Priene: Greek Life Exemplified
By Kristin Lee
Priene was an ancient Greek city situated in the Ionia region of modern Turkey. The city, and what remains of it today, rests near the base of Mount Mycale overlooking the Maeander river. Although it was a relatively small city with an estimated population of 4,000 to 5,000, Priene featured several noteworthy architectural structures including a temple of Athena Polias, an agora, a theater, a stadium and gymnasium, as well as other religious, political, and residential buildings. Priene also serves as an exemplary model of Greek urban planning; the city is laid out in a rectangular grid, defying the naturally hilly topography of the region, with 6 primary streets and 15 cross streets. The main streets stretch across the city from …show more content…
Though dedicated to the city’s patron goddess, Chandler and other members of the Society of Dilettanti erroneously referred to the building as the temple of Minerva Polias, Minerva being the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena. The temple of Athena was designed by Pytheos (or Pythius) who was the architect of the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halikarnassos, regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world. The structure was likely one of the first buildings constructed at the newly founded Priene and is situated at a natural rise in the landscape with the acropolis looming above it. Like most of the architecture still standing at Priene, the temple was constructed from marble taken from a nearby quarry. This site’s main features included an open-air altar and a large temple of the Ionic order. The temple consisted of a propylon (an exterior gateway) with an Ionic porch and porticoes, a treasury, and a Doric stoa (covered walkway) with pedestal fountains. The altar was decorated with carved panels featuring female figures, likely Muses, and Apollo Kitharoidos, an image of Apollo with a kithara or
By Kristin Lee
Priene was an ancient Greek city situated in the Ionia region of modern Turkey. The city, and what remains of it today, rests near the base of Mount Mycale overlooking the Maeander river. Although it was a relatively small city with an estimated population of 4,000 to 5,000, Priene featured several noteworthy architectural structures including a temple of Athena Polias, an agora, a theater, a stadium and gymnasium, as well as other religious, political, and residential buildings. Priene also serves as an exemplary model of Greek urban planning; the city is laid out in a rectangular grid, defying the naturally hilly topography of the region, with 6 primary streets and 15 cross streets. The main streets stretch across the city from …show more content…
Though dedicated to the city’s patron goddess, Chandler and other members of the Society of Dilettanti erroneously referred to the building as the temple of Minerva Polias, Minerva being the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena. The temple of Athena was designed by Pytheos (or Pythius) who was the architect of the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halikarnassos, regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world. The structure was likely one of the first buildings constructed at the newly founded Priene and is situated at a natural rise in the landscape with the acropolis looming above it. Like most of the architecture still standing at Priene, the temple was constructed from marble taken from a nearby quarry. This site’s main features included an open-air altar and a large temple of the Ionic order. The temple consisted of a propylon (an exterior gateway) with an Ionic porch and porticoes, a treasury, and a Doric stoa (covered walkway) with pedestal fountains. The altar was decorated with carved panels featuring female figures, likely Muses, and Apollo Kitharoidos, an image of Apollo with a kithara or