaving Athens proved to be challenging.  Unfortunately, our bus broke down which slightly set us back with regards to our schedule. Nevertheless, we made the best of an uncontrollable situation and the rest of our day was filled with travel, museum visits and sightseeing.  Once our new bus arrived, we began to make our way to Delphi stopping at Marathon, Rhamnous and Thebes along the way.

For those of you who are fascinated with Classics and History, the site of Marathon would interest you.  It was at Marathon that the Greeks (Athens allied with Plataea) defeated the Persians in 490 BCE.  This was a great feat for the Greeks as they were outnumbered by at least 2 to 1.  The Greeks initiated the battle by running at the Persians giving the Greeks the advantage of surprise.  The Greeks also used the marsh, located on site, to their advantage and some Persians were cornered. All in all, the Greek hoplites were successful in defeating the mighty Persian army. On site, we visited the Tumulus of Marathon which is 10 m high and 50 m in diameter.  Essentially, the Tumulus looks like a steep hill surrounded by flat land.  It holds the cremated remains of the fallen Athenian soldiers (approximately 192 bodies).  Some say you can still hear the cracks of battle at night.

Our next stop on the way to Delphi was Rhamnous.  Few of us knew the significance of this site; however, it turned out to be one of my favorites. Rhamnous is home to an ancient fortified town which looks out over the sea.  It dates to the classical period. Unlike many of the other sites we visited, we were permitted to walk through the fortress as well as the near-by building known as the West house.  Everyone really enjoyed this experience because it allowed us to explore architectural remains from the interior as opposed to looking in from the outside.  We were walking in the footsteps ancient Greeks! As we were exploring the site, we were finding potsherds (some pieces had black slip on them) and even metal pieces.  This site interested me the most because it allowed me to interact with the artifacts as opposed to looking at them through a glass casing.  But we were careful to put any item back in place before leaving!

Our final stop on the way to Delphi was the museum of Thebes.  It is a new museum and houses many interesting artifacts.  I was personally fascinated with a clay Larnax (burial chest) from Tanagra which dates to the 14th-13th century BCE.  It depicts mourning women pulling out their hair—a characteristic grieving pose.

All in all, we were able to see a variety of different places, with varying archeological significance, on our journey to a new city.  Before signing off I would like to mention how different Athens and Delphi are.  Although both are beautiful, Athens is a busy, modern city juxtaposed with ancient artifacts.  In contrast, the most notable sights in Delphi are the mountains that take your breath away.  Whether it’s a bustling city or a relaxed countryside, Greece has proven to be an awe-inspiring country.  I can’t wait to find out what the other cities have in store for us!