DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.800#0366
TEMPLE OF ASCLEPIUS. 345
equipment of the Sarmatians, and mentions that the breastplates were
made of horses' hoofs. It is probable, therefore, that this was a recent
anathema, the produce of Trajan's wars. The Sarmatian armour is
shown on that emperor's column at Eome. •
Leake, after observing that the fountain in this temple was one of
the few sources of water which Athens possessed, says, that it could not
have been drinkable, and therefore identifies it with a stream of brack-
ish water which rises at the south-western angle of the Acropolis. But
there are several reasons why the temple could not have lain so far
westward as he places it; viz. between the summit of the Odeium of
Eegilla and the temple of Nike Apteros. For, first, there would not
have been room for several objects which Pausanias mentions, as inter-
vening between the temple of Asclepius and the entrance to the Acro-
polis. It is true that several dedicatory inscriptions to Asclepius have
been found near the south side of the Propylsea ;l but these were, in all
probability, moved from their original situation in the course of the
many vicissitudes which Athens has undergone. How much scattered
they have been appears from the fact that several have been found in
the interior of the Acropolis; and one again far away to the eastward,
near the Street of Tripods.2 But more recently, during the excavations
at the theatre, there was found near its western wall the fragment of
an epistyle with an inscription recording the rebuilding of the temple
by the priest Diophanes.3 This was probably at or near the spot actu-
ally occupied by the temple. From the length of this fragment, which
from its bearing the inscription must have been the centre-piece,
M. Pervanoglu has calculated that the whole breadth of this little
temple was 5-25 metres, or rather more than 17 feet.4 And with
regard to the spring, it appears that about fourteen paces from the
western wall of the theatre, and fifty from the cliff, are traces of a well
now filled up, which was probably the spring seen by Pausanias in the
peribolus of the temple.5 Most recent topographers, Boss, Curtius,
1 See Rangabc's Ant. Hell. t. ii. Xos. Kai'Yyela, k.t.\.—Pervanoglu, in the Philo-
1047-1040. logos, t. xxiv. p. 462.
8 Ibid. Nos. 774,1050, 1052, 1053. * Ibid. 4G4.
Aw<fidyrfs Uptvs yevoptvos 'AaKKrjirtca * Ibid. 459.
equipment of the Sarmatians, and mentions that the breastplates were
made of horses' hoofs. It is probable, therefore, that this was a recent
anathema, the produce of Trajan's wars. The Sarmatian armour is
shown on that emperor's column at Eome. •
Leake, after observing that the fountain in this temple was one of
the few sources of water which Athens possessed, says, that it could not
have been drinkable, and therefore identifies it with a stream of brack-
ish water which rises at the south-western angle of the Acropolis. But
there are several reasons why the temple could not have lain so far
westward as he places it; viz. between the summit of the Odeium of
Eegilla and the temple of Nike Apteros. For, first, there would not
have been room for several objects which Pausanias mentions, as inter-
vening between the temple of Asclepius and the entrance to the Acro-
polis. It is true that several dedicatory inscriptions to Asclepius have
been found near the south side of the Propylsea ;l but these were, in all
probability, moved from their original situation in the course of the
many vicissitudes which Athens has undergone. How much scattered
they have been appears from the fact that several have been found in
the interior of the Acropolis; and one again far away to the eastward,
near the Street of Tripods.2 But more recently, during the excavations
at the theatre, there was found near its western wall the fragment of
an epistyle with an inscription recording the rebuilding of the temple
by the priest Diophanes.3 This was probably at or near the spot actu-
ally occupied by the temple. From the length of this fragment, which
from its bearing the inscription must have been the centre-piece,
M. Pervanoglu has calculated that the whole breadth of this little
temple was 5-25 metres, or rather more than 17 feet.4 And with
regard to the spring, it appears that about fourteen paces from the
western wall of the theatre, and fifty from the cliff, are traces of a well
now filled up, which was probably the spring seen by Pausanias in the
peribolus of the temple.5 Most recent topographers, Boss, Curtius,
1 See Rangabc's Ant. Hell. t. ii. Xos. Kai'Yyela, k.t.\.—Pervanoglu, in the Philo-
1047-1040. logos, t. xxiv. p. 462.
8 Ibid. Nos. 774,1050, 1052, 1053. * Ibid. 4G4.
Aw<fidyrfs Uptvs yevoptvos 'AaKKrjirtca * Ibid. 459.