Day 31 - Athens Agora

Friday, June 14, 2013

The center of ancient Athens was called the Agora, and that's where we started touring today.

The Agora with the Acropolis on the Hill in the Background

This is where the apostle Paul started preaching and debating, as described in Acts 17:22, before ascending to Mars Hill and preaching his famous sermon.

Possible Location of Paul's Debates (by Well Head)

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Diogenes walked these streets.  Diogenes advocated the joy of a simple life.  Alexander the Great once met him and offered him anything.  Diogenes simply asked the emperor to "stand out of my sunlight."  The Agora is mostly just rubble, but very historic rubble.  The best preserved building is the Temple of Hestaistos, which still has all of its original columns and some of its roof.

The Temple of Hestaistos

One of the main buildings, the Stoa of Attalos, has been reconstructed and houses a museum.

 

The Museum of the Stoa of Attalos

Ancient Greek Child's Potty

  

Church on the Edge of the Agora

After leaving the Agora we picked up some take-away Souflaki, a tasty sausage, peppers, and tomatoes wrapped in pita bread, and ate it while we walked to catch a bus.

Our Souflaki Lunch

 Next we toured the National Museum of Archaeology.  We saw the gold "Mask of Agamemnon", famous sculptures, iron implements from before the "iron age", and clear crystal inlays that look like window panes.  We learned about the Mycenean Empire and the Minoans, and saw lots of golden artifacts and art from their civilations.

National Museum of Archaeology

Then we toured the Acropolis Museum.  It houses interesting artifacts found at the Acropolis, including sculptures of all kinds, stelae (writing on stone), pottery, bronze items, etc.  We learned that Greece's Golden Age only lasted 50 years after which she was conquered, but her advances in knowledge during that time were so great that people came here to study for the next thousand years.

On the way home we saw a group including some Orthodox priests posing for photos in front of Parliment.

Group With Orthodox Priests Posing for Photos

One thing about Athens and Italy that is interesting is that street vendors are pushy.  Waiters stand outside their restaurants to greet passersby and try to steer them into their establishments.  One sunglass vendor chased us down the sidewalk about 50 feet offering lower and lower prices as we ignored him.  When he got to 5 euros Jeff bought a pair, because his had broken in transit.

Panhandling and busking seem to be major industries in Athens and Italy, also.