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Choragic Monument of Nikias: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 37°58′13″N 23°43′37″E / 37.97028°N 23.72694°E / 37.97028; 23.72694
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* {{cite journal| last=Dörpfeld| first=Wilhelm| author-link=Wilhelm Dörpfeld| year=1885| lang=de| title=Das choragische Monument des Nikias| journal=Mittheilungen des deutschen Archäologischen Institutes in Athen| volume=10|ref=none}}
* {{cite journal| last=Dörpfeld| first=Wilhelm| author-link=Wilhelm Dörpfeld| year=1885| lang=de| title=Das choragische Monument des Nikias| journal=Mittheilungen des deutschen Archäologischen Institutes in Athen| volume=10|ref=none}}
* {{cite journal| last=Frantz| first=Alison| author-link=Alison Frantz| year=1982| title=The Date of the Phaidros Bema in the Theater of Dionysos| journal=Hesperia Supplements| volume=20| jstor=1353943| pages=34–39, 194–195| ref=none}}
* {{cite journal| last=Frantz| first=Alison| author-link=Alison Frantz| year=1982| title=The Date of the Phaidros Bema in the Theater of Dionysos| journal=Hesperia Supplements| volume=20| jstor=1353943| pages=34–39, 194–195| ref=none}}
* {{cite book| last=O'Sullivan| first=Lara| year=2009| title==The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307 BCE| publisher=Brill| place=Leiden| isbn=9789004178885| ref=none}}
* {{cite book| last=O'Sullivan| first=Lara| year=2009| title=The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307 BCE| publisher=Brill| place=Leiden| isbn=9789004178885| ref=none}}
* {{cite journal| last=Perrin| first=Bernadotte| author-link=Bernadotte Perrin| year=1911| title=The Choragic Monument of Nicias| journal=American Journal of Archaeology| volume=15| number=2| pages=168–169| url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.2307/497212| access-date=2023-12-08| ref=none}}
* {{cite journal| last=Perrin| first=Bernadotte| author-link=Bernadotte Perrin| year=1911| title=The Choragic Monument of Nicias| journal=American Journal of Archaeology| volume=15| number=2| pages=168–169| url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.2307/497212| access-date=2023-12-08| ref=none}}
* {{cite book| last=Travlos| first=John| author-link=John Travlos| year=1980| orig-date=1971| title=Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Athens| place=London| publisher=Thames and Hudson| isbn=9780500050125| ref=none}}
* {{cite book| last=Travlos| first=John| author-link=John Travlos| year=1980| orig-date=1971| title=Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Athens| place=London| publisher=Thames and Hudson| isbn=9780500050125| ref=none}}

Revision as of 15:44, 7 December 2023

37°58′13″N 23°43′37″E / 37.97028°N 23.72694°E / 37.97028; 23.72694

Reconstruction of the Choragic Monument of Nikias (on the right) as it might have appeared circa 160 BCE.

The Choragic Monument of Nikias is a memorial building built in the Acropolis of Athens in 320–319 BCE to commemorate the choregos Nikias, son of Nikodemos.[1] It was situated between the Theatre of Dionysos and the Stoa of Eumenes where its foundations remain along with some fragmentary elements of the structure. It was built in the form of a substantial hexastyle Doric temple with a square cella and might have been surmounted with the prize tripod of the Dionysia.[2] The monument was dismantled at some point in late antiquity and the masonry reused in the Beulé Gate.

Most of the surviving architectural remains of the choragic monument, notably its inscription[3], were later built into the central portion of the Beulé Gate, which was uncovered by Charles Ernest Beulé in 1852.[4] These remains were first studied in 1885 by Wilhelm Dörpfeld.[5][6]

In 1889 Dörpfeld proposed a site for the foundations of the building, which was eventually discarded. William Dinsmoor finally identified the site in 1910[7]. The exact date of the destruction of the monument is unknown, however, Dinsmoor argued that it might have been at the same time as the demolition of the Stoa of Eumenes in the late Roman period, before the reconstruction of the Theatre of Dionysos by Phaidros in the 3rd or 4th century CE.[8]

Two of the major choragic monuments that have survived (Thrasyllos' and Nikias') belong to the period of oligarchic rule under the Macedonian regency, and it is perhaps significant that these are not on the Street of the Tripods, where most choragic prizes and monuments were placed.[9] The conspicuous display of wealth and prestige they represent may have been an attempt to further the political careers of the choregoi and as such prompted the sumptuary law of Demetrios of Phaleron.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ Travlos p. 370
  2. ^ Dinsmoor rejects the argument that the tripod was on the acroterion of the building as this is too small to accommodate it, and must therefore have been inside the cella. Dinsmoor, 1910, p. 470.
  3. ^ IG II2 3055, which reads: "Nikias, son of Nikodemos, of the deme Xypete, dedicated this altar being victorious with Kekropis in the boys' contest. Pantaleon of Sikyon played the aulos. The song Elpenor of Timotheos. Neaichmos was Archon."
  4. ^ L'Acropole d'Athènes, 1853, I, 100-106
  5. ^ W. Dörpfeld, "Das choragische Monument des Nikias", Ath. Mitt., X
  6. ^ Dinsmoor, 1910, p. 459
  7. ^ W. Dinsmoor, "The Choragic Monument of Nicias", AJA 14, 1910, pp. 459–484
  8. ^ W. Dinsmoor, 1910, p. 482. See also Alison Frantz, "The Date of the Phaidros Bema in the Theater of Dionysos", Hesperia Supplements, Vol. 20, (1982), pp. 34–39+194–195
  9. ^ Wilson p. 226
  10. ^ Lara O'Sullivan, The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens 317–307 BCE, Brill, 2009, p. 178.

References

  • Dinsmoor, William Bell (1910). "The Choragic Monument of Nicias". American Journal of Archaeology. 14: 459–484. JSTOR 497149.
  • Dörpfeld, Wilhelm (1885). "Das choragische Monument des Nikias". Mittheilungen des deutschen Archäologischen Institutes in Athen (in German). 10.
  • Frantz, Alison (1982). "The Date of the Phaidros Bema in the Theater of Dionysos". Hesperia Supplements. 20: 34–39, 194–195. JSTOR 1353943.
  • O'Sullivan, Lara (2009). The Regime of Demetrius of Phalerum in Athens, 317–307 BCE. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004178885.
  • Perrin, Bernadotte (1911). "The Choragic Monument of Nicias". American Journal of Archaeology. 15 (2): 168–169. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  • Travlos, John (1980) [1971]. Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Athens. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 9780500050125.
  • Wilson, Peter (2001) [2000]. The Athenian Institution of the Khoregia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 052155070X.