.    ANCIENT GREECE    .

  MINOANS: Art and Architecture

Minoan art was different than that of the Empires and Kingdoms to the east

 From Knossos Palace, we find skilled frescoes with (gasp) non warlike subjects!

A Minoan navy / merchant fleet, dominating the Aegean Sea

Scene from inside Knossos Palace, capital of the Minoan seafaring civilization on Crete

The partial excavation of the Custom's House on the coast of Crete

The current view of Thera, in the background, scene of the amazing destruction of Knossos

MYCENAE: Art and Architecture

Mycenaen death mask, possibly of King Agamemnon

A modern representation of the Phalanx formation, that which made Greek infantry dominate

Famous Greek vase: Chigi, depicting the hoplite formation

Famous Greek vase: 'Achilles kills Penthesileia' from Trojan War times

Famous Greek vase: 'Francois' showing a procession

Mycenae during its period of prosperity as the chief early Greek city-state

The best preserved part of Mycenae today: the 'Lions Gate'

The City of Troy as it was during the time of the Illiad

A replica of the Trojan Horse built at the site of the ruins of Troy

Today's excavation of Troy, a city that for most of history was only a legend

Finally, Mount Olympus, home of the gods

Greek art of the Golden Age

Early Greek sculpture, the Kouros

Golden Age sculpture by Myron, the Discus Thrower

Another Golden Age sculpture, the Statue of Zeus of Artemisia

Cast of Bronze, this is the momument to Leonidis, who led the 300 against Persia

Hermes of Olympia- he has a child and a cloth in his arm, noted for outstanding detail

The most admired face of all Classical sculpture, the Apollo of the Belvedere

Greek ideal of feminine beauty, the Venus de Milo, a famous Golden Age sculpture

ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDINGS

A detail of a Doric column

A detail of an Ionic column

A detail of a Corinthian column

Sparta's remains. We don't know what it exactly looked like but we know it was probably bland and rugged

The Temple of Apollo at Corinth

Theater of Dionysus at Athens, where votes were tallied and dramas were performed

The great Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, welcome point for Greeks coming home and foreigners coming to visit

The Acropolis of Athens, cultural center, crown jewel of the city and of all of Greece

Close up of the Parthenon, one of the world's most famous buildings

The 3rd Wonder of the World, the huge statue of Zeus at Olympia, site of the games

What Olympia used to look like

Famous gate of Olympia, where the games would begin with the torch coming through and into the arena area

The 4th Wonder of the World, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus in Ionia

The Temple of Apollo at Delphi, home of the famous Oracle of Delphi and the most sacred place in Greece

The Grand Theater of Epidarus, the best preserved of all Classical theaters

The 6th Wonder: the Colossus of Rhodes in the Greek islands

Plan your honeymoon to Athens and you can impress your new bride by eating here... oh wait you just got married,

I guess you don't really need to impress her anymore- don't worry, Athens has McDonalds too!

 Site Design: David Tamm