 |
| Me soaking up the sunshine |
 |
| Temple of Dionysos |
 |
| The Agora |
 |
| Panorama View at the Ancient Thira site |
 |
| Sanctuary of Aphrodite |
Ancient Thira is one the ruins to visit, with 360 degrees breathtaking views of the ocean and lowlands. No wonder they built it up top here to be closer to "Gods" and able to see the enemies coming from high above.
Ancient Thira is an antique city on a ridge of the steep, 360 m
high Messavouno mountain on the Greek island of Santorini. It was named
after the mythical ruler of the island, Thira, and was inhabited from
the 9th century BC until 726 AD.
The ruins of Ancient Thira are located on a headland called Mesa
Vouna between the two popular beaches of Kamari and Perissa. In addition
to its ancient ruins, the site offers spectacular views over cliffs
that drop into the sea on three sides.
Most of the ruins of Ancient Thira date from the Hellenistic
era, but there are also extensive Roman and Byzantine remains.
Buildings from different periods are mixed together throughout the site
along one main street, which is intersected by smaller streets.
The main street passes through two agoras,
which include ruins of several Greek temples. The arc of the theater
embraces the town of Kamari, Fira beyond, and the open Aegean. The
extensive ruins also include Hellenistic shops, Roman baths, Byzantine
walls, and the stone church of Agios Stefanos.
The Hellenistic Temple of Dionysos
(3rd century BC) is a small Doric temple built on a man-made platform
north of the Agora. The facade and roof were made of marble while the
rest of the building was of local stone.
Founded by Artemidoros of Perge in the late 4th or early 3rd century BC, the Sanctuary of Artemidoros
was entirely hewn from living rock. It includes various inscriptions
and engravings of Artemidoros as well as the symbols of major gods: an
eagle for Zeus, a lion for Apollo, a dolphin for Poseidon.
Part of the Sanctuary of Apollo Karneios
(6th century BC) is hewn from rock, while the rest is constructed on a
platform. It includes a temple with pronaos and cella, a square
courtyard with six monolithic pillars and an underground cistern and a
small building, probably a repository.
There is a fine view over the site from the large Terrace of the Festivals, where boys danced naked to honor Apollo (the performance was called the Gymnopaediae). This is likely related to the phallic-centered graffiti visible nearby, which dates from the Archaic to Roman period.
The cemeteries of Ancient Thira
are on the slopes of the Sellada, either side of the roads that lead to
the villages of Kamari and Perissa. The excavated graves span every
period from the Geometric to the Roman.
No comments: