Athens and Attica Week 6: Old T. of Athena, Erechtheion, T. of Roma and Augustus, Sounion, Cape Zoster, Vari, South Slope Acropolis

During Monday's Epigram seminar, Angelos Matthaiou talked about a variety of Greek verse inscriptions, where they were found, what they say, and what we can figure out about them.

On Tuesday morning we returned to the Acropolis where Margie talked about the old Athena Temple and the Erectheion.

She pointed out the Erectheion's windows,

the statue-base blocks that were reused in its construction (those gray blocks near the top--you can tell because you can see where the statue feet would have gone!),

the intricately carved columns,

the big hole in the porch (where Poseidon struck his trident when he and Athena were vying to be the patron deity of the city),

and the olive tree, replanted by the American School, which Athena caused to spring up.

Next, Rachel gave her report on the temple of Roma and Augustus. Not much of the temple is left, but we know it was there because of the inscription.

Our first stop on Wednesday was at the temple of Athena at Sounion.

Margie had us stand in place of the columns, so we could get a feel for how the temple once looked.

We then went up the hill to see the temple of Poseidon.

There was a lot of graffiti on the temple. This one in particular is pretty famous. Yep, that's Byron, as in Lord Byron.

Our next stop was at another cape with another temple, this one a temple to Apollo on Cape Zoster.

Nearby there were also the remains of a priest's house.

Our last stop of the day was at the Vari cave. Outside the cave, David gave his report on this home of the nymphs

and then we descended one at a time into the cave which was much brighter than I had anticipated.

Friday morning began at the Odeion of Herodes Atticus where Charles gave his report.

Our new friend, Mellow Dog

Next we headed over to the South Slope Asklepieion where Jess gave her report and where there's a lot of work currently going on.

Then we headed to the theater of Dionysus for Jon's report

and then to the nearby precinct of Dionysus.

Margie then showed us the under-excavated Odeion of Perikles. Right now all we can really see is this wall.