Misplaced Pages

#126873

43-400: According to Pausanias (Paus. 7.3.7), the founder was Erythrus, the son of Rhadamanthus, who established himself here with a body of Cretans, Carians, and Lycians. At a later period came Knopos (Strab. 14.633), son of Codrus , with an Ionian colony, whence the city is sometimes called Cnopopolis (Κνωπούπολις). The city did not lie exactly on the coast, but some little distance inland, and had

86-510: A chariot drawn by four horses, and racing with a horse (without a chariot), held in a hippodrome in the plain of Krisa, not far from the sea, in the place where the original stadium was sited. (ref: Pindar ) The other athletic contests took place in the Stadium. In the Roman period theatrical competitions were introduced, carried out in the late- Hellenistic theater . Pausanias writing in

129-489: A firmament on her head. The people of Erythrae dedicated a statue of Epitherses (Ἐπιθέρσης) at Olympia, Greece . Epitherses was a native who won two boxing prizes at Olympic Games , two at Pythian Games and also victories at Nemean Games and the Isthmian Games . His father was Metrodorus (Μητρόδωρος). From the mid-18th century until the early 20th century, Litri was a considerable place and port, extending from

172-490: A harbor on the coast named Cissus (Livy, 36.43). In the 7th century BC as an Ionian city of Asia Minor, Erythrae was a member of the Pan-Ionian League. Sometime during the 7th century, Erythrae fought a war against the neighbouring island of Chios. (Herodotus 1.18). The city gained fame as a producer of millstones during the period of tyrannical rule. Erythrae was never a large city, it sent only eight ships to

215-568: A lasting written account of "all things Greek", or panta ta hellenika . Being born in Asia Minor , Pausanias was of Greek heritage. He grew up and lived under the rule of the Roman Empire , but valued his Greek identity, history, and culture. He was keen to describe the glories of a Greek past that still was relevant in his lifetime, even if the country was beholden to Rome as a dominating imperial force. Pausanias's pilgrimage throughout

258-485: A lengthy work that describes ancient Greece from his firsthand observations. Description of Greece provides crucial information for making links between classical literature and modern archaeology , which is providing evidence of the sites and cultural details he mentions although knowledge of their existence may have become lost or relegated to myth or legend. Nothing is known about Pausanias apart from what historians can piece together from his own writing. However, it

301-496: A past tense verb rather than the present tense in some instances. Their interpretation is that he did this in order to make it seem as if he were in the same temporal setting as his audience. Unlike a modern day travel guide, in Description of Greece Pausanias tends to elaborate with discussion of an ancient ritual or to impart a myth related to the site he is visiting. His style of writing would not become popular again until

344-583: A purveyor of second-hand accounts and believed that Pausanias had not visited most of the places that he described. Modern archaeological research, however, has been revealing the accuracy of information imparted by Pausanias, and even its potential as a guide for further investigations. Research into Tartessos exemplifies where his writing about it is aiding contemporary archaeological research into its existence, location, and culture. Pythian Games The Pythian Games ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Τα Πύθια , translit.   Ta Pythia ) were one of

387-529: A revival of some sorts under the later Roman Empire and into the Byzantine period. Bishops are attested from 431 to 1292, and an archon, a minor governor, was based in the city in the 9th and 10th centuries. Pausanias , at the Description of Greece writes that in the city there was a temple of Athena Polias and a huge wooden image of her sitting on a throne, she holds a distaff in either hand and wears

430-639: A ritual sacrifice was performed in the Temple of Apollo . After four days of festivities, the Games began. The athletic and equestrian events were the same as those at Olympia, apart from the lack of the four-horse chariot, and the addition of running races for boys. Unlike at Olympia where there was a separate festival for women (the Heraean Games ), women were allowed to compete at Delphi in both athletic and artistic events. The only recorded female victor

473-410: A theatre on its northern slope, and eastwards lie many remains of Byzantine buildings. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Erythrae ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 758. Some of the text has been found on the website dedicated to

SECTION 10

#1732772610127

516-492: Is Tryphosa, winner of the girl's stadion running race . The athletic competition included four-track sports ( stade , diaulos , dolichos and hoplitodromos (racing encumbered with pieces of Hoplite armor)), wrestling , boxing , pankration , and the pentathlon . These sports were introduced to the games gradually over time. The final day of the games was dedicated to equestrian races which gradually came to include harness racing, synoris (a chariot drawn by two horses),

559-459: Is honest about his sourcing, sometimes confirming contemporary knowledge by him that may be lost to modern researchers. Until twentieth-century archaeologists concluded that Pausanias was a reliable guide to sites being excavated, classicists largely had dismissed the writings of Pausanias as purely literary. Following their presumed authoritative contemporary Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff , classicists tended to regard him as little more than

602-678: Is mentioned by Strabo as living in the early period of the city; the other, Athenais , lived in the time of Alexander the Great . The Erythraean Sibyl presided over the Apollonian oracle . About 453 BC, Erythrae, refusing to pay tribute, seceded from the Delian League . A garrison and a new government restored the union, but late in the Peloponnesian War (412 BC) it revolted again with Chios and Clazomenae . Later it

645-462: Is probable that he was born c.  110 AD into a Greek family and was probably a native of Lydia in Asia Minor. From c.  150 until his death around 180, Pausanias travelled throughout the mainland of Greece, writing about various monuments, sacred spaces, and significant geographical sites along the way. In writing his Description of Greece , Pausanias sought to put together

688-521: The Battle of Lade . The Erythraeans were for a considerable time subject to the supremacy of Athens , but towards the close of the Peloponnesian War they threw off their allegiance to that city. After the Battle of Cnidus , however, they received Conon , and paid him honours in an inscription, still extant. Erythrae was the birthplace of two prophetesses ( sibyls ) – one of whom, Sibylla ,

731-560: The 2nd century AD, says the oldest contest at Delphi was the singing of the Hymn to Apollo , god of arts and music. The first Games run by the Delphic Amphictyony , which he dates to the third year of the forty-eighth Olympiad (i.e. 586  BC) featured contests of singing accompanied by cithara (a lyre), and separate contests for playing the aulos (a double-reeded wind instrument) solo, and accompanied. The latter of these

774-628: The 4th century AD. The Pythian Games were ranked second in importance behind the Olympics. Unlike the Olympics, the Pythian Games also featured competitions for art and dance, which pre-dated the athletic portion of the games, and women were allowed to take part in some events. Victors received a wreath of bay laurel , sacred to Apollo, from the Vale of Tempe , in Thessaly . Smaller versions of

817-438: The 5th century BC, mostly the tyrants of Sicily and the conservative aristocracy of Aegina , constituted the clientele of the poet. Thus, his Odes of Victory reflect the aristocratic ideals which were losing ground so fast. The winner's laudation is reinforced by adding mythological details. However, a prerequisite for understanding and cherishing the poems is a well-educated audience. The poet uses his work not only to speak of

860-455: The Great who, according to Pliny (HN 5.116) and Pausanias (2.1.5), planned to cut a canal through the peninsula of Erythrae to connect Teos bay with the gulf of Smyrna. When Alexander returned to Memphis in April 331 BC, envoys from Greece were waiting for him, saying that the oracles at Didyma and Erythrae, which had been silent for a long time, had suddenly spoken and confirmed that Alexander

903-543: The Pergamene kingdom was bequeathed to the Romans, it flourished as a free city ("civitas libera") attached to the Roman province of Asia. At this time, Erythrae was renowned for its wine, goats, timber, and millstones, as well as its prophetic sibyls, Herophile and Athenais. In the Roman period the city was plundered, and its importance faded after the earthquakes of that region in the 1st century AD. The city experienced

SECTION 20

#1732772610127

946-464: The Pythian Games were celebrated in many other cities of the Levant and Greece. The Pythian Games supposedly start with the death of the mythical serpent, Python . Ovid states that the games were inaugurated to celebrate Apollo 's killing of the serpent, "Lest in a dark oblivion time should hide the fame of this achievement, sacred sports he instituted" ( Metamorphoses, 1.445-6). According to Ovid,

989-470: The Pythian Games. In those poems, Pindar praises not only the victors, but also their families, as well as the aristocratic and athletic ideals of the late archaic period. Pindar worked on lyric poetry. The largest part of his surviving works is the Victory Odes (Epinikia), chorus songs to be sung in the homeland of the winner of the Games upon his return. The Greek aristocracy of the first half of

1032-555: The Vale of Tempe , in Thessaly . This is similar to the practice in the other Panhellenic games, which were all on this account called "stephanitic" ("crown") games. Smaller versions of the Pythian Games were celebrated in many other cities of the Levant and Greece. Of the 45 poems composed by the Theban poet Pindar in honor of winners at the Panhellenic games, 12 were called Pythionikoi , since they were composed for winners at

1075-551: The ancient harbour to the acropolis. It attracted smaller coasting steamers , and there was an active trade with Chios and Smyrna (modern day İzmir ). The archaeological site is situated within the settlement zone of the present-day Turkish village of Ildırı . The site was explored in depth in the 1960s by Professor Ekrem Akurgal , leading to precious discoveries, but has been left somewhat unattended since. The ruins include well-preserved Hellenistic walls with towers, of which five are still visible. The acropolis (280 ft) has

1118-444: The early nineteenth century when contemporary travel guides resembled his. In the topographical aspect of his work, Pausanias makes many natural history digressions on the wonders of nature documented at the time, the signs that herald the approach of an earthquake , the phenomena of the tides , the ice-bound seas of the north, and that at the summer solstice the noonday sun casts no shadow at Syene ( Aswan ). While he never doubts

1161-430: The eighth Pythian Games. Poetry and prose contests were another feature of the Pythian Games. A panel of judges chose victors. Contests of Tragic acting probably involved both individual performances and dramatic productions. Painting competitions were introduced in the mid-5th century BC. No monetary prizes were awarded to winners in the Games. Instead they received a wreath of bay laurel , sacred to Apollo, from

1204-559: The end of the First Sacred War . As of that time, they did not take place every eight years as in the past, but every four years, two years before and after the Olympic Games, presumably at the end of August. Preparations for the games began six months prior. Nine citizens from Delphi, called theoroi , were sent to all Greek cities to announce the beginning of the games in order to attract athletes, as well as to declare

1247-420: The exact competition of each athlete. Thus, we can constitute a list of the winners as follows: In 498 B.C. Hippokles from Thessaly won at the children's diaulos (10th Pythionicus). In 490 B.C. Midas from Akragas won at the musical contests as a flute player (12th Pythionicus). In 486 B.C. Megakles from Athens won at the chariot racing (7th Pythionicus). In 475 (?) and in 474(?) B.C. Hieron of Syracuse won

1290-439: The existence of the deities and heroes, he criticizes some of the myths and legends he encountered during his travels as differing from earlier cultural traditions that he relates or notes. His descriptions of monuments of art are plain and unadorned, bearing a solid impression of reality. Pausanias is frank in acknowledging personal limitations. When he quotes information at second hand rather than relating his own experiences, he

1333-566: The four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece . They were held in honour of Apollo at his sanctuary in Delphi every four years, two years after the Olympic Games , and between each Nemean and Isthmian Games . The Pythian Games were founded sometime in the 6th century BC. In legend they were started by Apollo after he killed Python and set up the Oracle at Delphi . They continued until

Erythrae - Misplaced Pages Continue

1376-494: The games, which included restorations for all structures of the Sanctuary, from the temples to the streets and fountains. Scores of people flocked to the games from all over Greece, bringing in substantial revenue to the city. Despite the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire during the 4th century, Delphi remained an active pagan site and the Pythian Games continued to be celebrated at least until AD 424. Unfortunately,

1419-565: The land of his ancestors was his own attempt to establish a place in the world for this new Roman Greece, connecting myths and stories of ancient culture to those of his own time. Pausanias has a straightforward and simple writing style. He is, overall, direct in his language, writing his stories and descriptions unelaborately. However, some translators have noted that Pausanias's use of various prepositions and tenses may be confusing and difficult to render in English. For example, Pausanias may use

1462-521: The museum of The Temple of Athena in Erythrae which can be found in the external links section of this page. Pausanias (geographer) Pausanias ( / p ɔː ˈ s eɪ n i ə s / paw- SAY -nee-əs ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Παυσανίας ; c.  110  – c.  180 ) was a Greek traveler and geographer of the second century AD. He is famous for his Description of Greece ( Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις , Hēlládos Periḗgēsis ),

1505-596: The period of the Sacred Truce ( Hieromenia ), aiming at protecting not only the theoroi and the athletes who traveled to Delphi but also the temple of Apollo itself. If a city was involved in armed conflict or in robberies during that period, its citizens were forbidden to enter the Sanctuary, participate in the games, or consult the Oracle. At the same time, the truce allowed the Amphictyony to focus on preparing for

1548-425: The python was produced spontaneously by Gaea (mother earth) at the beginning of primordial time and was a threat to human beings. When Earth, spread over with diluvian ooze, felt heat ethereal from the glowing sun, unnumbered species to the light she gave, and gave to being many an ancient form, or monster new created. Unwilling she created this enormous Python.—Thou unheard of serpent spread so far athwart

1591-446: The side of a vast mountain, didst fill with fear the race of newly created man. The God that bears the bow (a weapon used till then only to hunt the deer and agile goat) destroyed the monster with myriad darts, and almost emptied all his quiver, till envenomed gore oozed forth from livid wounds. -- Metamorphoses, 1.434-444. By killing the monster, Apollo rendered the area safe for human beings and established his ownship of

1634-427: The site. After burying the body, Apollo founded the oracle of Delphi . However, by slaying Python, Apollo had committed a crime and Zeus declared that he had to make amends. Apollo then created the Pythian Games to pay for the death. The historical timeframe of the Pythian Games started in 582 BC, when the administration of the Games was handed over to the Delphic Amphictyony , a council of twelve Greek tribes, at

1677-414: The testimonials and documents covering the Pythian Games were mainly destroyed by human violence and natural catastrophes. All the remaining resources highlight the glory and glamour of the Games. The records of Aristotle present an overview of the festivities: the Games lasted for six to eight days and were started by a reenactment of the victory of Apollo over Python. In a festive and glamorous procession,

1720-569: The victory won by his client and his family, but also to accentuate the family's history and its connections all over Greece. The total number of Victory Odes is 45 celebrating the winners in the four most famous panhellenic athletic competitions: the Olympic , the Nemean , the Pythian and the Isthmian Games . The hymns celebrating victories in Pythian Games include 12 odes and offer information on

1763-400: Was abolished by the second Games because the music was considered "ill-omened" with dismal tunes accompanied by lamentations. Pythocritus of Sicyon was aulos victor at six consecutive festivals, the only player so to distinguish himself. He accompanied the pentathlon at the Olympics where a statue was erected to him. Pausanias ascribes the introduction of the cithara contest without vocals to

Erythrae - Misplaced Pages Continue

1806-399: Was allied alternately with Athens and Persia. About the middle of the 4th century BC, the city became friendly with Mausolus : in an inscription found on the site, he is called a benefactor of Erythrae. About the same time the city signed a treaty with Hermias, Tyrant of Assus and Atarneus, based on reciprocal aid in the event of war. In 334 BC the city regained its freedom through Alexander

1849-404: Was the son of Zeus. The timing proves that Alexander was already thinking that he was of a more than human nature when he entered Greece: after all, the people of Didyma and Erythrae can never have known that Alexander was recognized as the son of Ra and wanted to be called 'son of Zeus'. Erythrae was later associated with Pergamum and with Rome, and after the death of Attalos III in 133 BC, when

#126873