Ancient Tegea

Jan 20, 2016
7429 Views
Culture Archeology

Ten kilometres outside Tripoli, next to the village of Alea, in Mantineia, stands imposingly the ancient city of Tegea, fragments of which started emerging from the end of the previous century. Tegea was one of the most important cities of ancient Arcadia, with a remarkable course through the centuries, until 395 A.D., when it was completely destroyed by the Goths and subsequently abandoned.The excavations have thus far uncovered part of its ancient theatre, part of the ancient Agora, an altar for emperor worship, an early-Christian basilica and fragments of a Byzantine settlement. The area today can be visited and operates as an archaeological park. Nearby there is also the Archaeological Museum of Tegea, with findings mainly from the area around the sanctuary of Athena Alea, patron of Tegea. This sanctuary is no longer extant, it is said, however, that fragments from it were used to build the church of Panaghia, located near the archaeological site.

Tegea was one of the most significant cities of ancient Arcadia. It was founded by Tegeates, son of Lycaon and grandson of Pelasgus, and it was the last seat of the mythical kings of Arcadia. Tegea flourished during antiquity; it is said to have had several thousands of citizens, and it struck its own coins – an indication of its prosperity. The city was destroyed in 395 AD by the Goths, which led to its final decline.

The temple of Alea Athena dominated the city, designed by the sculptor Skopas of Paros. Inside it stood an ivory statue of Athena, as well as statues of Asclepius and Hygeia, and the tusks of the Erymanthian Boar, which were taken to Rome when the city became part of the Roman Empire. According to mythology, the name “Alea” came from Aleus, the grandson of Arcas, who built the temple of the goddess Athena, protectress of Tegea. This temple no longer exists, but it is believed that parts were used to build the Christian church of Panagia, situated close to the archaeological site.

The excavations carried out at the site, initially by the French Archaeological School, and more recently by the Ephor of Antiquities, Theodoros Spyropoulos, brought to light temples of Athena Polias and Aphrodite, as well as a number of other buildings, such as the gymnasium, the agora, the stoa, the theatre, the stadium and the boule. Two paleo-Christian basilicas, an imperial cult altar and parts of a Byzantine village were also discovered in the area, from later periods. Only part of the one basilica is preserved, the so-called Thyrsos Basilica; the other is completely gone. The Norwegian Institute has been carrying out excavations since the 1990s, helping to identify buildings and roads in order to form a more complete picture of the area, while it also brought to light other findings, dating from the Byzantine periods and late antiquity.

The area today is an archaeological park of particular importance, with its own museum exhibiting the findings from the area.

Source: www.mythicalpeloponnese.gr

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Mansion of Herod Atticus

Jan 20, 2016
6637 Views
Culture Archeology

The Mansion of Herod Atticus is one of the most important and most impressive monuments in Arcadia. It is situated in Eva, in Doliana, an ancient town of Kynouria, which has been completely lost, but for a few samples of habitation. The mansion’s location was already known from the 19th century, however it was identified with certainty in 1906 by archaeologist Constantine Romeos.

Herod Atticus, orator, philosopher and politician from a wealthy family, was also a fanatical collector of works of art. From his father he inherited a small mansion in Eva, which he decided to expand and to house his vast collection there, turning it into a sort of luxury museum. The mansion takes up approximately 20,000 m2 and includes a villa, a sanctuary, baths and a large atrium with galleries. The most impressive of all, however, are the mosaic floors; the total expanse of those discovered so far exceeds 1,300 m2. As the excavations and the research continue, it is very possible that others will come to light as well.

Unfortunately, before the regular excavations, a great part of the mansion’s treasures was destroyed due to ignorance, a fate which has befallen a great percentage of our cultural heritage.

Herodes Atticus (103-179 AD) was one of the most significant personalities of the Roman era in Greece. He was born into a rich family, which gave him the freedom to cultivate a multitude of interests and talents: he became an orator, philosopher and politician, while at the same time a prominent art collector, creating one of the most admirable collections of his time with rare and noteworthy works. From his father, Atticus, he inherited a small villa in Eva, Doliana, an ancient city of Kynouria situated close to the Loukous Monastery. Only few remnants of this city survive today. When Herodes completed his studies in Rome and Athens, he moved into this villa, impressed by the region’s rich history. It was the right place to house his rich collection, creating in this way a type of museum for ancient art, which was quite impressive in terms of its quality.

The location of the villa was known back in the 19th century, when English traveller William Martin Leake pointed it out. In the middle of the century, the area was visited by Ernst Gurtius, who noted that the ruins did not belong to some settlement, but to a villa. Archaeological findings were already bountiful in the area; according to the testimony of the monks of the adjacent Loukous Monastery, they would continually uncover antiquities while cultivating their land. The villa was identified in 1906 by Konstantinos Romaios, while systematic excavations started in 1979 by Theodoros Spyropoulos and continue to this day. The findings that have come to light are kept at the Archaeological Museums of Tripoli and Astros.

The Villa of Herodes Atticus covered a large area of 20,000 square metres, the largest villa in the Greek territory, following the Roman architecture style. It included a mansion, an atrium with galleries, a bath complex and a sanctuary. The archaeological findings that have come to light in fact verify the stories that this villa was a true museum. A number of sculptures, inscriptions and architectural parts have been revealed, most impressive of all, however, being the mosaic floors in various areas of the villa, with decoration, scenes and colours of high art. Currently, a large part of these mosaics has been uncovered, and future excavations are anticipated to reveal much more.

The villa unfortunately sustained repeated damage over the centuries, either owing to natural factors, or to raids and barbaric attacks, or even worse, to human indifference. The period of systematic excavations thankfully put an end to the lawless activities taking place in the region. Now it only remains for the villa to reveal its untold treasures lying hidden deep inside the earth.

Source: www.mythicalpeloponnese.gr