Athenian Treasury
Encyclopedia
The Athenian Treasury at Delphi
was constructed by the Athenians
to house dedications made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of Apollo
. The entire treasury, including its sculptural decoration, is built of Parian
marble; its date of construction is disputed, scholarly opinion ranging from 510 to 480 BC. Pausanias mentions the building in his account of the sanctuary, claiming that it was dedicated from the spoils of the Battle of Marathon
, fought in 490 BC.
The building was excavated by the French School at Athens, led by Pierre de La Coste-Messelière, and reconstructed from 1903-1906. The structure is still visible in situ, although the metopes are reproductions; the originals are kept in the museum of Delphi.
of the treasury, ca. 67 cm tall and 62–64 cm wide, nine along the long sides (north and south) and six along the short (east and west), depicted the labours of Herakles and Theseus
. This is the earliest surviving juxtaposition of the two.
Thesean metopes include:
Heroklean metopes include:
ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕ]Σ
The Athenians [dedicated this] to Apollo as first-fruits from the Persians at the Battle of Marathon
.
at Marathon
”. This means that a date later than 490 BCE, after the Battle of Marathon
and accounting for time of construction, would be acceptable to Pausanias.
Despite being a primary source
, Pausanias on occasion may have been misguided or misinformed, and classical scholars still maintain the date debate. John Boardman
notes that “on a purely archaeological, architectural and stylistic grounds the Treasury has appeared to many scholars to date to around 500 BC, and some would put it earlier”.
Recent findings compiled by University of Chicago
professor Richard Neer, referencing excavations from 1989 (summarized by Pierre Amandry in 1998), advocate the later date:
“A ledge of 0.30 meters in width projects from the Treasury’s stereobate along its south side only, and that this ledge helps to support the Marathon base. In other words, the plan of the Treasury takes the base into account from the earliest phase of construction. The two structures are thus integral, and both must date after the battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. With this archaeological datum, the chronology of the Athenian treasury must be considered settled. Pausanias was correct.”
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
was constructed by the Athenians
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
to house dedications made by their city and citizens to the sanctuary of Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
. The entire treasury, including its sculptural decoration, is built of Parian
Paros
Paros is an island of Greece in the central Aegean Sea. One of the Cyclades island group, it lies to the west of Naxos, from which it is separated by a channel about wide. It lies approximately south-east of Piraeus. The Municipality of Paros includes numerous uninhabited offshore islets...
marble; its date of construction is disputed, scholarly opinion ranging from 510 to 480 BC. Pausanias mentions the building in his account of the sanctuary, claiming that it was dedicated from the spoils of the Battle of Marathon
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate...
, fought in 490 BC.
The building was excavated by the French School at Athens, led by Pierre de La Coste-Messelière, and reconstructed from 1903-1906. The structure is still visible in situ, although the metopes are reproductions; the originals are kept in the museum of Delphi.
Metopes
The thirty metopesMetope (architecture)
In classical architecture, a metope is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze, which is a decorative band of alternating triglyphs and metopes above the architrave of a building of the Doric order...
of the treasury, ca. 67 cm tall and 62–64 cm wide, nine along the long sides (north and south) and six along the short (east and west), depicted the labours of Herakles and Theseus
Theseus
For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
. This is the earliest surviving juxtaposition of the two.
Thesean metopes include:
- Theseus and AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
- Theseus and Sinis (mythology)SinisSinis may refer to several different things:*in Greek mythology, see Sinis *Sinis was the name of the river now called Sinno in southern Italy....
- Theseus and the Crommyonian sow
- Theseus and ScironScironIn Greek mythology, Sciron or Sceiron was a bandit killed by Theseus on the way from Troezen to Athens.An Isthmian outlaw, he was the son of either Pelops or Poseidon. He dwelled at the Sceironian Rocks, a cliff on the Saronic coast of the Isthmus of Corinth; He robbed travelers passing the...
- Theseus and ProcrustesProcrustesIn Greek mythology Procrustes or "the stretcher [who hammers out the metal]", also known as Prokoptas or Damastes "subduer", was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica who physically attacked people by stretching them or cutting off their legs, so as to force them to fit the size of an iron bed...
- Theseus and the Bull of Marathon
- Theseus and the MinotaurMinotaurIn Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
- Theseus and the Captive AmazonAmazonsThe Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
Heroklean metopes include:
- Heracles and the Nemean LionNemean LionThe Nemean lion was a vicious monster in Greek mythology that lived at Nemea. It was eventually killed by Heracles. It could not be killed with mortal weapons because its golden fur was impervious to attack...
- Heracles and the Ceryneian HindCeryneian HindIn Greek mythology, the Ceryneian Hind , also called Cerynitis, was an enormous hind , who lived in Keryneia, Greece. It was sacred to Artemis, the chaste goddess of the hunt, animals and unmarried women. It had golden antlers like a stag and hooves of bronze or brass, and it was said that it could...
- Heracles and the CentaurCentaurIn Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
- Heracles and CycnusCycnusIn Greek mythology, four people were known as Cycnus or Cygnus. Most of them ended up being transformed into swans. The most famous Cycnus however, was the son of Ares.-Son of Ares:Cycnus was sired upon Pelopia or Pyrene...
- Heracles and OrthrusOrthrusIn Greek mythology, Orthrus or Orthus was a two-headed dog and a doublet of Cerberus, both whelped by the chthonic monsters Echidna and Typhon.He was owned by the three-bodied giant, Geryon...
- GeryonGeryonIn Greek mythology, Geryon , son of Chrysaor and Callirrhoe and grandson of Medusa, was a fearsome giant who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides in the far west of the Mediterranean. A more literal-minded later generation of Greeks associated the region with Tartessos in southern...
- Cows of Geryon
Inscription
The platform upon which the treasury stands has a prominent inscription on its south face; it is dated internally to to post-490 BC.:ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕ]Σ
The Athenians [dedicated this] to Apollo as first-fruits from the Persians at the Battle of Marathon
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate...
.
The date of construction
The ancient writer and traveler Pausanias was “emphatic that the Athenian Treasury was built [meaning financed] from the spoils from the landing of the Persian general DatisDatis
For other uses of the word Dati, see Dati .Datis or Datus was a Median admiral who served the Persian Empire, under Darius the Great...
at Marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
”. This means that a date later than 490 BCE, after the Battle of Marathon
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. It was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate...
and accounting for time of construction, would be acceptable to Pausanias.
Despite being a primary source
Primary source
Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied....
, Pausanias on occasion may have been misguided or misinformed, and classical scholars still maintain the date debate. John Boardman
John Boardman (archaeologist)
Professor Sir John Boardman FBA is a classical art historian and archaeologist, "Britain's most distinguished historian of ancient Greek art." -Biography:...
notes that “on a purely archaeological, architectural and stylistic grounds the Treasury has appeared to many scholars to date to around 500 BC, and some would put it earlier”.
Recent findings compiled by University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
professor Richard Neer, referencing excavations from 1989 (summarized by Pierre Amandry in 1998), advocate the later date:
“A ledge of 0.30 meters in width projects from the Treasury’s stereobate along its south side only, and that this ledge helps to support the Marathon base. In other words, the plan of the Treasury takes the base into account from the earliest phase of construction. The two structures are thus integral, and both must date after the battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. With this archaeological datum, the chronology of the Athenian treasury must be considered settled. Pausanias was correct.”