Acropolis (Athens)

The Acropolis of Athens (in Greek ἀκρόπολις τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ) is a rock plate (Acropole) high in the center of Athens. Under the ancient Greece, it acts of vast Sanctuaire for the Culte of the goddess Athéna and as many other gods of the Greek Mythologie with several Temple S whose Parthenon, Propylées, temple of Athéna “the victorious one”, Érechthéion, ancient Théâtre of Dionysos etc It is also one of the most visited sites tourist S world and the place symbolic system of the birth of the first large Démocratie of the Humanité at fifth century BC by the statesman Périclès (Athenian Democracy).

Etymology

The term “Acropolis” ( ἀκρόπολις , akrópolis ) comes from the adjective ἄκρος ( ákros “high, high”) and of the substantive πόλις ( pólis , “city, city”), thus meaning “high city” or “not highest of the city”.

Description

The Acropole of Athens is a rock plate of approximately 150 m in height, whose flat top measures 300 m of is in west and 85 m of north in the south. It is inaccessible except by a slope escarpée on the west coast.

History

Traces of life were discovered dating from the Bronze Age (3 000 before J. - C.). With, it acts as Forteresse where the king of the Civilization mycénienne saw and is already surrounded by massive walls. It dominates the plain of the Attique to the natural port close to the Pirée.

Geometrical time -900 to -750

There remain only some rare vestiges of tombs and Poterie S of the geometrical time in the district Céramique of Athens.

In -683 the death of the seventeenth and last legendary king of Athens, Codros, mark end of the Monarchy in Athens. The Ville is for the first controlled time in way Démocratique by annual Magistrature S of Archonte S.

Antiquated time -620 to -480

Rare vestiges of the antiquated time show that imposing constructions rose on the Acropolis at the end of seventh century BC, time to which the wall built by the Civilization mycénienne had lost its importance. After the expulsion of the Pisistratides in -510, the Acropolis ceased being a fortress to become a Sanctuaire several monuments and Temple S.

All the old fortifications, constructions and statues were destroyed during the medic Guerres between Greek antiques and Perse S of fifth century BC and during the occupation of Athens by the Perse S in -480.

Traditional time in Ve century

After the Battle of Marathon in -491 and the Bataille of Salamine in -480 which mark the final defeat of the Perse S, and the beginning of the traditional time with Ve century and the apotheosis of the ancient Greece, the chiefs of the City-State of Athens Thémistocle (-525 - -460) and Cimon (towards -510 - towards -450) make rebuild the walls and make set up a statue of Athéna “the victorious one”, carved by Phidias (v. -490 - v. -430) in the Years -450.

Périclès (v. -495 - v. -429) entrusted to Phidias the responsibility to supervise its reconstruction project of the Acropolis. It makes build between -449 and -431 the Parthenon, followed Propylées, temple of Athéna “the victorious one” and Érechthéion, as well as sanctuaries of less importance.

The Acropolis is also the crowned center of the City-State and the Athenian Démocratie, model which extends on the ancient Greek world then on the whole world until our days.

Contemporary time

The Acropolis of Athens is today one of the Symbole S histories of the birth of the first large Démocratie of the Humanité and one of the tourist sites of vestiges of Civilization S of the the most visited Antiquité world. The monuments of the acropolis were registered on the Liste of the world heritage in 1987.

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