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Vergina
The ancient city lying on the north slopes of the
Pierian mountains is securely identified as Aigai, the
capital of the kingdom of Lower Macedonia.
Archaeological evidence prooves that the site was
continuously inhabited from the Early Bronze Age (3rd
millenium BC) while in the Early Iron Age (11th-8th
centuries BC) it became an important centre, rich and
densely inhabited.
The city reached its highest point of prosperity in the
Archaic (7th-6th centuries BC) and Classical periods
(5th-4th centuries), when it was the most important
urban centre of the area, the seat of the Macedonian
kings and the place where all the traditional
sanctuaries were established. Moreover, it was already
famous in antiquity for the wealth of the royal tombs
which were gathered in its extensive necropolis. |
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Ancient Elis
Theatre, only the skene, the parodoi and part of the
auditorium are survived in this area. It dates to the
Hellenistic period.
One of the most important and interesting centres of
Peloponnese in antiquity. The city reached the peak of
its prosperity in the Roman period. To this period
belong the most of its buildings. Elis organized the
contests and it was the capital of the Eleans. The
excavations have shown that the building is dated from
the Late Hellenistic to Roman period. |
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Dodona
The ancient site of Dodona is located 22 km. south of
Ioannina, in the narrow valley between mounts Tomaros
and Manoliassa. The first remains on the site date from
the prehistoric period and the first deity worshipped
here was the Earth goddess. The cult of Zeus and the
sacred oak tree was brought to Dodona by the Selloi, a
branch of the Thesprotian tribe, between the 19th and
14th centuries B.C. and soon became the prevalent cult
of the sanctuary.
The first offerings from southern Greece date from the
end of the 8th century B.C. and building activity began
in the 4th century B.C. The sanctuary reached the
highest point of its prosperity in the 3rd century B.C.
but was destroyed by the Aetolians in 219 B.C. It was
rebuilt shortly thereafter and continued to be in use
until its destruction by the Roman invaders in 167 B.C.
In the Roman period it had a different function and its
end came in the 4th century A.D., during the reign of
Theodosius the Great. The area of the sanctuary was then
covered with Christian basilicas. Today the theatre is
used for performances. |
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Rhodes
The Rhodes Acropolis dominated the western and highest
part of the city. It was not fortified like most ancient
acropolis. It consisted of a monumental zone with
Sanctuaries, large temples, public buildings and
underground cult places.
The buildings were built on stepped terraces supported
by strong retaining walls. It was "full of fields and
groves", in the words of the 2nd c. AD orator Ailios
Aristides. The style of the Hellenistic architecture on
the Acropolis of Rhodes was perfectly conveyed by the
combination of natural beauty and artificial
transformations. The buildings on the Acropolis date to
the Hellenistic and Late Hellenistic periods (3rd-2nd c.
BC). |
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The Ancient Forum of
Thessaloniki
The Ancient Forum, the administrative centre of ancient
Thessaloniki, occupied an area about two hectares in the
heart of the city. Its construction began at the end of
the 2nd century A.D. on the site of an older forum
dating. |
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Knossos
Knossos is the site of the most important and better
known palace of Minoan civilization. According to
tradition, it was the seat of the legendary king Minos.
The Palace is also connected with thrilling legends,
such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur, and
the story of Daidalos and Icaros.
The site was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic
period (7000-3000 B.C.) until Roman times. The Linear B
tablets (Mycenaean script) of the 14th century B.C.
mention the city as ko-no-so. |
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Phaistos
Phaistos was one of the most important centres of Minoan
civilization, and the most wealthy and powerful city in
southern Crete. It was inhabited from the Neolithic
period until the foundation and development of the
Minoan palaces in the 15th century B.C.
The Minoan city covered a considerable area around the
palatial centre. After the destruction of the palace in
the 15th century, the city continued to be inhabited in
the Mycenaean and Geometric periods, that is, until the
8th century B.C.
Later, the temple of Rhea was built to the south of the
old palace. The Hellenistic city was extremely
prosperous; houses of the period are to be seen in the
west court (upper terrace) of the palace. In the middle
of the 2nd century B.C. it was destroyed and dominated
by the neighbouring city of Gortyn. Traces of habitation
dating from the Venetian period are scattered in the
whole area. The archaeological investigation of Phaistos
started in 1884 by F. Halbherr and continued by the
Italian Archaeological School at Athens, under the
direction of F. Halbherr and L. Pernier in 1900-1904 and
by Doro Levi, in 1950-1971. |
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