Anseth Family Adventures: An afternoon in ancient Athens

July 10,2022 was still a Sunday in the afternoon. As the Anseth family returned to the Grande Bretagne with their heads swimming from the list of Greek gods and rulers who inspired and created the majesty that was the Acropolis. We had an important decision to make: continue the adventure or rest and recover. Our Badger 🦡 chose to rest and recover. This may call into question the academic rigor in Madison. The rest of the pack returned to the streets of Athens armed with only a plucky attitude and the promise shopping in the local markets.

We wandered through the Palak district again until we arrived at the Ancient Agora. The Agora is a large square on the northwest slope of the Acropolis. It was the heart of the ancient city. Socrates, Aristotle and Plato may have walked the same paths we walked today.

From 6th century BC onward this space was gradually surrounded by many public buildings and adorned with temples, alters, stoas, fountains, portraits and sculptures.

Sculpture or Hasdrian

The Temple of Hephaestus above the Agora

The girls in front of the Temple of Hephaestus

A view of the Acropolis from the Agora

The Temple of Hephaestus.

The friezes show The Battle of Theseus and the Pallantids others show the Battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs

The east face of the Temple of Hephaestus.

The frieze on the east face

Along the courtyard at the Agora

Random statue of Socrates and Confucius. It is so weird and out of place it is disturbing. Feels like a couple of politicians needed a win so this came into existence here. Weird!!!!

Odeion of Agrippa

Restores Stoa of Attalos was a place where Athenians could meet, talk and do buisness. It was destroyed in 27 AD but has now been restored

Looking back at the Temple of Hephaestus from the Adria Stoa of Attalos.

One more for good measure

Remains of Middle Stoa

These are either the remains of the Temple of Ares or the Temple of Athena at the Agora. Given the size and prominence of the location I think Athena might be correct.

Artifacts from the Agora

More artifacts

Almost enough

Enough

A sculpture of Nike at the Stoa Attalos

On the way back we stopped at the Library of Hadrian

The Library of Hadrian

It contained papyrus “books”. It was destroyed in 267 AD and later repaired in 407-412 AD.

We returned to the Grande Bretagne to freshen up for dinner. When in Athens I am not sure there is any other place to eat then Dionysus Zonars. The Greek god of food and wine would not allow his name to be attached to mediocrity. We were not disappointed in the food or the drinks

The bar at the Grande Bretagne

PreGaming with the Tears of Chios

On the island of Chios, mastic trees produce a resin which is distilled in to a liqueur, the Greek spirit Mastiha. Mastiha apparently is know throughout antiquity for its healing powers. I found it particularly healing when combine with creamy vodka, mint and Mediterranean grapes.

OK on to dinner