Modern Greece Fights for Ancient History

Last week, officials from Greece announced that later this week (November 11, 2002) in London, they will heighten pressure on the British to surrender. But it's not land the Greeks want the British to give up, it's art. Basically, the Greeks are campaigning for the return of numerous works of ancient art -- referred to as the Parthenon Marbles -- taken to London by a Britain named Lord Elgin in the early 1800s. The skillfully-crafted marbles once adorned a great temple -- called the Parthenon -- honoring the city-state's patron goddess, Athena. Now, the Athenians want them back more urgently than ever.

In 2004, Athens will be hosting the Olympics, and it wants to showcase its ancient history in the new museum as well as highlight the missing marble statues and friezes (pronounced "freezes"). Government and museum officials hope that this will put global pressure on the British to return the artworks to the place they were created. However, locals have hit a snag while digging at the future museum site: archeologists have discovered that the area is packed with building foundations and houses that were built between the 2nd and 7th centuries. The discovery is a big deal, because architecture and other artifacts from this time period in Athens are rare. Destroying this site for building the new museum, many say, would contradict the goal of preserving the city's ancient history. Basically, they argue, trading the preservation of one group of ancient, cultural artifacts for another may not be the best choice.

Indeed, Athens has a long history as a society, which the city's ancient ruins and preserved artworks show pretty clearly. So in this week's lesson, you'll travel back in time and explore ancient Greek life, including the importance of Athens and its citizens during the height of its power. You'll also learn more about the Parthenon and the significance of its marble statues and friezes.

Greek Life and the Prosperity of Athens

During the Classical era, from 479-323 B.C, the city-state of Athens functioned as the world's first democracy. After it beat the Persians for independence, its citizens enjoyed the freedom and powers of trade, artistry, and intellect. It was also during this time period that the Parthenon was built. Begin your journey by visiting the Ancient Greek World at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Here, you'll learn about the important eras and what daily life was like in ancient Greece.

Start at the Land and Time section with the Land page, where you're introduced to the landscape -- then use the arrows at the bottom to move through the Time pages. Pay special attention to the history surrounding the Classical Period. As you explore the exhibit, note how the culture changed over time. How did people's use of materials -- from clay to metal -- change between time periods? How did the composition of the population and the governing politics change? How did trade influence the civilization's development? Why was art important to Greek culture?

Next, move on to Daily Life, beginning in the Greek House. What were the basic rights of men and women? How were the duties or activities different between men and women? How did warfare fit into Greek life?

As you browse the Religion and Death section, read about how religious beliefs carried over into many aspects of Greek life. How do the artworks you see reflect this influence? What types of votives, or gifts, were offered to the gods and why? Why were games and food so important? How exactly did Athenians bury their dead?

How people made their living in Athens is also worth exploring. At the Economy section, start with the Coinage page and continue through the pages into Bronze Manufacturing. What did the Greeks use for money? Why did coin use become a preferred system over bartering? What types of goods did they manufacture for local and regional trade? How do you think the diversity of skilled Athenians helped fuel their prosperity?

Key Leaders and Events in Ancient Athens

Like in most societies, certain people and events deeply impacted the character of Athens over time. To learn more about these leaders and pivotal points in history, your next stop is The Greeks -- Crucible of Civilization at PBS. At the entry page, choose either the HTML Version or the The Flash 4 Enhanced Version. Both versions offer video clips (QuickTime required) and extra Flash-driven sections under The Greeks Interactive and The Acropolis Experience sections. You can view these multimedia extras as time and your computer's abilities allow.

Start your exploration of this site at the Timeline to read some detailed accounts of key events and players of these eras. Discover the life of Homer the bard (750 B.C.) and Thespis, the first actor (534 B.C.), and read about the origin of the city-state Sparta (550 B.C.). Also, concentrate on the Classical period, from about 479 B.C. to the fall of Athenian democracy in 337 B.C., including 438 B.C. when the Parthenon was completed. How did the people -- as leaders and citizens -- as well as regional politics shape Athens history? Why do you think there was such conflict between Athens and Sparta?

From the main page, review the profiles of a few of the significant figures from ancient Athens: Cleisthenes, Themistocles, Pericles, Aspasia, and Socrates. Read through the pages of all of these characters, if you have time, or focus on Pericles only. How did Pericles and the others grow up and eventually rise to power in Athens? How did their beliefs and lifestyles affect all of Athens?

The Parthenon Marbles

Now that you understand what was happening in Athens when the Parthenon was built, it's time to learn more about the temple's artworks themselves. A project hosted by the Hellenic Electronic Center, called the Parthenon Marbles is a great place to discover why exactly Greece is fighting to reclaim these statues and friezes. (NOTE: If the site asks you to install a language pack, just hit Cancel.) At the site's home page, read about the differences between a metope, a frieze and a pediment statue. Imagine how impressive the 40-foot tall statue of Athena would have been!

Move on to A page for school children, which tells more about the history of the temple. Why was the Parthenon built? How did ownership and use of the building change over time and why? You can also read a more detailed History of the Parthenon -- from Part 1: The Construction of Parthenon to Part 5: British views on the return of the Marbles. Why do the British and Greeks want to own these marbles? To whom do you think the Parthenon Marbles should belong?

Also, check out the Picture Gallery to get a better grasp on the differences between Pediment Sculptures, Metopes and Friezes (gallery 1 and gallery 2). Which types of art do you like best and why? How well do you think these artworks depicted the greatness of Athens during the height of its power?

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