DOI chapter:
Division E: The west slope of the Acropolis, the Areopagus, and Academy suburb
DOI chapter:Section XXIV
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61302#0747
SEC. XXIV
OF ANCIENT ATHENS
571
As one of these graves is connected with a public monument men-
tioned by Pausanias, it, as well as those that have mythological
interest, will be briefly noted.
Before he comes to the tombs Pausanias mentions—■
(1) The precinct of Artemis.
(2) A small temple of Dionysos.
The site of the precinct of Artemis is not known, but near to the
Dipylon was found a small square altar of Pentelic marble bear-
ing, in letters of Macedonian times, the following inscription :—
“ Mitrobates dedicated it to Artemis.” A stele also came to
light built into a wall near the Dipylon. It bore a long inscrip-
tion recording a dedication made during the archonship of
Diomedes (circ. 262 B.c.) by a sacred college (#ίασ-ο$). The
stele, it was directed, was to be set up in the temple of
Artemis.36
It is disappointing that Pausanias will not give the “ other
account ” of the origin of the titles of Artemis, but it seems very
probable that he knew the ancient bear-story of Callisto and did
not think it sufficiently creditable for repetition.
As to the temple of Dionysos “of no great size,” it stood in
close relation to the temple of Dionysos at Eleutherae, and to
the precinct of the theatre on the south-east side of the Acropolis.
This precinct contained an old image, which, it was reported
(i. 38, 8), had been brought from Eleutherae, where its place was
supplied by a copy. Whether this transfer had actually taken
place or not, the Athenians would be sure to claim for themselves
the prestige of holding the earlier image. The image of Dionysos
Eleuthereus went in solemn procession to the little temple near
the Academy. The temple, being only in use this once during
the year, did not need to be of large size. In fact, it probably
was a sort of sacred “ station,” and being on the road to Eleutherae
it looks as if the Boeotians had exacted this transfer of the image
part of the way to its original home as a sort of standing memory
of the priority of their claim. Anyhow, it commemorated the
fact that Dionysos entered Athens from without, a stranger god.
Philostratos makes mention of this ceremony. On one occasion
Herodes Atticus (Philostratos, Vit. Soph. ii. 549) showed his
munificence by giving a great feast and sacrifice to the Athenian
people, according to their tribes and families—“ When the Dionysia
OF ANCIENT ATHENS
571
As one of these graves is connected with a public monument men-
tioned by Pausanias, it, as well as those that have mythological
interest, will be briefly noted.
Before he comes to the tombs Pausanias mentions—■
(1) The precinct of Artemis.
(2) A small temple of Dionysos.
The site of the precinct of Artemis is not known, but near to the
Dipylon was found a small square altar of Pentelic marble bear-
ing, in letters of Macedonian times, the following inscription :—
“ Mitrobates dedicated it to Artemis.” A stele also came to
light built into a wall near the Dipylon. It bore a long inscrip-
tion recording a dedication made during the archonship of
Diomedes (circ. 262 B.c.) by a sacred college (#ίασ-ο$). The
stele, it was directed, was to be set up in the temple of
Artemis.36
It is disappointing that Pausanias will not give the “ other
account ” of the origin of the titles of Artemis, but it seems very
probable that he knew the ancient bear-story of Callisto and did
not think it sufficiently creditable for repetition.
As to the temple of Dionysos “of no great size,” it stood in
close relation to the temple of Dionysos at Eleutherae, and to
the precinct of the theatre on the south-east side of the Acropolis.
This precinct contained an old image, which, it was reported
(i. 38, 8), had been brought from Eleutherae, where its place was
supplied by a copy. Whether this transfer had actually taken
place or not, the Athenians would be sure to claim for themselves
the prestige of holding the earlier image. The image of Dionysos
Eleuthereus went in solemn procession to the little temple near
the Academy. The temple, being only in use this once during
the year, did not need to be of large size. In fact, it probably
was a sort of sacred “ station,” and being on the road to Eleutherae
it looks as if the Boeotians had exacted this transfer of the image
part of the way to its original home as a sort of standing memory
of the priority of their claim. Anyhow, it commemorated the
fact that Dionysos entered Athens from without, a stranger god.
Philostratos makes mention of this ceremony. On one occasion
Herodes Atticus (Philostratos, Vit. Soph. ii. 549) showed his
munificence by giving a great feast and sacrifice to the Athenian
people, according to their tribes and families—“ When the Dionysia