Back in Athens for the Winter Term

Hi all,

It's been some time since my last post, so here's a recap of the four Fall trips, with new photos!

Trip I-NORTHERN GREECE

Trip leaders: Margie Miles, Denver Graninger

The Rio-Antirio Bridge, Patras

After jumping on the Attiki Odos, one of the few superhighways in Greece, our group headed west, cutting across the northern edge of the Peloponnese, crossing the Rio-Antirio bridge into western Greece, the province of Aetolia-Acarnania.

Kassope, one of the best preserved examples of orthogonal city-planning (a grid system) and domestic architecture in Classical Greece, with stunning views of the plains of Aetolia-Acarnania to the south. The city is more impressive than the picture indicates, for it is perched upon a high cliff.

One of our members, Natalie Abell, gives her site report on Ali Pasha at the Castro in Ioannina. The town of Ioannina (pop. 100,000) is beautifully situated on a lake and was a favorite of many, including myself, pretty much because it didn't feel like Greece at all. This morning was the first real Autumn day, and it was stunning to see the low clouds and mist on the lake.

After visiting such sights as Nicopolis, Actium (!) Kassope, and Dodona, we jumped on the Egnatia Odos, the major east west thoroughfare in Northern Greece, and proceeded across the Northern Pindus range (beautiful views!) into Central Macedonia. We visited the tomb of Philip II at Vergina, marveling at all the gold, and the ancient Macedonian town of Pella, before arriving in Thessaloniki, Greece's 2nd biggest city, for two nights.

Myself, standing in the Roman Odeum (music hall) of Thessaloniki.

Dominic, another member, gives his report on the Arch of Galerius in Thessaloniki. It was so busy that day with traffic and people that he had to practically shout!

Here we visited several gorgeous Byzantine churches, the Roman Agora, the Arch of Galerius, and the two impressive archaeological museums. The high point here was definitely one of our many 'wall walks' conducted by Prof. Graninger which traced the old Greek/Roman fortification walls.

Gospel Manuscript, late 13th-1st half of the 14th century CE. Byzantine Museum, Thessaloniki.

After Thessaloniki we headed into the Chalkidiki Peninsula and its three fingers, visiting the sites of Potidaea, Olynthus (my site presentation), and Stageira (birthplace of Aristotle!), taking in the natural beauty, untouched (mostly) by modern habitation.

On the fortification walls of ancient Stageira, eastern Chalkidiki. From left to right: Kate, Jess, Johanna, Kelcy, Rob, Dominic

From here we headed into Thrace and took a boat to the island of Thasos on the North Aegean. It was beautiful here, and we even managed to swim in the clear blue waters of the Aegean, surrounded by old seaside marble quarries.

Kate and the ancient marble quarries off the southern tip of Thasos.

Relaxing at a cafe at Aliki beach, Thasos.

After Thasos we turned around, stopping at the sites of Philippi and Amphipolis, and the pleasant port town of Kavala, with a colorful, cobblestone district with good restaurants and bars. Our last push put us near Mount Olympus, with only one rainy day in Dion. We finished up in style, stopping off at Thermopylae, south of Lamia, to learn about the history and topography of the site where the Spartans made their last stand against Xerxes and the Persians in 480 BCE. All in all this trip was the most varied, in that we saw many lesser-known sites (esp. in Western Greece) and a range of sites (Prehistoric, Byzantine, Classical, Roman).

Trip II-PELOPONNESE

Trip leaders: Jack Davis, Shari Stocker

For this trip, we spent all of our time in the province of the Peloponnese, south of Athens. In truth, the Peloponnese is an island since the canal was constructed at the Isthmus of Corinth in the late 19th century.

Cutting across to Patras again, we lingered here for one night, checking out the new museum, remains of the Roman period and the Venetian fortress (NB: every major Greek city tends to have a 'kastro' or fortified acropolis or fortress that the Byzantines, Franks, Venetians or Turks constructed in their respective occupations of Greece. We saw many of them on this trip in particular, for the Morea--the medieval name for the Peloponnese--changed hands many times throughout history. It's a fascinating tale to read about when you've had your fill of Classical stuff.)

After Patras we visited the huge, well-preserved Frankish/Venetian castle of Chlemoutsi before reaching Ancient Olympia for two nights.

After getting expert commentary from Prof. Nancy Bookides and surveying the famous sights--Temples to Hera and Zeus, the Olympic Stadium, the museum--, we went on into Arcadia, the mountainous interior of the Peloponnese, stopping first at the lonely temple of Apollo at Bassae and then a night in scenic Dimistana, before heading down to ancient Megalopolis and into the lush, fertile valleys of Messenia in the SW Peloponnese. It was easy to see why the ancient Spartans coveted this area of Greece!

Nancy Bookides, Assistant Director Emerita of the American School's Corinth excavations, gives us a professional tour of Olympia for a day and a half. The actual site of Olympia is a vast religious precinct, with numerous temples and other structures for religious ritual, athletic competition and conspicuous consumption by numerous Greek and Roman cities, who dedicated monuments to the gods here. Needless to say, Nancy was an invaluable resource, going so far as to provide us with a packet chock full of information on Olympia.

View of the East facade of the Temple of Hera, Olympia. The carving of the Doric columns has been essential in helping archaeologists date the temple.

In the Olympia museum, Lincoln gives his report on the sculpture of the Temple of Zeus.

The famous Hermes of Praxitiles, late 4th century BCE. The god Hermes is holding an infant Dionysus, perhaps dangling grapes over him. Definitely one of the centerpieces of the Olympia museum.

View at dawn from our hotel balcony in the mountain town of Dimitsana, Arcadia. The photo is marred only slightly by the nuclear reactor down on the plain. Such is Greece sometimes.

Temple of Apollo at Bassae. A few years ago this giant, ugly circus tent was erected over the temple, probably because it is perched all alone on a mountain hill top and constantly bombarded by the wind. There are no indications they'll ever take it down. Restorations are in progress, as the scaffolding indicates.

We spent three nights in the seaside town of Pylos, The Bay of Navarino there was the site of two major battles in history, the first in 425 BCE, where the Athenians blockaded 400 Spartans on the island of Sphacteria immediately opposite ancient Pylos, and again in 1827 at the Battle of Navarino, where a combined English-French-Russian fleet obliterated the Turko-Egyptian Navy then in control of the harbor, promptly crippling Ottoman naval strength in the Aegean. Modern Pylos is also situated near the site of ancient Pylos, a very important Bronze Age site with the remains of a large palace complex. Our trip leader, Jack Davis, the director of the American School, has done extensive research in this area and was thus an invaluable resource during our time in this part of the Peloponnese.

Our leader, Jack Davis, gives us an expert presentation of the Palace of Nestor, ancient Pylos. Nestor was one of the Greek kings in Homer's Iliad, and is said to have controlled "Sandy Pylos". We have no way of knowing if a Nestor did reside here, so 'Palace of Nestor' is a convenient name for this huge structure.

The (then) treacherous causeway out to the southern tip of Methoni Castle, just south of Pylos. The castle complex is immense with all sorts of nooks and crannies, one of which is this causeway. Poseidon's fury was there in force, launching wave after wave over the path. Some of us dared each other to time the wave crashes and run over to the other side, including yours truly! It was exhilarating! Definitely a highlight for many.

After Pylos we moved east, first to Kalamata for a museum visit, followed by a descent into the Mani, the 'middle finger' of the Peloponnese. The people here were always staunchly independent and curiously stubborn in the face of those who tried to control Greece. An example: They helped to initiate the Greek Revolution in 1821, only to assassinate the first president of Greece, Kapodistrias, a few years later in Nafplio. The landscape here is one of the strangest we have ever seen, with bleak, barren rocks and sheer cliffs, where settlements are scarce and houses are all uniformly constructed out of ghastly blue limestone. It's like being on Mars!

Buddies: Kate and Lincoln hanging out in the Mani. Pretty much the entire region looks like this.

After then we made it to modern Sparti and the Byzantine city of Mistras for three nights, where we saw what little of Ancient Sparta remained.

Hands-on fun with old technology: Emily working with an ancient olive press at the Olive and Olive Oil Museum in Sparta. The museum is ultra-modern and quite fascinating!
Fragment of a statue depicting a Spartan hoplite. Thought to be the famous king, Leonidas, who fought and died alongside 300 Spartans at Thermopylae, 480 BCE. No way to really prove it's him, though. From the archaeological museum in Sparta.

Another member, Charlotte, reporting on the Temple of Apollo Amyclae at Sparta, with Prof. Guy Sanders, director of the American School excavations at Corinth, leading us on the Sparta unit. It was a great day, with Mt. Taygetus looming large in the background. We plan on getting some folks together to go hike it sometime!

The Byzantine remains at Mistras were absolutely stunning, from the Palace (which Kate reported on!) to the Pantanassa Church. Finally, on the last day we headed north, visiting the smaller sites of Tegea and Mantinea before heading home.

View of the central nave, apse and clerestory of the Pantanassa Church, Mistras.

Kate reporting on the unique Palace at Mistras, the center of Byzantine control in the Morea. The good news: archaeologists are working to restore large sections of the palace. The bad news: they plan on turning it into a functional conference center.

The most significant thing that hit all of us was the rich history of Greece after Classical and Roman times. Especially in cities that experienced continuous occupation (Patras, Corinth) you find primarily later remains. Byzantine/Medieval Greece has so much to offer the reader and visitor interested in church architecture, art, medieval castles and knights, and big bad sea battles! Plus views like this:

Kate with a SPECTACULAR view of the little town on Monemvasia, a fortified island fortress on the SE finger of the Peloponnese. The acropolis is absolutely massive and the town has cool little shops and cafes.

Trip III-CENTRAL GREECE

Trip leaders: Margie Miles, Denver Graninger

This trip felt like a reunion, getting the band back together again, the 'Margie and Denver Show' as it were. Again, we cut across the Peloponnese to the Rio-Antirio bridge and crossed into Aetolia-Acarnania only now to head east to Delphi, stopping at various smaller sites, including Nafpaktos, a small and historic port town on the northern shore of the Corinthian gulf.

The harbor town of Nafpaktos.

Like Sphacteria and Pylos, a Nafpaktos has a distinguished reputation in the history of naval warfare: In 429 BCE the Athenian admiral Phormio defeated the Corinthian navy (allied with Sparta) off Nafpaktos, thereby establishing Athenian control of the Corinthian Gulf during the opening years of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE); in 1571, a Spanish and Venetian armada defeated the Ottoman fleet off Patras in what became known as the Battle of Lepanto. After hearing Margie present on these two battles from a cafe, we headed into the mountainous region of Delphi.

View of the terraced landscape of Delphi.

View from Delphi into the valley below.

We spent three nights here and heard from numerous student and faculty members on the sites and monuments. Delphi, like Olympia, was a religious precinct with multiple structures devoted to cult and competition. Unlike Olympia, Delphi was the major site of communication between people and gods, for throughout antiquity, Greeks, Persians and Romans flocked to inquire into the oracle of Apollo, whether it be to ask the god for his support in founding a new city or waging war on a particular people. The site of Delphi exists as a series of exposed terraces on the southern slopes of Mount Parnassus (now a popular ski resort for Greeks), with exquisite views of the valley below. The processional way snakes back and forth up the cliffside, and is flanked on both sides by the remains of smaller temples and other dedicatory monuments from all over the Greek world (the Siphnian and Athenian Treasuries being conspicuous). Like Olympia, the site also includes a fantastic museum, whose sculptural remains are well worth the 3 hour bus ride from Athens (see the sculptural frieze from the Siphnian Treasury, the Cleobis and Biton statues, and the Delphi Charioteer--all textbook pieces!)

Prof. Margie Miles reads the group an excerpt from Pausanias' trip to Delphi. He was a Roman Greek who wrote an account of his travels in Greece and visits several monuments, many of which are now lost to us.

Treasury of the Athenians.

Delphi Charioteer

South Frieze of the Siphnian Treasury, ca. 525 BCE, depicting the Gigantomachy (battle between Gods and Giants).

Reconstruction of the layout of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. From the Delphi Museum.

After Delphi we made our long journey north to Meteora. We first stopped at the small village of Distimo, visiting the World War II museum there. When Hitler occupied Greece, Distimo became a target for Nazi reprisals: the town was burned to the ground and over 200 people were executed. The museum/memorial was a harrowing place, to be sure. Following this we visited the Monastery of Hosios Loukas (Blessed Luke), where we saw some beautiful Byzantine church architecture and art. The place simply demanded humility.

A misty mid-day walk from the plaza of the monastery to the inner courtyard.

Dome of the Katholikon, Hosios Loukas in Boeotia.

Meteora refers to a group of Orthodox monasteries and nunneries perched on sheer rock cliffs. The geological formations are utterly without parallel. We were fortunate to visit one of them.

View of the rock formations in the Meteora. Photo taken from the balcony of my hotel room in the town of Kalambaka. What a view to wake up to!

Monastery of St. Stephanos, Meteora.

Women in some Orthodox monasteries must wear ankle-high skirts to enter. These are provided for you in case you forget to bring one! From left to right: Sarah, Karen, Natalie and Emily all show off their new fashions.

After this visit we spent several days in the region of Thessaly in Central Greece. Here Denver, our resident expert on all things Thessalian, took the reigns. His unit was a treat, for we all realized that the Athens and the Peloponnese have tended to get all the scholarly/financial attention--some deserved, some not. We met several scholars from the US and Europe who are doing good work here and were happy to show us their finds. From our base at Nea Anchialos, south of the lively port town of Volos on the Pagasitic Gulf, we visited the important Roman site of Pharsalus, the Neolithic settlements of Dimini and Sesklo and the Volos museum, among other sites.

Prof. Denver Graninger giving us an introduction to Thessalian topography.

The port town of Volos, on the Pagasitic Gulf. Photo taken from the NE, from the top of the Hellenistic fortification tower of Gorditsa.

Prof. Reiner Reinders (what a name!) gives us a talk on the Thessalian city of Halos, now being excavated by the Dutch.

Our last few days were spent in the region of Boeotia, just north of Athens and Attica. Due to its topography and location, Boeotia was on a the major north-south route from Athens to the north, and thus the stomping ground for Greek, Persian, Macedonian and Roman armies. It was and is the site of several important cities and land battles: Levadia (stunning!), Thebes (modern town built on top of the ancient one; not much archaeologically to see), Gla, Orchomenos, Kalapodi and the Battles of Leuktra, Chaironea and Plataea. The weather alternated between cold, wet rain, and beautiful skies, illuminating the lush green farmland.

The group walking through the old downtown of Levadia. This was a beautiful small town, definitely worth returning.

View of Mount Parnassus from a temple of Zeus above Levadia in Boeotia.

The Lion Monument at Chaironea, commemorating the Greeks that had fallen in the battle.

View of the fortification walls at the site of Plataea in central Boeotia. In 479 BCE, the largest contingent of Greek hoplites ever assembled defeated the Persian forces, promptly ending the Persian threat to Greek independence.

Recap: For some, the third trip was the most underwhelming. The centerpiece was the 3-day stint in Delphi. Meteora was amazing, but Thessaly tried some peoples' patience, for the remains (aside from the Volos museum and the Neolithic sites, in my opinion) were not as impressive. The weather during the back-half of the trip also turned rainy and cold, forcing us all to endure at times!

Good view of the group on the last day of Trip III in the Valley of the Muses.

Trip IV-ARGOLID/CORINTHIA

Trip leaders: Guy Sanders, Maria Liston

On the last trip of the fall term, we spent the entire time in the Northeastern Peloponnese, and rightly so, since the region is chock full of ancient sites! Guy Sanders, an acerbic wit and the Director of the Corinth Excavations for the American School, took the reigns, along with Osteologist Maria Liston, Prof. of Anthropology at the University of Waterloo (Canada) and fellow at the Wiener Lab at the American School. As for Guy, he was a storehouse of information--he has lived in Corinth year-round and has worked in the area most of his career, allowing us to benefit from his vast knowledge of topography, history and archaeology of the area.

We left Athens and headed to Corinth and down first into the Argolid, a region that consists of a fertile triangular plain full of olive and citrus trees, and surrounded on all sides by mountains. For 5 nights we stayed in Nafplio, a picturesque Venetian town and capital of the region. This is the best base for anyone wishing to explore the history of this area: the architecture of the old quarter is unlike any in Greece, while the food (esp. gelato) is some of the best. There's also plenty of sidestreets and shops to explore. Nafplio itself is rich in more recent Greek history: it has its own mega fortress, the Palamede I think most of us thought this Argolid unit one of the most pleasant during all the trips.

Typical street in Nafplio.

View of the Old Venetian town of Nafplio from the Palamede fortress. Modern Argos can faintly be see across the bay.

The Argolid itself is important primarily for all the Bronze Age sites that flourished here. From Nafplio we reached such famous fortress-palace sites of Mycenae, Tiryns and Midea (a lesser-known but equally important site). For Mycenae, we received expert instruction from Sarah James, a PhD student from UT-Austin working on her dissertation with Guy at Corinth on Hellenistic Pottery. She accompanied us on most of the trip and proved to be a great resource. The day we were there was simply stunning: with supreme views of the Argive plain below, you can truly see how strategic Mycenae's position was during the Late Bronze Age, where the citadel butted right up against the foothills to the NE of the plain.

Mycenae from the east, with superb views of the Argive plain below.

Lion Gate at Mycenae.

Grave Circle A, Mycenae, where Heinrich Schliemann found the 'Mask of Agamemnon'!

A decent into the cistern at Mycenae. It was DARK and flashlights were absolutely necessary!

Frescoes from Mycenae. Mycenae museum.

Rich grave goods from the Mycenaean cemetery of Dendra, near Midea. Nafplio museum.

We also managed to visit the lesser-known remains in the city of Argos, just 10 minutes from Nafplio on the other side of the bay. Argos as a city has a rich mythological and classical history, but seems to have been overlooked by archaeologists. The modern town was build right on top of the ancient city (like Thebes), so what little the French School at Athens has been able to excavate--the Roman baths, the agora, the odeum--exists in fragments underneath modern foundations. The one exception might be the remains of a massive theater dated to the late 4th century BCE, with a seating capacity estimated to be 20,000 spectators. We also made it out to the remains of the Argive Heraion, the most important religious sanctuary of the Argives (citizens of Argos) in antiquity.

The Great Hellenistic Theater at Argos. The visible remains include a portion of the seating area cut directly into bedrock, and portions of the Greek and later Roman scenehouse.

View of modern Argos with the Larissa citadel and the Arcadian mountains in the background. Taken from the Palamede fortress, Nafplio.

Yours truly from the Larissa fortress, with modern Argos and Nafplio (farther) in the background.

Somewhere on a building in modern Argos.

Another highlight was the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidavros, just a 30 min drive east of Nafplio. Here is the famous Theater at Epidavros, the best preserved and best restored theater of Ancient Greece, where even today dramatic festivals are here. (I heard Helen Mirren performed here this past summer!) The Sanctuary itself was dedicated to the healing god Asclepius, son of Apollo, and had all the trappings of a resort spa, complete with lodging and a stadium!

Greek Theater at Epidavros.

After Epidavros we took a trip south to Franchthi, a huge cave which Indiana University dug in the 1970s, and an important site for understanding Neolithic settlement in Greece.

Exploring Franchthi Cave, SE Argolid. Maria Liston (right) gave the talk on the Neolithic remains.

We were saddened to leave Nafplio after such an amazing 5 days, but journeyed on first to Nemea, which, aside from being a region known in modern times for producing the best red wine in Greece, also had a religious precinct for cult practice and athletic competition (in the same category with Olympia and Delphi). James Herbst, architect for the Corinth excavations, came down to give us a survey of the site.

Vineyards in the Nemea valley.

The isolated city of Stymphalos, SW of Corinth, on the border between Corinthia and Arcadia. In Greek myth, Stymphalos was the site for one of the labors of Heracles, the slaying of the man-eating Stymphalian Birds.

We then made our way into the Corinthia region, a thin strip of flatland in the NE Peloponnese dominated by the massive fortified outpost known throughout antiquity as the Acrocorinth.

The Acrocorinth Fortress. The photo was actually taken half way up the Acrocorinth, so you can't really get a sense of the massive size of the rock formation. Perhaps not surprisingly, this site was held by every occupying group in Greece and each had to make tremendous efforts to win it for themselves. As the Blue Guide says, "Only Monemvasia can compare."

I was surpised to learn that Ancient Corinth, long known as a center of pottery production and style in addition to being a formidable naval power in Classical times, exists now as as a Late Roman/early Byzantine archaeological site. This requires explanation: Corinth was destroyed by the Romans in 143 BCE. It was refounded some time later by Julius Caesar in order to settle his military veterans. Corinth then became THE center for Rome's presence in Greece and flourished, so much so that it earned the reputation for being the 'Sin City' of the ancient world at that time. Perhaps this explains St. Paul's choice to preach here! The consequence is that much of the old Greek remains are buried underneath the later Roman remains, or were destroyed in 143 BCE.

Marble statuette of Asclepius. Recent find from the remains of a Late Roman domus, in addition to other marble statuettes of Pan, Artemis and Dionysus. Corinth museum.

The excavations at Corinth conducted by the American School are the oldest American excavations in Greece, period. Guy and Profs. Nancy Bookides and Ron Stroud showed us around the apotheke, or storeroom, of Corinth, where we witnessed shelf upon shelf of over 100 years of ASCSA research on this site. It was amazing! This was OUR turf. While we were here, we even got to eat for free at the dig house (the Hill House), which is kind of like a miniature version of where we live and eat in Athens.

We had a tight schedule here and not much free time for photos. Never fear! In the Spring, student members are invited to a 4 week dig session here. I hope to take photos then.

Aside from Corinth, we visited the well-known sites of Sicyon and the Sanctuary of Hera at Perachora (beautiful!).

Sanctuary of Hera at Perachora.

That's all for now. Of course, Kate and I have hundreds more photos of these sites and others I didn't mention. Hopefully these will give you all a taste of what we've been up to.

The winter term at the school will focus on all the big sites around Athens, so stay tuned!