It was under Pericles‘ impetus that the Parthenon came into existence in the 5th century BCE. The renowned Athenian strategist invited recognized artists such as Phidias or Callicrates to participate in the construction of the Parthenon. Erected on the ruins of an ancient temple destroyed by the Persians in Athens, specifically the Acropolis, the temple dedicated to Athena, the city’s protective deity, was built in record time. Indeed, it only took 15 years to complete this major monument of ancient history.
Starting in 447, the construction of the Parthenon was interrupted by war, but it was completed in 432 BCE. It symbolizes Athenian power, democracy, and the architectural genius of ancient Greece at that time. Combining Doric classicism with unprecedented ingenuity from the architects, the Parthenon is a remarkable work, both in terms of its dimensions, its unusually fast construction, and its style.
In What Context was the Parthenon Built?
Between 447 and 432 BCE, builders constructed the Parthenon. It is part of the Acropolis of Athens, the current Greek capital, and one of Greece’s most iconic monuments. The Hecatompedon, a limestone temple from the 6th century BCE, served as the foundation for its construction. The Persians destroyed many monuments during the 5th century BCE (480: Greco-Persian Wars). The Parthenon is among the new constructions desired by the strategist Pericles to restore the city’s splendor. Phidias, Ictinus, and Callicrates led the construction site.
It underwent two phases of construction, with an interruption due to the Second Persian War. Once the construction was complete, the sculptural works also concluded. They quickly erected the building, incurring significant expenses. Indeed, they had to draw funds from Delphi’s treasury, which they would later store here. It is the tallest temple in the Acropolis.
Why Was This Temple Built?
In this temple, the colossal statue of Phidias, the Athena Parthenos, found its home.
Many scholars believe that this significant project also originated from the city’s financial difficulties, plagued by regular Persian attacks. The construction site would have provided employment for many people. The functions of this temple are manifold. Despite the regular offerings at the Erechtheion, it clearly serves as a place of worship for Athena, the city’s patroness. The Panathenaic Games (festivals in honor of Athena) take place here.
It will also become the symbol of Athenian power, according to Pericles’ wish. The impressive dimensions (nearly 70 meters long, 31 meters wide, and 14 meters high) and unprecedented architectural ingenuity showcased the greatness of Athens and its inhabitants, visible in a frieze depicting all the city’s social classes. The temple also has a political function as it houses Athenian public funds.
How Did the Construction Work Unfold?
The temple was built in Pentelic marble, a white stone from quarries near Athens, to the northwest. Originally, the temple consisted of a peristyle (gallery of columns) surrounded by 48 columns.
They constructed two rooms from cut stone. The 15-meter-high chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Athena occupied the naos (interior of the temple). Behind this statue was a small room that housed the Athenian treasury. They built two other rooms with lateral vestibules: the opisthodomos and the pronaos. The colonnade was built simultaneously. The construction lasted about fifteen years.
Following that, the decorations were completed. It was mainly Phidias who was in charge. His workers composed the pediments dedicated to Athena’s life. The Doric frieze, with triglyphs and metopes, mainly represents the victory of the Greeks over the Persians. The building shows a specific singularity. In Doric style, it features 8 columns instead of the usual 6. The columns’ axes, as well as the horizontal lines, are also noteworthy. The columns are slightly inclined, and the horizontals are convex to create an optical effect hitherto unseen.
The overall proportions are enlarged. The naos thus presents a dimension never before reached: 10.6 meters wide. At the end of the construction, they added ionic columns to the opisthodomos. Under the colonnade, another frieze is present, representing the great Panathenaic Games. This encircled the sekos (the closed part of the temple, surrounded by walls). In 449, they added Propylaea and Erechtheion.
How Did the Parthenon Evolve Over the Ages?
This building has experienced many mishaps. It is known to have suffered a significant fire during the late antiquity period, in the 3rd century (the sack of Athens during the Chremonidean War). The fire destroyed the inner colonnade and the wooden framework. Following this event, between 361 and 363, they built a new colonnade.
Around 590, the temple became a Christian church and took the name Mary Parthenos. This Byzantine conversion destroyed many statues. The Byzantine conversion involved moving the entrance, adding mosaics, and opening windows. It became a major Christian place of worship and was part of a great pilgrimage like that of Ephesus or Thessaloniki. The Ottomans invaded Athens in 1456 and turned the Parthenon into a mosque. The apse evolved into the mihrab. Lime completely covered the walls, hiding the decorations.
In the 17th century, it served as a warehouse for Turkish powder barrels. The first explosion occurred in 1656, followed by a much larger one in 1687. A Venetian attack caused the barrels to explode. The Venetians destroyed the central part and the columns. The British looted the temple between 1801 and 1803, taking a large number of decorative elements that are still visible in various British museums. After proclaiming its independence, Greece began the restoration of the building in 1835. In 1894, one of the largest earthquakes Greece experienced damaged the building.
What Were the Different Functions of the Parthenon?
Although the Parthenon hosted the Panathenaic Games, it cannot be considered a religious building per se. Indeed, no ritual objects were found there.
Similarly, there is no mention of any ritual testimony on site. Only priests have access to the sanctuary’s heart. No priestess is associated with it.
Two main functions are observable for this “temple.” The first is to house the Athena statue in the cella (or naos), the place’s sacred room. Originally an offering to the city and its inhabitants, Phidias transported this statue to Constantinople, where its trace vanished. Athena Parthenos symbolized not only the goddess but also the power of Athenian women, who, in the 5th century BCE, had an increasingly important role (the sculpted plaque on the front of the sculpture).
The temple also served as a storage facility for the treasures won by Athens and the Delian League, some of which Pericles used to construct the building, along with the metals used for currency. These riches are obviously complemented by the statue itself, which is partly made of gold (Pericles cites it as a gold reserve, according to the author Thucydides). In cases of necessity, it was indeed possible to melt it without committing an impious act. This treasure room is synonymous with wealth and will thus become the symbol of Athenian power, both civil and political.
