The Acropolis: Religion to Cultural Norm
The Ancient Greeks practiced a religion that was superseded by culture. The foundation of their culture was built on their mythology but it became much more than that. Ancient Greece was not a melting pot of religion. The people were more unified than the common American might understand. The people of Athens, as well as the rest of Ancient Greece, built the foundation of their lives on the Acropolis and their mythology, however, instead of it simply being a means of religion, it was a means of culture.
The Acropolis: Purpose and Origin The initial and most prominent purpose of the Acropolis in Athens was to give a place for the Greeks to worship the gods, specifically the goddess Athena. She was the god of their polis (city state), hence the name of their city, Athens. (Roberts 108). Though the Acropolis was first and foremost built for worship, other motivations played a factor. Pericles, a statesman and general of Athens, longed to see the Acropolis rebuilt after its destruction in the Persian war. He began building in 447 BC and the construction lasted for about a half a century. He built the Acropolis to show that not only did Athens control an empire with a naval alliance, it contained magnificence, architectural genius, and glory in its culture as well (PBS.org, “447 BC The Acropolis Rebuilt”). He not only put money towards building, but put it towards comedic and dramatic plays performed in the Theatre of Dionysus. Through the Acropolis, Pericles wanted to make their city great. As previously stated, Athenians primarily worshipped their matron deity, Athena, as well as many other gods. Though their worship became less about the gods and more about their identity as a people and culture, it did begin with more devotion to the gods who dwelt on Mount Olympus (Roberts 108). The Olympians consisted of twelve gods, the leader and chief being Zeus. These gods’ reputations and myths have carried all the way down through the generations, but no one in
The Acropolis: Purpose and Origin The initial and most prominent purpose of the Acropolis in Athens was to give a place for the Greeks to worship the gods, specifically the goddess Athena. She was the god of their polis (city state), hence the name of their city, Athens. (Roberts 108). Though the Acropolis was first and foremost built for worship, other motivations played a factor. Pericles, a statesman and general of Athens, longed to see the Acropolis rebuilt after its destruction in the Persian war. He began building in 447 BC and the construction lasted for about a half a century. He built the Acropolis to show that not only did Athens control an empire with a naval alliance, it contained magnificence, architectural genius, and glory in its culture as well (PBS.org, “447 BC The Acropolis Rebuilt”). He not only put money towards building, but put it towards comedic and dramatic plays performed in the Theatre of Dionysus. Through the Acropolis, Pericles wanted to make their city great. As previously stated, Athenians primarily worshipped their matron deity, Athena, as well as many other gods. Though their worship became less about the gods and more about their identity as a people and culture, it did begin with more devotion to the gods who dwelt on Mount Olympus (Roberts 108). The Olympians consisted of twelve gods, the leader and chief being Zeus. These gods’ reputations and myths have carried all the way down through the generations, but no one in