The Themistoclean Wall (Greek: Θεμιστόκλειον τείχος),[1] named after the Athenian statesman Themistocles, was built in Athens, Greece during the 5th century BC as a result of the Persian Wars and in the hopes of defending against further invasion.
Map of the Themistoclean Wall with the later Diateichisma
Ruins of the Themistoclean Wall in Athens, Greece, named after the 5th-century-BC Athenian statesman and general Themistocles
The Persian Wars were waged by the Achaemenid Empire of Persia in an attempt to conquer the Greeks. King Darius I was unsuccessful in his invasion attempt and was followed by his son, Xerxes I, who led the Second Persian Wars which lasted from 480 to 479 BC. Xerxes saw more victories than his father, successfully burning down Athens. Following the Persian Wars the Greek city states were left in disarray. Many buildings, statues, and fortifications of the Greek city states were destroyed.
The people of Athens were worried by a return of the Persians, and Themistocles advocated rebuilding the walls before anything else so they decided to act upon this plan. This project was opposed by the Spartans and their Peloponnesian allies alarmed by the increasing power of Athens, arguing that a walled Athens would be a useful base for an invading army, and that the defences of the Isthmus of Corinth would provide a sufficient shield against invaders. The Athenians went ahead to protect themselves from the Peloponnesians;[2]Thucydides, in his account of these events, describes a series of complex machinations by Themistocles through which he distracted and delayed the Spartans until the walls were built up high enough to provide adequate protection.[3]
Use of spolia at the Odeion of Agrippa in Athens
The Themistoclean Wall was completed in 479 BC[4] and built with spolia, old materials, in this case destroyed temples, statues, and other ruins[4] because of the rushed nature of the work and the readily available material. It had a total length of 8500 m, height 8–10 m, width 3m and had at least 13 gates.
The wall bisected the Kerameikos cemetery where all of the funerary sculptures were built into it and two large city gates facing north-west were erected.[5] The Sacred Way ran through the Sacred Gate, on the southern side, to Eleusis. On the northern side a wide road, the Dromos, ran through the double-arched Dipylon Gate (also known as the Thriasian Gate) and on to the Platonic Academy a few miles away.
After their defeat in the Peloponnesian war in 404 BC the Athenians had to destroy all the walls. However, when democracy was re-established Conon repaired the city walls in 394 BC. Facing the Macedonian invasion in 338 BC, a smaller wall, the Proteichisma, was built in front of the main one as an extra defence.
The walls were badly damaged when Sulla besieged and attacked the city in 86 BC. They were eventually rebuilt along some sections by Valerian (253-260 AD).
^THE ANCIENT CIRCUIT WALL OF ATHENS: Its Changing Course and the Phases of Construction Anna Maria Theocharaki Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens Vol. 80, No. 1 (January–March 2011), pp. 71-156 https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2972/hesp.80.1.0071
^ abNeer, Richard T. Greek Art and Archaeology: a New History, c. 2500-c. 150 BCE. Thames & Hudson, 2012.
^Ursula Knigge: Der Kerameikos von Athen. Führung durch Ausgrabungen und Geschichte. Krene-Verl., Athen 1988
^Strolling Through Athens: Fourteen Unforgettable Walks Through Europe's Oldest City, John Freely.ISBN1850435952 9781850435952 p 165-
Sourcesedit
Peck, Harry T. “Athenae.” Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, Harper and Brothers, 1898., Perseus.
Neer, Richard T. Greek Art and Archaeology: a New History, c. 2500-c. 150 BCE. Thames & Hudson, 2012.
Wees, Hans Van. Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities. Gerald Duckworth & Co., 2004.
Sage, Michael M. Warfare in Ancient Greece: A Sourcebook. Routledge, 1996.
Judeich, Walther (1931). Topographie von Athen (in German) (2nd ed.). Munich: Beck.
Theocharaki, Anna Maria (2011). "The Ancient Circuit Wall of Athens: Its Changing Course and the Phases of Construction". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 80 (1): 71–156. doi:10.2972/hesp.80.1.0071. JSTOR 10.2972/hesp.80.1.0071.
Winter, F. E. (1971). Greek Fortifications. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN978-0-608154244.
April 11, 2024
themistoclean, wall, greek, Θεμιστόκλειον, τείχος, named, after, athenian, statesman, themistocles, built, athens, greece, during, century, result, persian, wars, hopes, defending, against, further, invasion, with, later, diateichisma, contents, history, visib. The Themistoclean Wall Greek 8emistokleion teixos 1 named after the Athenian statesman Themistocles was built in Athens Greece during the 5th century BC as a result of the Persian Wars and in the hopes of defending against further invasion Map of the Themistoclean Wall with the later Diateichisma Contents 1 History 2 Visible remains 3 Gates 4 See also 5 References 6 SourcesHistory edit nbsp Ruins of the Themistoclean Wall in Athens Greece named after the 5th century BC Athenian statesman and general ThemistoclesThe Persian Wars were waged by the Achaemenid Empire of Persia in an attempt to conquer the Greeks King Darius I was unsuccessful in his invasion attempt and was followed by his son Xerxes I who led the Second Persian Wars which lasted from 480 to 479 BC Xerxes saw more victories than his father successfully burning down Athens Following the Persian Wars the Greek city states were left in disarray Many buildings statues and fortifications of the Greek city states were destroyed The people of Athens were worried by a return of the Persians and Themistocles advocated rebuilding the walls before anything else so they decided to act upon this plan This project was opposed by the Spartans and their Peloponnesian allies alarmed by the increasing power of Athens arguing that a walled Athens would be a useful base for an invading army and that the defences of the Isthmus of Corinth would provide a sufficient shield against invaders The Athenians went ahead to protect themselves from the Peloponnesians 2 Thucydides in his account of these events describes a series of complex machinations by Themistocles through which he distracted and delayed the Spartans until the walls were built up high enough to provide adequate protection 3 nbsp Use of spolia at the Odeion of Agrippa in AthensThe Themistoclean Wall was completed in 479 BC 4 and built with spolia old materials in this case destroyed temples statues and other ruins 4 because of the rushed nature of the work and the readily available material It had a total length of 8500 m height 8 10 m width 3m and had at least 13 gates The wall bisected the Kerameikos cemetery where all of the funerary sculptures were built into it and two large city gates facing north west were erected 5 The Sacred Way ran through the Sacred Gate on the southern side to Eleusis On the northern side a wide road the Dromos ran through the double arched Dipylon Gate also known as the Thriasian Gate and on to the Platonic Academy a few miles away After their defeat in the Peloponnesian war in 404 BC the Athenians had to destroy all the walls However when democracy was re established Conon repaired the city walls in 394 BC Facing the Macedonian invasion in 338 BC a smaller wall the Proteichisma was built in front of the main one as an extra defence The walls were badly damaged when Sulla besieged and attacked the city in 86 BC They were eventually rebuilt along some sections by Valerian 253 260 AD Visible remains edit nbsp Themistoclean Wall at the KerameikosThe main visible remains are 6 in the Kerameikos the highest remaining section on the Pnyx foundations near Kotzia square near the Acharnian gate visible in the basement of National Bank on Aiolou Street at 29 Erysichthonos a section in a house basement which was just north of the Peiraic GateGates editThe Themistoclean Wall had a number of gates many of which have been excavated in whole or in part The most important were Dipylon Gate Dipylon Double Gate originally the Thriasian Gates 8riasiai Pylai Sacred Gate Ἱerὰ Pylh Peiraic Gate Peiraikaὶ Pylai Gate of Piraeus Demian Gate Dhmiai Pylai Gate of the Executioner Eriai Gate Hriai Pylai Gate of the Graves Acharnian Gate Ἀxarnikaὶ Pylai Gate of Acharnae Northeastern Gate modern name ancient name unknown Diochares Gate Dioxaroys Pylai not excavated Hippades Gate Ἱppades Pylai Gate of the Riders or Gate of Aegeus Aἰgews Pylai Diomeian Gate Diomiai Pylai Gate of Diomeia not excavated Itonian Gate Ἰtwniai Pylai Halade Gate Ἅlade Pylai or eastern Phaleric Gate Falhrikh Pylh not excavated South Gate modern name ancient name unknown or western Phaleric Gate Falhrikh Pylh Dipylon above the Gates Dipylon to ὑper tῶn Pylῶn Melitides Gate Melitidai Pylai Gate of Melite See also editCity walls of AthensReferences edit THE ANCIENT CIRCUIT WALL OF ATHENS Its Changing Course and the Phases of Construction Anna Maria Theocharaki Hesperia The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens Vol 80 No 1 January March 2011 pp 71 156 https www jstor org stable 10 2972 hesp 80 1 0071 Fine The Ancient Greeks 330 Thucydides The Peloponnesian War 1 90 91 a b Neer Richard T Greek Art and Archaeology a New History c 2500 c 150 BCE Thames amp Hudson 2012 Ursula Knigge Der Kerameikos von Athen Fuhrung durch Ausgrabungen und Geschichte Krene Verl Athen 1988 Strolling Through Athens Fourteen Unforgettable Walks Through Europe s Oldest City John Freely ISBN 1850435952 9781850435952 p 165 Sources editPeck Harry T Athenae Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities Harper and Brothers 1898 Perseus Neer Richard T Greek Art and Archaeology a New History c 2500 c 150 BCE Thames amp Hudson 2012 Wees Hans Van Greek Warfare Myths and Realities Gerald Duckworth amp Co 2004 Sage Michael M Warfare in Ancient Greece A Sourcebook Routledge 1996 Judeich Walther 1931 Topographie von Athen in German 2nd ed Munich Beck Theocharaki Anna Maria 2011 The Ancient Circuit Wall of Athens Its Changing Course and the Phases of Construction Hesperia The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens 80 1 71 156 doi 10 2972 hesp 80 1 0071 JSTOR 10 2972 hesp 80 1 0071 Winter F E 1971 Greek Fortifications Routledge amp Kegan Paul ISBN 978 0 608154244 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Themistoclean Wall amp oldid 1074955065, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
