Representations of Classical Greek Monuments : An Exploration of the Visual Culture

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Completed in 131 AD by Emperor Hadrian, the Temple of Olympian Zeus sits between Ardettos hill and the Acropolis. The project was first started under the rule of Persistratos in the 6th century BCE, but progress was quickly halted after he was overthrown. Many years later in 174 BCE, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria picked up the project again and by 163 BCE, the entablature and columns of the new Corinthian style building was finished, although the temple was once again abandoned after Antiochus’s’ death. Finally in 124 AD, Hadrian took control of the project with the aim to build the largest temple of the period. During his construction, he added Hadrian’s Arch at the entrance to the temple, Roman baths, and an outer wall covering the whole sanctuary. Soon thereafter, the Temple to Zeus Panhellenios and the Temple to Kronos and Rhea were added, all enclosed within the Valerian Wall. 

The entirety of the sanctuary was built in a space estimated to be around 250 x 130 meters, enclosed by a low wall with evenly spaced Corinthian columns. Featured in the center was the Temple of Zeus, made of Pentelic marble and measured to be 110.35 x 43.68 meters. Each Corinthian style columns reached the gigantic heights of 17.25 meters with a diameter of 1.7 meters and 20 flutes. The longer side of the temple featured 20 columns each, with 8 on the shorter sides, a style called dipteral octastyle. Originally, the columns were placed in triple rows on the shorter side and double rows on the longer side, resulting in a total of 104. Each column was heavily decorated with marble Corinthian capitals and contained massive gold and ivory statues of Zeus and Hadrian within the inner chamber of the temple. Currently, it only has 15 of its original 104 columns left standing, with a 16th column remains on its side after being blown down by a storm in October of 1852. 


Sources:
https://www.ancient.eu/article/815/temple-of-olympian-zeus-athens/
https://www.athensguide.com/temple-of-olympian-zeus/





 

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