The Inspiration Greeks in ancient times believed in many deities (神) or gods. One way they showed their devotion to gods was to build temples in their honor. A Shaky Start The Greeks were building the original Parthenon in about 480 B.C. when the Persians captured Athens.The Greeks swore an oath (誓言) called "The Oath of Plateau". They swore to fight to death. They also vowed never to rebuild the city's monuments. The Greeks survived the invasion. They used the remains of the monuments to build a defensive wall around the city. After thirty years' peace, the Greeks broke their oath.Their ruler, Pericles, ordered the rebuilding of Athens. They started work on Parthenon. Fit for a Godness The Greeks used expensive white marble to build the Parthenon. The Parthenon was 60 feet high and was surrounded by 46 tall Doric columns. The temple was decorated with many sculptures. A continuous sculpture formed a border around the outside of the building. This horizontal band is called a frieze. Only 325 feet of the original 525 feet of the frieze still exist. A huge 40-foot gilt and ivory statue of Athena was placed inside the temple. Changes in Purpose Over time, many different groups of people used the Parthenon. It was first a Greek temple. Then in the sixth century, Christians made it a church. Later, in the 1400s, Muslins used it as a mosque. At one point, it was nearly destroyed by war. Turkish invaders used it to store ammunition. An explosion destroyed the inside of the building. The Parthenon stands as a ruin today. Pollution has harmed the outside. Despite the changes over time, the Parthenon remains one of the most famous buildings in the world. |