Athens (part 2)

(The Parthenon and Mars Hill as viewed from the ancient city of Athens)

After touring the Parthenon and Mars Hill, we got to go down to the ruins of the ancient city of Athens.  While the site itself is not as impressive as Ephesus, one does get a better picture of the Roman times by the restored stoa (strip mall) in the midst of the Athenian ruins. 

Here is an impressive view from inside the reconstructed stoa. Little shops would be set up to the right of the photo, just past the columns in single-room arrangements.  If you have been to a Middle East bizarre, you get the idea.

Here are the original remains of the other stoa.  Though Athens was not the only city that had three stoas in its agora (marketplace), it does indicate the city's wealth and size in the early Roman period.

While we know that Athens was advanced, many of us rarely realize just how advanced the Greco-Roman cities were.  Here we see the relics of the underground sewer system.

This is one of the temples for the pagan gods referenced in Acts 17.  In particular, this is the Temple of Hephaestus, the Greek god of technology, craftsmanship, and blacksmiths.

Me and my long lost brother.

I just have to share my useless trivia on this.  This sign obviously is an exit sign, but the Greek word for "exit" written above is exodus, which explains how the book of Exodus got its name.  But that's not all.  Not only does this word have biblical significance, but it also serves to give us an insight into how literal the Greek language can be.  Translated literally, the work actually means "the road (or path) out."

Athens (part 1)

First, let me say that I'm glad we took this trip last year considering the current situation in Athens.  Second, I must also say that I was rather disappointed with the condition of the city.  Not only was it dirty, but an abundance of graffiti really countered the mystique of the ancient city.  That being said, the ruins and sites of ancient Athens were amazing!

One of the first places that we went to was the agora or downtown of ancient Athens.  This area once contained 3 large stoas, or shop buildings (think strip mall; a reconstructed stoa can be partially seen on the right edge of the picture with a large red roof.), a large enclosed auditorium, and monuments to the 12 recognized gods.  It was here that we read about Paul finding an altar devoted "to the unknown god," and being compelled to go and preach to the philosophers of the city.

After stirring up the crowd of Athenians in the agora, Paul was taken up to the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill.  It was on this hill overlooking ancient Athens that the key philosophers of the day would gather and discuss thoughts on life.  It was on this very place that Paul gave this well-reasoned explanation of Gospel, evangelically engaging the leading philosophers of his day.

(Mars Hill viewed from the Parthenon)

 

The two of us on top of Mars Hill with the ancient city of Athens below.

In the footsteps of Paul...

Next time we'll include our pictures of the Parthenon and a few other shots from the ancient Athenian agora.