The Parthenon
Year of lecture: 1956
Abstract:
"During the first quarter of the fifth century Greece was invaded upon several occasions by the Persians, and although sorely pressed, managed to survive. In 490BC the Athenians, single-handed, won a magnificent victory against the Second Persian invasion at Marathon. The victory aroused a new feeling of pride and achievement among the Athenians and stimulated them to a great building effort. In order to celebrate their victory and in thankfulness to their faithful and reliant goddess, Athena, it was decided that a new temple should be raised to her upon the highest point of the Acropolis. In order to do this the old Poros or limestone Hecatompedon erected by Peisistraias was destroyed and broken up to form a high platform or stylobate for the new building. Instead of limestone marble from a new quarry at Mount Pentelicus was used. But, unfortunately, the columns of this new temple had only risen to the height of from two to four drums (that is, from 5 to 10 feet) by the year 480 when the Persians again invaded Greece and occupied Athens. The temple was burnt and destroyed, and for thirty years the Athenians deliberately left the ruin ‘as a memorial of the impiety of the barbarians.’ But the end of the Persian wars was already at hand. In the very year they sacked Athens the Persians were utterly routed both on land and sea, and with their defeat in 479 we enter upon what is known as the classical period of Greek art."
