Ancient Athens Explained

What is your favorite building of Ancient Greece?

I’m a Greek and native speaker of Greek. I must say, your pronunciation of Greek words and proper names is impeccable. Congratulations for the videos you make.

As a tourguide in Athens the last 25 years...all I can say is: EXCELLENT work Manuel. Best ever seen in the web. THANK YOU. My favorite building is the Erechteion -Caryatides. (b.w.t., my wife is also architect) THANK YOU. Thanos Bairlis

As a Greek, raised in Athens, this is the best and most complete work I've ever seen. It was simple and informative. In fact there was stuff I didn't know myself. 💯

The Universities in the world claim talented teachers like you!!! But thanks God for sharing your trips with us!

I love your enthusiasm. When I was going to school, I used to get a Greek lunch. If I asked, "can I have a gyro, please?" The seller would yell at me, "Yeero!" That old man was so proud of his Greek heritage, he'd correct anybody's pronunciation. (Of course, I ordered "yeero" after that.) I wanted to visit Greece someday, but sadly I haven't been yet. One of these days...

This dude makes the best architectural and historical videos

Athens is my favorite city in the world. I have felt connected to it in more ways than I have felt about any other place.

The Romans viewed space as a thing to be enclosed. Controlled. The Athenians saw it as a limitless path for themselves.

Hello from Athens ty for this Amazing video :D

You are among the world's finest scholars and teachers!

I really love Greek history!

I've visited Athens a few months ago, and was amazed of how beautiful it was. You did an outstanding job of highlighting so many great things it has to offer!

Thank you so much. I just visited Athens for the first time recently and saw most of the ancient sites you mention, but your commentary was very interesting. I only wish I’d watched it BEFORE I went to Athens! Thanks again!

Summary Section 1: The Classical Period and the Panathenaic Procession - 0:00: The Classical Period of Ancient Greece was marked by the annual Panathenaic procession, a major civic event in Athens. - 0:11: The procession took place along a marked route (the Panathenaic Way) extending from the main city gate, across Athens, up to the Acropolis. - 0:31: Every four years, the procession would culminate inside the Parthenon, offering a larger and more elaborate tunic to the statue of Athena Parthenos. - 0:43: The Panathenaic Way served as the sacred way and the main street, hosting principal mercantile, industrial, and political activities. Section 2: The Architecture and Infrastructure of Athens - 1:23: Athens was surrounded by a 10-meter-high wall with 13 gates, one of which led to the harbor town of Piraeus. - 1:45: Around 456 BC, Pericles built the 'Long Walls' linking Athens and Piraeus, ensuring access between the two in times of war. - 2:06: All roads connecting Athens to the rest of Greece started at the Dipylon Gate, outside of which was the city's ancient cemetery. Section 3: The Agora and its Structures - 2:20: The Agora was the center of commerce, government, and culture in Athens, featuring large open spaces surrounded by public buildings. - 2:43: Stoas, long linear buildings open to the public, housed shops and provided space for people to meet, talk, and exchange ideas. - 3:10: The Stoa of Attalos was a two-story building made of limestone and Pentelic marble, reconstructed in the 20th century. - 4:02: The Temple of Hephaistos, dedicated to the god of fire and metallurgy and to Athena, stood on a hill on the western side of the Agora. - 4:19: The temple provided the most complete example of the perfected Doric hexastyle form and reflected the architectural style of the Parthenon. - 5:13: At the base of the hill stood the Tholos, the Bouleuterion, and the Metroon, which along with the Stoa of Zeus established a vertical axis in the Agora. - 5:54: Over time, the Agora changed and became increasingly cluttered by statues, fountains, and shrines. Section 4: The Roman Influence and Expansion - 7:10: As Athens expanded during the Pax Romana, a new space known as the Roman Agora was added to house commercial activities. - 7:47: The Tower of the Winds, also known as the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhos, was built in the 2nd century BC to measure time. - 8:55: Emperor Hadrian built an extensive new library in 132 AD north of the Roman Agora. - 9:13: Hadrian also completed the enormous temple of Olympian Zeus, one of the largest Greek temples in antiquity. Section 5: The Evolution of Athenian Theatres and Stadiums - 9:50: The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a roofed theatre for musical performances, was constructed in 161 AD at the south-western corner of the Acropolis. - 10:13: The Theater of Dionysos, one of the largest and oldest theaters of Greek antiquity, was where plays by great Athenian dramatists were produced. - 10:33: The Stadium, originally made in the fourth century BC for the Panathenaic Games, was rebuilt by Herodes Atticus in 144 AD. Section 6: The Acropolis and Its Significance - 11:57: The Acropolis was the citadel upon which the principal temples or treasure-houses were erected for safety. - 12:28: The layout of the Acropolis was based on human cognition, with buildings disposed to incorporate or accentuate features of the existing landscape. - 14:11: There were some important hills within the city walls of Athens, like the Areopagus and the Pnyx. Section 7: The Historical Legacy of Athens - 14:51: Athens has experienced various periods throughout history, including Classical Greek antiquity, Roman antiquity, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic period. - 15:20: The Parthenon stands atop the Acropolis as a symbol of architectural prowess and the enduring legacy of Athens. - 16:07: The peak of ancient Greek architecture was the Parthenon, an understanding of which is crucial to understanding the rest of the buildings on the Acropolis. Section 8: Conclusion - 16:13: The video concludes by thanking the viewers for watching and encouraging them to like and subscribe to the channel. Glossary Stoa: In ancient Greek architecture, a stoa is a covered walkway or portico, often built in a long, linear design with one or more rows of columns. It was used for various activities such as commerce or social gatherings. Attalos: Refers to Attalos II, a King of Pergamon in the 2nd century BC, who is known for building the Stoa of Attalos in Athens. Hephaistos: Also known as Hephaestus, he is the Greek god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges, and the art of sculpture. Doric: One of the three orders of ancient Greek architecture, the Doric order is characterized by heavy columns with fluted shafts, plain, saucer-shaped capitals, and no base. Hexastyle: Refers to a classical building façade featuring six columns. The term is often associated with Greek Temples where it is most commonly used. Pax Romana: Latin for "Roman Peace," it refers to the period of stability and relative peace across the Roman Empire, which lasted for about 200 years from the reign of Augustus (27 BC) to Marcus Aurelius (180 AD). Odeon: A type of building in Ancient Greece and Rome, which was designed for musical performances, public speeches, and poetry readings. It is typically a smaller and roofed version of the open-air theater design.

I seriously love your videos. So much work must go into them and it shows. Giving me wonderlust.

As a Greek im very surprised , i barely knew anything mentioned in this video! Maybe because i didn't liked history back in school.. I had to grow up to appreciate my country and learn the history!

That was terrific, Manuel. There isn’t any other place on YouTube where I can get this information and these recreations. Thank you.

Fantastic video. I look forward even more to visiting Athens soon.

Fan video! Thank you 😊