The Acropolis

1835 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ancient Greek contributions to art

THESIS STATEMENT The advanced styles and designs of the Acropolis show the genius behind their beginnings which make the Acropolis one of the most iconic complexes in the Ancient World. PURPOSE STATEMENT The information will be pooled from several reliable resources and is meant to inform the reader on the history and design of the Acropolis. INTRODUCTION Travel back to the time of gods wielding thunder bolts and the power to move the Sun across the sky. Gladiator’s fought for blood in monumental arenas and men ran faster than thought possible. Where a crown of olive branches was worth more than a wagon-load of gold. A time when men combined their strength to lift tons of stone more than 50 feet in the air to construct immense temples and monuments that would last thousands of years to come. This is Ancient Greece during its Golden Age. The worship of gods was not just a practice for the Ancient Greeks it was a passion and they took it very seriously. Huge temples were built across the Peloponnesus and beyond that honored their respective gods in the Greek religion. Parades, sacrifices, banquets, and week long celebrations were held in honor of these gods that the Greeks based nearly their entire society off of. The Greeks would offer their lives, their family’s lives, all of their possessions to please the gods. Possibly one of the greatest testaments to the Greeks passion for their gods is the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, Greece. “. . . temple after temple, each more gorgeous and more perfect than the one before, rose all over the Greek main land, to reach a final climax in the Athenian Parthenon . . .” (Hamlin 124). Here Hamlin explains the greatness of what was achieved in Athens at the Acropolis and h... ... middle of paper ... ...e Ages. New York: G.P. Putman's Sons, 1953. Print. Hillyer, V. M., and E. G. Huey. Architecture,. New York: Meredith, 1966. Print. Hitchcock, Henry Russell, and Seton Lloyd. World Architecture; an Illustrated History. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1963. Print. Hopper, R. J. The Acropolis. New York: Macmillan, 1971. Print. Kostof, Spiro, and Greg Castillo. A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals. New York: Oxford UP, 1995. Print. University Press Inc. "Ancient Greece - The Acropolis." Ancient Greece - History, Mythology, Art, War, Culture, Society, and Architecture. Ancient Greece Forum, 2008. Web. 03 May 2011. . Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. "Acropolis of Athens." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 30 Apr. 2011. Web. 03 May 2011. .

Show More
Related

  • Altar of Zeus: New Style to Old Ideas

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...the Athenian Parthenon’s in some ways its powerful imagery has caused it to be acknowledged it as one of the most wonderful examples of Hellenistic art and architecture.

    Read More

  • Athena Parthenos: The Goddess of Wisdom

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Greeks believed the deities provided the city protection and allowed them to be successful in their endeavors while in time of war. Phidias, a master bronze worker, was commissioned to create the sculpture of Athena Parthenos, the goddess of wisdom to show tribute to the gods by creating a large scale sculpture in Acropolis. The Acropolis was the most important site in the city of Athens, and was well recognized as the hilltop of protection. It is also the most significant reference point of ancient Greek culture as well as the symbol of the city of Athens. Some of the greatest architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.

    Read More

  • The Greek Art Museum In The Parthenon

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thanks to the efforts of the Greek people and their government, the New Acropolis Museum has become an ideal home, tailor made to ta...

    Read More

  • Ancient Greek Mythology: Hellas The Oppressive

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    Villing, Alexandra. The Ancient Greeks: Their Lives and Their World. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2010. Print.

    Read More

  • The Parthenon´s Influence in Art

    1329 Words  | 3 Pages

    An acropolis is the highest point of a city and Athens’ acropolis is where the Parthenon was located (see Figure 1). The Parthenon has an extremely unique design that has a lot of modern appeal. There were also many sculptures and pieces of art that were showcased there, but time took a toll on it. Over hundreds of years it suffered from conversions, renovations, explosions and thieves which ruined, harmed, destroyed or lost most of the pieces.

    Read More

  • Acropolis Research Paper

    323 Words  | 1 Pages

    Rising 156 meters above the streets of Athens remains a ruin of great importance, The Acropolis. Acropolis derives from the word akro, high or edge, and polis, whcih is city, so the names translate to High City, City on the Edge, and City in the Air. The Acropolis has served as the focal point of Athens for thousands of years, as the citadel and hundreds of years as the grand temple to the cities patron goddess Athena. It has a total of eleven buildngs around and on the hill and there names are The Parthenon, The Propylaia, The Erechtheion, The Temple of Athena Nike, The Old Temple, Pandrosion, Arrephorion, Chalkotheke, Brauroneion, and the Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus. The Acropolis of Athens was one of the most influential places during the

    Read More

  • The Head of Poseidon

    1325 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...r. "Ancient Greece." Gardner's art through the ages the western perspective. 13th ed., Backpack ed. Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. 101, 123,129. Print.

    Read More

  • Greek Architecture And Stylistics Of The Hellenistic Period

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the defining characteristics of the Hellenistic period was the division of Alexander the Great's empire into smaller dynastic empires founded by the diadochi, or the rival generals and friends of Alexander the Great who served him. Each succeeding dynasty practiced a royal patronage which differed from those of the city-state. Architecturally, this resulted in vast urban plans and large complexes which had mostly disappeared from city-states by the 5th century BC. This city planning was quite innovative for the Greek world; rather than manipulating space by correcting its faults, building plans conformed to natural settings. One city, in particular, embodied architecture that was revolutionary during the Hellenistic period. Pergamon in Asia Minor showcased the Pergamon Altar as a monumental construction built during the reign of King Eumenes II on one of the terraces of the acropolis of the ancient city of Pergamon. Initially built as a monument to the emerging power of the Attalids, colossal and humbling scale were exhibited for visitors. The path connecting the lower part of the town with the acropolis led visito...

    Read More

  • Athena's Impact on the Lives of Ancient Greeks

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Unhandled Exception." Ancient Greece - History, Mythology, Art, War, Culture, Society, and Architecture. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .

    Read More

  • Acropolis Research Paper

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    The summer going into my eighth-grade year my family and I took a 2-week vacation to explore my stepmoms motherland of Greece. This expedition included a 5-day stay in the county's capital, Athens, a week stay in my stepgrandfather's home island of Chios and lastly another week on the island of Ikaria, this is where my stepgrandmother's family comes from. During my stay in Athens, I spent my days exploring the city, getting lost in plazas with my father and was fortunate enough to dine is some exquisite restaurants. One location that my family and I made a specific point of going to was the crown jewel of ancient Greek architecture. The Acropolis, we explored the Parthenon and were all amazed at how such a detailed building could have been

    Read More

  • Essay On The Parthenon

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cultures are often opaque due to its dense and rich nature as the collective foundation of a civilization. Due to the complexity of cultures, not every angle of ideologies of the society can possibly be clearly condensed into words, therefore visual representations are often times used to reflect the major sociocultural motifs. In Ancient Athens, the Parthenon was an architectural phenomenon built around mid 5th century that represented the integrity and cultural values of being an Athenian. Prior to the existence of the Parthenon, the Persians raided the acropolis and Pre-Parthenon in 480 BC, causing Athenians to pledge to defeat the Persians before rebuilding the fallen temple. The elevated acropolis continuously showcased the ruins of the

    Read More

  • Acropolis Essay

    2017 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Acropolis of Athens is located in the heart of the city-capital of Athens, Greece. Each year, many tourists are drawn to it because of the historical and iconic significance behind the Acropolis at Athens. “The Acropolis is certainly the focal point of any visit to Athens and every tour starts with the Parthenon.” The Acropolis is made up of 11 structures: the Parthenon, the Altar of Athena Polias, the Erechtheum, the Porch of Caryatids, the Precinct of Athena’s Olive Tree, the Khalkotheke, the Sancutary of Artemis Brauronia, the Statue of Athena Promachos, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Pinkaotheke. Each structure served its own purpose to show its importance to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos. The Acropolis is a huge characteristic for the Greek civilization that continues to live on even today. “The Acropolis continues to stand as an icon in many ways: it is the symbol of democracy and in Greek advancement lifestyle. It also signifies the beginning of the Western civilization and stands as the image of European culture.” Each substructure of the Acropolis was built for a significant purpose and specific function of serving the goddess Athena Parthenos, which is represented in architecture characteristics of the ancient Greek Acropolis.

    Read More

  • Mythology Retold Through Entertainment Outlets

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    The world of Art and Architecture has continually provided the tools to communicate many differing concepts or ideas such as political ideologies like socialism to simple folk-tales or intricate narratives. The elements of Greek Art and Architecture and its direct connection to mythology is the main focus of this essay. I will present the comparison of a "new" representation of a Greek Temple used in the set design of, The Clash of the Titans; to the original where its influence is traced to the classic of all Greek Temples, the Parthenon. By illustrating this comparison of new to original, I hope to communicate the idea of how contemporary society has attempted to retell mythology through entertainment outlets.

    Read More

  • The Three Main Modern Civilizations

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ancient Greece was innovative in building and engineering. Their architecture was exemplified in the design of some of their structural columns, such as the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles. Some of the famous Greek buildings/designs include the Parthenon and the amphitheater on the Acropol...

    Read More

  • Classical Architecture: The History Of Greek And Roman Architecture

    1107 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the time of the ancient Greeks all the way to modern day, some part of humanity has almost always been interested in the past. For the ancient Greeks, it was discovering Mycenaean ruins and composing stories about them. Today, inspiration is still drawn from classical architecture. One has to look no further than the U.S. capitol building, or even the University of Michigan's Angell Hall to see remnants of this architectural style. This raises the question of why does it still persists? Logically, the best way to answer this is to examine the origins of classical architecture, and what it represented then and now. Furthermore, the study of ancient architecture can show insights into past civilizations which otherwise would have been lost.

    Read More

More about The Acropolis

Open Document