THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO EPICURIUS
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius is located at the south-western foot of Lykaion mountain, at the southern part of Kotylion Mountain. The location where the temple was built was chosen with care and consideration. Beyond the idyllic beauty of the landscape, it also offers great views on the entire Peloponnese. The excavations revealed that the Temple is founded on another previous Apollo sanctuary dating from the archaic period. The sanctuary was raised by the Phigalians, probably after 659 B.C.
This small temple included a cult statue of Apollo Bassitas, crudely worked in wood. The god’s epithet is related to region of Bassae (meaning a vale, a gorge). The Phigalians, damages by plague, prayed to the statue for healing. Moving to that region was miraculous and healed them, as they left behind their plagued land for some time and stayed in the fresh air and under the vivifying sun.
Following these events, they decided to build a new and larger temple on the site of the old sanctuary, dedicated to Apollo and named Epicurius, (i.e. Apollo the Helper), out of gratitude for the god’s assistance against the deadly plague. There was another reason for the Phigalians to build this masterpiece: they wished to follow the example of other cities that were raising grandiose monuments. They invited the same architect who built the Parthenon, Iktinos, and commissioned a large temple to be built on the location, to host the cult statue of Apollo Bassitas.
Construction started in 430 B.C. and ended in 410 B.C: it took 20 years to finish the Temple. The Temple is made of limestone, extracted from a quarry located north-west of the temple. It is the best preserved temple of ancient times and it is impressive due to its many particularities, possibly related to the ancient Arcadian devotional tradition. Its main particularities include:
- It has a north-south orientation rather than east to west, the norm for most temples.
- It combines all three orders: a Doric peristyle (on the outside) with 6 columns on its short sides and 15 on the long sides (an oblong archaic form). Ιonic pilasters on the inside are connected to the walls of the nave. a Corinthian column in front of the sanctuary.
- There is also a second entrance of the temple on the east wall of the nave and the columns of the North side have a larger diameter.
A temple conservation committee was founded in 1982. The temple is now maintained and restored. The Temple was declared a “World Heritage Monument” by decision of the 10th UNESCO Session in Paris, in 1986.
THE “FRIEZE” OF THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO EPICURIUS
Our library hosts 23 plaster casts from the frieze of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius, donated by the British Museum to the Public Library of Andritsaina in 1963.
In July 1812, a group of antiquity scientists (H. von Hallerstein, O. M. Von Stackelberg, G. Gropius, J. Foster, Th. Legh) engaged in the systematic excavation of the area and the study of the monument. The result of the excavation was the discovery of the 23 marble plates from the famous Ionic frieze. The news of the discovery spread quickly in Europe and garnered the interest of artists and scholars alike. After much negotiation, the frieze was purchased in 1814 by order of the English Prince George, was transferred to the British Museum and was officially displayed in 1820.
The frieze was supported by the pilasters of Ionic order, in the nave of the temple, and consisted of 23 marble plates, represents the two most popular topics of the ancient Greeks. 11 plates were devoted to Centauromachy, the fight between Centaurs and Lapiths and 12 were dedicated to Amazonomachy, the war between the Athenians and the Amazons.
CENTAUROMACHY
Centaurs were mythological creatures with monster features, who from the waist up were humans and from the waist down horses.
They were invited to the wedding of the Lapith king Pirithous (from Thessaly) and disrespected the sacred law of hospitality, under the influence of wine. Eurytion attacked the bride, Hippodameia, and tried to rape her, while the other centaurs attacked Lapith women.
In Centauromachy, unsightly Centaurs with their horse bodies fight with attractive Lapiths, while terrified and beautiful Lapith women are trying to escape the Centaurs embraces. Many Centaurs were killed during the fight, while the rest were expelled away from the Lapiths.
AMAZONOMACHY
Amazons were a mythical nation of heroic and warlike women, who lived on the coast of the Black Sea. They were renowned for their horsemanship and archery and for their hatred toward men.
Once, Theseus visited their land, as part of the Hercules campaign. The Amazon Antiope fell in love with him, delivered her city by treachery and then followed Theseus in Attica, where they had a son named Hippolytus. This event triggered the reaction of the Amazons, who campaigned in Attica against Theseus and Antiope, but were defeated with heavy losses. Antiope was killed fighting alongside Theseus.
Amazonomachy depicts this harsh conflict, between the Amazons with fluttering dresses and the young of Attica, with the central theme of death.
