Once upon a time, a grand building stood here. This is the Pompeion. It played a key role in ancient Athenian festivals. Let’s delve into the story of this fascinating site.
The Pompeion was located in Kerameikos. Kerameikos is an area northwest of the Acropolis. It was named after the potters who lived here. The name “ceramic” comes from this area. The walls of Athens divided Kerameikos into inner and outer sections in the 5th century BC.
The Pompeion was built in the late 5th century BC. It was a spacious building with a peristyle courtyard. This courtyard had columns all around. The Pompeion was used for preparing festival processions. The most important was the Panathenaic procession.
During the Panathenaic Festival, Athenians honored Athena. The Pompeion housed sacred items for this procession. Imagine the excitement as priests prepared offerings within these walls.
The Panathenaic Festival was a grand event. It is said a hecatomb was performed. A hecatomb is the sacrifice of 100 cows. The meat was distributed to the people in Kerameikos.
The Pompeion had banquet rooms. Here, the nobility of Athens dined on sacrificial meat. They celebrated their city and their gods. The atmosphere must have been vibrant and full of religious fervor.
However, the Pompeion’s glory was not to last. In 86 BC, Sulla sacked Athens. His army razed the Pompeion. The destruction was immense. Plutarch called it a bloodbath.
Despite this devastation, the site remained significant. In the 2nd century AD, a storehouse was built on the site. But it too was destroyed during the invasion of the Heruli in 267 AD.
For a time, potters’ workshops occupied the ruins. Around 500 AD, new structures arose. Two parallel colonnades were built. They stood behind the city gates. A new Festival Gate was added with three entrances.
These structures also met a violent end. Invading Avars and Slavs destroyed them in the late 6th century. Kerameikos then fell into obscurity.
Centuries passed. In 1863, a Greek worker unearthed a stele. This rediscovery marked the beginning of renewed interest in Kerameikos. Archaeological excavations began in 1870. The German Archaeological Institute has continued them since 1913.
Today, you can see the remains of the Pompeion. These ruins offer a glimpse into ancient Athenian life. They speak of religious festivals, noble feasts, and devastating invasions. As you stand here, imagine the processions. Picture the sacrifices. Remember the rise and fall of this once-great building. The Pompeion’s story is a testament to the enduring power of history.