Olympia
One of the most important sanctuaries of
antiquity, dedicated to the father of the gods Olympian Zeus. Olympia is the
birth-place of
the Olympic Games and
also where they were held.
The area, of great natural beauty, has been inhabited uninterruptedly since
the 3rd millenium B.C. and in the late Mycenaean period it became a
religious centre.
The excavations
at Olympia were begun in May 1829, two years after the battle of Navarino,
by French archaeologists.
The finds (metopes from the opisthodomus and parts of the metopes from the
pronaos of the Temple of Zeus) were transferred to the Louvre where they are
still being exhibited. When the Greek government was informed of the looting
of artifacts, the excavation was stopped.
Excavations started again 45 years later by German archaeologists. The
research is being continued to this day by the German Institute of
Archaeology in Athens, and the Ephorate of Antiquities in Olympia.
The sanctuary
of Olympia spreads around the green wooded feet of the Kronion hill, where
the rivers Alpheios and Cladeos meet. The valley amongst the two rivers was
in ancient times full of wild olive trees, poplars, oaks, pines and plane
trees and it was these trees that gave the centre of the sanctuary the name
Altis, meaning alsos (grove).
The Altis is the name given to the area in Olympia that comprises the main
religious buildings, temples and votive offerings of the sanctuary. Out of
the enclosure were the auxiliary buildings, priests' houses, baths, the
areas for the preparation of the athletes, guest houses along with other
buildings.
The beginning
of worship, as well as the mythical confrontations that took place in
Olympia, are lost in the depth of the centuries. At the end of the Mycenaean
era there was already an installation in the area, and in the Geometric and
early Archaic periods, the first simple buildings of the sanctuary were
founded.
The games began in 776 B.C. to honour Zeus. Pelops, the king of the
Peloponnese was, according to mythology, their founder. The games, that,
from beginning to end were dominated by religious character and austere
ritual, were taking place in the area in front of the temples to start with,
but later as the athletes taking part in the games, as well as the
spectators increased, in well organised installations. At the same time
the events were
enriched in number and variety.
The innumerable
offerings of the 7th-6th centuries B.C. were placed outside on trees, altars
or in alcoves of the sanctuary. The most important of the offerings were
bronze tripods and cauldrons of excellent quality, war loot (hanging on
poles) and other art objects and instruments for the games. In the passing
of centuries the architectural plan of the sanctuary takes shape, until the
end of the 4th century B.C. when it is finally completed.
Olympia was
always functioning as a place of political projection and the games often
fell, especially during late antiquity, victim to political exploitation
from important personalities like Philip II, Alexander the Great and his
successors. Romans, proving their authentic Greek origin, also took part in
the games, after the total submission of Greece to Rome, but by then the
glamour and idealistic spirit of the games was considerably weakened.
Directly depending on the the games and the sanctuary of Olympia was the
town of Elis, whose sole interest was the preparation and performance of the
games.
Some of the
most important monuments of the site are:
The temple of Zeus
The Doric peripteral temple, the work of the Elean architect Libon is dated
at 470-456 B.C.
It was erected on the southern part of the Altis, on a free section of land.
The dimensions of the Doric temple were imposing, thus giving it an
impressive image. On the same level as the Heraion, the Temple of Zeus was
dominating the sanctuary due to its size, the stone columns on its sides and
the magnificent pediments with sculptured compositions in the severe style,
featuring Zeus and Apollo as its central figures. The twelve metopes of the
temple depicted the labours of Hercules.
The visitor after crossing the pronaos entered into the three-aisled cella
where stood the magnificent gold and ivory (chryselephantine) statue of
Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The statue was 12m high
and featured the ruler of the word Zeus, sitting on a throne, holding his
sceptre in his left hand and a winged Nike in his right. Near the
opisthodomus of the Temple of Zeus grew a wild olive tree, the "Callistephanos
Elaia" whose branches were used to make the wreaths for the winners.
The Temple of Hera (Heraion)
A Doric temple dated to the end of the 7th century B.C. The Heraion is one
of the oldest examples of monumental dimensioned temples in Greek
architecture. Made of wood originally it was a richly ornamented large
building with a three-aisled cella where the statues of Hera and Zeus stood.
The Stadium
In its present day form it dates from the early 5th century B.C. The track
has a length of 212.54m and a width of 28.50m. On the stadium's southern
slope there was a stone platform which was for the Hellanodikes (the judges)
and opposite was the altar to Demeter Chamyne. The stadium held 45,000
spectators.
The Bouleuterion
Its is made up of two buildings which date from the mid 6th and the 5th
centuries B.C. Between the two buildings stood the altar of Horkios Zeus,
where the athletes were sworn in before the games.
The Philippeion
A circular peripteral building, which was begun by Philip II after the
battle of Chaeroneia (338 B.C.) and was completed by Alexander the Great. It
was used for the heroworship of the Macedonian dynasty. The statues were the
works of art of Leochares.
The Leonidaion
This guest house was built in ca. 330 B.C. It was named after its donor and
architect, Leonidas of Naxos. The building was where important foreign guest
and officials stayed during their visits.
The workshop of Pheidias
Built to house work carried out on the gold and ivory statue of Zeus. In and
around the workshop, tools, terra-cotta moulds and other artefacts relating
to the work of the artist have been found.
The Palaestra
Erected during the 3rd century B.C. it was used for the practice of
wrestling, boxing and jumping.
The Gymnasium
Closed rectangular building with a large yard. Here the athletes practised
events such as the javelin, the discus etc. Dated to the 2nd century B.C.
The Prytaneion
Dating from the beginning of the 5th century B.C. it housed the Prytans (officials
of the sanctuary). The sacred Hearth with the eternal flame was privately
situated within.
The Treasuries
Megaron shaped small temples, dedicated mainly by Greek cities and colonies.
There are the remains of 12 small temples, but only 5 of these are
identifiable to any degree of certainty; those built by the cities of
Sicyon, Selinus, Metapontium, Megara and Gelas.
|
