Erecting statues on the acropolis. Ancient wonders of the world

When the Greeks rebelled against Ottoman Empire, during one of the battles they managed to surround the Athenian Acropolis, on whose territory the Turks were staying. When the besieged began to run out of shells, they began to destroy the columns of the Parthenon in order to make ammunition from the parts that held them together. The Greeks could not allow this to happen, and therefore the enemies ancient monument they left the architecture alone and sent them a shipment of lead.

The Acropolis is located in the capital of Greece, Athens, on a rocky hill with flat top at an altitude of 156 meters above sea level. m. and the area it occupies is about three hectares (300 meters long, 170 meters wide). You can find the new Acropolis at: Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athens 117 42, and at geographical map– found at the following coordinates: 37° 58′ 17.12″ N. latitude, 23° 43′ 34.2″ e. d.

The Athenian Acropolis is a complex of buildings, most of which were built in the 5th century. BC. the best architects of Hellas. Initially, it was intended not so much for the defense of the city, but for holding pagan services. On its territory it was erected great amount temples dedicated to Athena (the most famous), as well as Poseidon and Nike.

They began to actively build up the Acropolis in Athens in the 7th-6th centuries. BC. and one of the significant buildings of that time was the Hekatompedon, the temple of the most revered goddess ancient Greece, Athens. True, a century later, during the Greco-Persian War, the Persians destroyed most of the sanctuaries, and having driven out the enemies from their territory, the Greeks began to build the New Acropolis.

It was entrusted to supervise the construction work famous sculptor of that time, Phidias (the author of one of the wonders of the world, in Olympia), who, judging by the descriptions of contemporaries, developed a plan for the architectural complex. And the most eminent architects of those times helped him create the new Acropolis - Callicrates, Mnesicles, Ictinus, Archilochus, etc. The new Acropolis in Greece, erected by ancient masters, speaks with all its appearance about high level architecture of the ancient Hellenes.

What does the Acropolis look like?

It was possible to climb to the top of the rock of the Acropolis of Athens only from the western side along a zigzag road; from other sides it was inaccessible. Below, at the foot, there were two theaters - Dionysus, built by the Greeks, and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, built by the Romans in the 2nd century. AD If you look at the map, you will notice that the monuments of the Acropolis in Greece number about fifteen buildings (together with theaters), plus a museum is currently open on its territory in a separate building.

Promachos

It is interesting that the first monument that the New Acropolis saw was not a building, but a statue of Athena-Promachos, created by Phidias himself. The goddess was wearing a helmet, resting on a spear with her right hand, and in her left she had a shield (the helmet and the tip of the spear were made of gold). Promakhos was made of bronze, had a height of about 7 meters and was installed so that it could not only be seen from anywhere in the city, but also from the sea - the sailors saw the golden helmet and the tip of the spear shining in the sun from a great distance.

Propylaea (437 – 432 BC)

Athena Promachos was located opposite the main entrance to the Acropolis of Athens. It was made by the architect Mnesiklos from white Pentelic and gray Eleuskin marble. The Propylaea consists of three parts: the central one, which contained six Doric columns, and two wings adjacent to it. It is interesting that Ionic columns were installed on both sides of the main passage - apparently, this principle of combining two different types of columns was used here for the first time.

Parthenon (447 – 438 BC)

The Greeks are convinced that the Acropolis and the Parthenon are two inseparable concepts, since it is impossible to imagine them without each other. The Parthenon was erected by Callicrates and Ictinus from Pentelic marble on top of a rock and was dedicated to the patron goddess of the city, Athena.

The Parthenon is a rectangular building 30.8 x 69.5 m with columns located around the perimeter, about ten meters high: seventeen were installed on the south and north sides of the sanctuary, eight on the west and east (the entrances to the temple were also located here).

The Parthenon was decorated with sculptural bas-reliefs from the life of the city: a procession to the Acropolis of selected maidens with a gift for the goddess (held once every four years), about a hundred bas-reliefs depicting various battles. The eastern side of the Parthenon told the legend of the birth of Athena, the western - about her dispute with the god of the seas, Poseidon, about who would be the patron of Athens.

The main hall of the Parthenon was divided into three parts using two rows of columns. In the depths of this architectural monument there was a twelve-meter sculpture of Athena. The goddess had Nike in her right hand, and on her left side was a spear. The face and hands of the statue were carved from ivory, weapons and clothes were cast from gold, and precious stones shone in the eyes.

Unfortunately, in the V Art. The sculpture was taken to Constantinople, where it burned down in a fire.

At the western entrance there is a square parthenon hall, which housed the archives and treasury of the city maritime union. Presumably, the name of the Greek temple came from this hall, which translated means “house for girls,” since it was here that the priestesses made peplos (sleeveless women's outerwear, sewn from light material, which was presented to the goddess during the ceremonial procession.

Temple of Athena the Victorious (449 – 421 BC)

A small marble temple is located (the dimensions of its base are 5.4 x 8.14 m, the height of the columns is 4 m) in the southwest of the Propylaea, on a small ledge of rock, which was previously reinforced with a retaining wall. The author of this original architectural monument was the author of the Parthenon, Callicrates. The sanctuary was surrounded by columns, while the building was surrounded by walls on three sides, while on the eastern side, where the entrance to the temple was located, there was no wall, instead there were two pillars.

Interestingly, another name for this small marble temple is Nike Apteros, which means Wingless. According to legend, the wooden statue of the Goddess of Victory that was in this temple did not have wings: the Athenians categorically did not want it to leave the city.

Temple of Erechtheinon (421-407 BC)

Erechtion is considered the last architectural monument of the Acropolis; it was dedicated to two gods at once, Athena and Poseidon, and received its name because of the remains of the tomb of ruler Erechtheus found on its territory.

The shrine is located behind Promachos and was erected in the place where, according to legend, Athena argued with Poseidon. According to the description of eyewitnesses, an olive tree grew near the temple and there was a mark left in the floor from the blow of Poseidon’s staff. The story goes that the olive tree burned down when the ancient Acropolis was set on fire by the Persians, but was revived after its liberation.

Despite the fact that the temple is smaller in size than the Parthenon (11.63 x 23.5 m), its architecture has a more complex plan.

The eastern portico of the building is supported by six Ionic columns, the northern one by four. The frieze of the shrine was made of marble-like limestone, into which white marble sculptures were inserted. WITH south side Erechtheinon has a portico, which, instead of traditional columns, was supported by statues of girls. Currently, all the original sculptures have been replaced with copies and are located in the Louvre, the Acropolis Museum and the British Museum.

Acropolis today

Unfortunately, history has not been kind to the Athenian Acropolis: people first made the Church of Our Lady from the Parthenon, then a mosque, the Erechtheion became the harem of the Turkish Pasha, the Temple of the Wingless Nike was dismantled and a fortress wall was erected from it, and during the war with Turkey in the 19th century. he was significantly damaged by a shell fired by the Turks. The strongest earthquake in Greece in 1894 contributed to the destruction of the unique complex.

As soon as the Greeks regained power over the city, they began restoring their landmark. After Greece proclaimed at the end of the 19th century. independence, they took up this issue more seriously, as a result of which they were able to achieve significant successes, thanks to which museum visitors now have the opportunity not only to see the new Acropolis, but also to more clearly imagine what it looked like in ancient times.

They eliminated all the later structures of the Acropolis, rebuilt the Temple of Nike, created copies of the sculptures and replaced the originals with them, taking them for storage to museums, one of which was placed at the foot of the rock. The new Athens Acropolis Museum was opened in 2009. It is interesting that it was the third in a row, since as a result of numerous archaeological excavations the first two museums did not contain all the finds and were replaced by more large building, which is ten times larger in area than its predecessor.

Acropolis of the 2nd millennium BC. e. The buildings, the ruins of which can now be seen on the Acropolis, were erected in the middle of the 5th century. BC e. However, even before the 5th century. The Athenian Acropolis was not a deserted rock. Life has flowed here since the end of the 3rd millennium BC. e. The Acropolis was already a refuge for the inhabitants of the surrounding plains when attacked by enemies. Powerful fortress walls up to 10 meters high and 6 meters wide protected the Acropolis and made it an impregnable stronghold. It was possible to penetrate the hill from the west and north. The entrance from the western, less reliable side was fortified especially carefully. On the northern side, it was apparently hidden by thickets of bushes and the steps of a narrow staircase carved into the rock led to it. Subsequently, when only the sanctuaries of the gods remained on the Acropolis, the staircase on the northern slope became unnecessary and the northern entrance was blocked. Only one main entrance to the Acropolis was preserved - on the western side.

In the XVI-XII centuries. BC e. Athens did not stand out among other cities in Greece. They were inferior to Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos and other powerful Hellenic centers. The advance of Athens began after the fall of the Cretan power. The poetic legend about the ancient hero Theseus, who brought victory to Athens, still lives. The legend tells of the terrible tribute that the Athenians had to send annually to Crete. Seven young men and seven girls became the prey of a terrible monster, half-man, half-bull - the minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth in Crete. Once, as the myth tells, the brave and handsome Theseus, the son of the Athenian king Aegeus, was among the young men. With the help of the daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne, who fell in love with him, he defeated the monster and returned to Athens, bringing them freedom and glory.

The ancient Acropolis of Athens may have been similar to the acropolises of Mycenae and Tiryns. The buildings of this time were poorly preserved, since later many structures were erected on the Athenian Acropolis in different eras.

Excavations have shown that in the 2nd millennium BC. e. meetings of rulers, trials, and religious festivals took place here. In the northern part of the Acropolis, archaeologists found a site, apparently, for sacred ceremonies of the Athenians. To the west royal palace, at the northern gate, a well was discovered that provided good drinking water to people who found protection from enemies behind the walls. Data from archaeological excavations indicate that even in these years social, religious, cultural life The Athenians were concentrated on the Acropolis.

Orders of Greek temples. By the 6th century BC e. In Greek architecture, the main types of temples had already fully developed, the most common of which was the peripterus. It was most often a rectangular building, surrounded on all sides by a colonnade and covered with a gable roof. In the Greek temple, the architectural elements of the building were brought into a certain system. There was an order of their location depending on the nature of the structure. This order was called order(ill. 8, 9, 10).

Some temples were built in the Doric order, others in the Ionic order, and others later, starting in the 4th century. BC e., - in Corinthian. Each order was expressive in its own way. The Doric order is the most strict in terms of forms; the buildings built in it can give an impression of strict, even sometimes severe. The Ionic order is distinguished by the grace of forms and proportions, and the lightness of its elements. It is noteworthy that the Roman architect Vitruvius saw in the Doric order an expression of masculine strength; the forms of the Ionic reminded him of refined feminine beauty, complemented by decorations. The Corinthian order differed from these two orders in its special elegance and luxury.

On the diagrams you can see an image of three orders and the names of their parts. All parts of the order can be divided into groups: supporting elements - stylobate, columns and carried - entablature, roof. The relationship between the main parts - the strength or weakness of the load-bearing elements, the heaviness or lightness of those carried - gives the building a stern and tense character, or a naturally harmonious, or light one.

Buildings on the Acropolis in the 6th century. BC e. In the VI century. BC e. On the Acropolis there was a temple of Athena, called Hekatompedon 1. It was located directly opposite the Propylaea and amazed the person who entered the Acropolis with its beauty. This effect was facilitated by the measured gradual ascent along the hillside and the passage through the small gate decorated with columns - the Propylaea.

In the placement of the Propylaea and Hekatompedon on ancient Acropolis symmetry prevailed, which archaic masters often adhered to. The principle of symmetry was also considered important by sculptors, especially the creators of sculptures on the pediments of temples. Symmetry was also the basis of the statues that adorned the Acropolis at that time. The frontal image, strictly in front, which seemed especially expressive and beautiful, also appeared in the layout of buildings of this time. That is why the architects placed the Hekatompedon temple right in front of the Propylaea, so that a person entering the Acropolis would see this main temple of the sacred hill not from the side, but from the front, from the richly decorated facade 2.

From buildings of the 6th century. BC e. On the Acropolis, only the foundations have survived, and even then not all of them. This is explained by the fact that most of the buildings were destroyed during the Greco-Persian wars, and by the fact that on the Acropolis in the 5th century. BC e. new buildings were erected. Archaic temples were better preserved where in subsequent eras there was no such rapid construction and where, as on the Acropolis, every piece of land was not dear. That is why the temples of the 6th century. can be seen not on the Acropolis, but in other areas of Greece: the temple of Apollo in Corinth, Hera in Olympia, Demetrge in Paestum (ill. 11). The temples of the Acropolis in the 6th century were undoubtedly similar to them. BC e.

The architectural forms of archaic temples are ponderous and severe. The columns seem to swell under the weight of the roof pressing on them. The severity was softened only by sculptural decorations. Some pediment compositions of the archaic temples of the Acropolis have been preserved, although, unfortunately, it is not always precisely determined which temple this or that sculptural group belonged to, and their reconstructions are not always indisputable.

Pediment - the fight of Hercules with the hydra. On the Acropolis, slabs with reliefs were found depicting the feat of Hercules - the fight against the Hydra 3. The small size of the flat relief makes one think that it belonged to a small temple or treasury. The relief material is soft limestone (the so-called grown up). The sculptures made from it were brightly painted. The coloring covered the rough surface of the stone.

Unfortunately, only the torso and legs of the figure of Hercules have survived. The Hydra was depicted with many heads on writhing serpentine bodies 4 . There is still no clarity in the composition, which will appear later: the main thing is not highlighted, the particulars are not relegated to the background. The struggle saturates both this and other monuments. The mobility of the figures is typical for such compositions of archaic art. Everything in them is subordinated to the disclosure of the theme of the victory of the human hero over an evil force.

Pediments of the Hecatompedon. Other sculptures decorating temples were also found on the Athenian Acropolis. One of the groups shows Hercules fighting Triton, the other shows a fantastic monster with three bodies and three heads - Tritopator. There is reason to believe that they decorated the most ancient temple- Hekatomnedon 5. The statues are made of limestone and brightly painted. The master filled the low side parts of the gables with flexible snake tails intertwining with each other, becoming thinner towards the corners.

The ancient sculptor depicted Hercules defeating the sea monster Triton (ill. 12). Triton is shown as a man with a fish tail 6. The hero pins the enemy to the ground 7. The intense, more voluminous forms than in the previous pediment and the beauty of their outlines attract attention.

Three human torsos of Tritopator - a good ancient Attic deity (ill. 13) - turn into long tails, filling the low side part of the pediment. Tritopator's faces are peaceful and good-natured (ill. 14). In the hands of one there is a wavy ribbon representing water, in another there is a tongue of flame, a sign of fire, in the third there is a bird, a symbol of air, and in the back there is something like a wing. Tritopator personified the elements of water, fire and air. This sculptural group already has more volume and richness. The sculptures are not as flat as in the relief of Hercules with the Hydra. The composition is more complex. Three faces are presented from different points of view: the first head is from the front, the other two are rotated. The tritopator is shown emerging from the corner of the pediment. And although he moves to the side, his faces and torsos turn towards the viewer.

These sculptures were painted, and the paint was preserved quite well. The hair on the head and beard was blue, the eyes were green, the ears, lips and cheeks were red. The bodies are covered with pale pink paint. Snake tails are painted with red and blue stripes.

One of the heads of the Tritopator, kept in the Museum of the Acropolis of Athens, entered the history of art under the code name “Bluebeard” (ill. 15).

The bright color attracted ancient artists. The paint brought the images to life. She deprived the mythological scene of horror and introduced an element of play into it. In Greek art, evil creatures - sphinxes, gorgons, tritons - do not look terrible and omnipotent; the superiority of the human mind over them is always felt. This demonstrated the humanism of the Greeks - a great achievement of human culture.

Pediment - Athena with a giant. Around 530 BC e. The Hecatompedon was rebuilt. On one of the pediments of the new temple (it is called Hekatompedon II, in contrast to the old one), a battle between the Olympian gods and giants was depicted (ill. 16). A statue of Athena fighting a giant has been preserved (ill. 17). In all likelihood, it was placed in the center of the pediment, and other figures were located on the sides. The victorious Athena is shown in impetuous movement, the giant is defeated at her feet. The master emphasizes the victory of the goddess, elevating her figure above the losing strength of the giant. The triumph of the patroness of the city is perceived already from a distant approach to the temple. The theme of struggle sounds here without a hint of cruelty, not like in the scene of the fight between Hercules and Triton, where the hero, in the heat of battle, strained all his strength and pressed the monster to the ground. The sculptor does not show Athena tense, but rather demonstrates the superiority of the noble goddess. This scene, presented in monumental forms, is worthy of the great temple of the Acropolis, worthy of Athens.

It is noteworthy that at the end of the 6th century BC. e. for sculptures, marble, rather than limestone, is often used. The faithful Greeks began to use this beautiful stone to depict the human figure. Slightly translucent from the surface, it conveyed the tenderness of the skin well and, better than other breeds, responded to the desire of Hellenic sculptors to show a person as beautiful and perfect.

The meaning of pediment compositions. The subjects of the pediment compositions of archaic temples were never accidental. Sculptors did not make them just for decoration. They always contained a deep meaning, a kind of metaphorical image of existence perceived by the artist. In the minds of the Hellenes of the harsh archaic era, the world was in a constant, cruel struggle. In Greek legends and myths, it took on the character of a victory of light, sublime forces over dark, base creatures. Giants fought with the titans, the inhabitants of Olympus - the gods - with the giants, courageous human heroes entered into an unequal battle with terrible monsters - tritons, hydras, gorgons.

In images of architecture, in sculptures, in drawings on vases, the physical strength of man was glorified and his victories were shown. The universal idea of ​​the triumph of a perfect human hero, both physically and spiritually, found expression in art.

Potters of the 6th century BC e. loved to emphasize the massive forms and wide bodies of vases, architects created powerful columns of temples, swelling in the middle and narrow at the top, sculptors showed broad shoulders and narrow waists in statues of young men - winners in competitions. The enormous spiritual tension of man was expressed in archaic monuments. A similar interpretation of artistic forms and plot depictions of the struggle and victory of light forces over dark ones appear during the period of a decisive break in the old worldview. During these centuries, a new, Hellenic culture was born, which contrasted the dogmas of Eastern civilization with new principles. The significance of the turning point was enormous for the future fate of the European peoples.

Statues cor. In 1886, fourteen marble statues of Athenian girls were discovered on the Athenian Acropolis between Erechtheion and the northern wall of the hill. Subsequently, several more of the same sculptures were found. During the time when Athens was ruled by the sons of the tyrant Peisistratus, there were many sculptures on the Acropolis, including statues of girls, or, in Greek, kors (ill. 7). These statues had high pedestals of different types - round, square, some in the form of columns with Doric or Ionic capitals 8. They were made for the most part made of marble brought from the islands of the Aegean Sea. Only a few are made from local Attic Pentellian marble.

Greek sculptors showed kors in long, festive robes. The girls do not look alike, although they stand in the same pose - strictly frontally, holding straight, maintaining solemnity. It is still unknown exactly who these statues depict. Some want to see them as goddesses, others as priestesses, and still others as noble girls with gifts to the goddess. The kor statues convince of the love of the late archaic society of the end of the 6th century. BC e. for decorations, patterns. Particularly beautiful and varied are the complex hair styling and carefully curled curls of the hairstyle. Sculptors depict them with great skill.

The proximity of the countries of the East makes itself felt in the details of these monuments of archaic art. Elegant clothes cor. Most of them are wearing chiton shirts. Some barks hold them with their left hand at the hip, and the fabric folds beautifully. A cloak is thrown over the top - a himation, often luxurious, falling in picturesque folds (ill. 18).

Faces reveal little about the mood of the core. Only the corners of the mouth are slightly raised and the lips are folded into a restrained smile, which is still far from a living feeling of joy (ill. 19). Their clothes speak more about the character of girls. In some, the folds of chitons form complex patterns, cheerfully interrupting each other, in others, they calmly flow down, in others, they are shown as restrained and sparse. The clothes seem to correspond to the different characters and moods of the girls - sometimes cheerful and lively, sometimes calm, sometimes strict and focused. This demonstrates the ability of ancient sculpture of the archaic era to convey feelings not through facial expressions, but through the plasticity of forms and expressiveness of lines.

Before the discovery of the Acropolis cores antique sculpture presented as white marble, colorless. The barks surprised the world by the fact that they retained paint, while most others greek statues she came down. The paint lies in a dense layer on the marble, even covering it in some places. But the statues do not lose because of this in their artistic expressiveness. Extreme generalization is combined with specificity, emphasized by the coloring of the pupils, scarlet lips, and dark hair. Paint, bringing the image closer to reality, affirms with even greater force the character and idea of ​​the work - the glorification of beauty.

Much later, the images of Roman sculptors of the 3rd - 4th centuries. n. e. - individual, specific - would no longer withstand such coloring. It would make them too close to reality, naturalistic, and the work would lose the ability to express the general idea. The later monumental sculpture therefore also abandons coloring. The Greeks, in their statues and other works, were not afraid of this, so strong was the character of generalization in their plastic forms.

The statues of the girls are beautiful. Contemplating them, a person receives great pleasure. Before him, it’s as if the feelings of ancient sculptors, who managed to convey the serene beauty of youth, come to life. During the Greco-Persian Wars, these beautiful sculptures were broken and lay in a pile of so-called Persian rubbish until they were used as simple stones during the construction of new temples. Possibly archaic statues from the 6th century. BC e. lost to the Greeks of the 5th century. BC e. the charm that their fathers and grandfathers felt. It is also possible that the heavily damaged statues have already lost their religious significance. After all, it is known that the Hellenes often treated the statues as living beings: sometimes they dressed them, anointed them with fragrant oils, brought food, and once even tied the legs and arms of some statues, because they were afraid that they might leave.

The archaic buildings and sculptures of the Acropolis are full of great original beauty. They will not be replaced by any stories about the feelings and moods of people of this time. Works of the Greek archaic do not lose their value, even when placed next to the creations of the masters classical era. So, often a person deeply experiences the feelings of the heroes of books written many decades or centuries ago. The music of past centuries is also no less exciting than the works of modern composers. So are archaic monuments Athens Acropolis, pediment compositions and sculptures, imbued with a special charm that has never been repeated subsequently, stop a person’s gaze, although they are inferior in the perfection of execution to the works created on the Acropolis in the middle of the 5th century. BC e.

Victory for democracy in Greek cities. At the end of the 6th century. BC e. in Athens, the aristocracy lost many of the advantages it had previously enjoyed. The social structure was now based on democratic principles. Series life forms Greek cities became more progressive; The democratic system contributed to the development of sciences and arts.

At the end of the 6th century. BC e. The free Greek cities were opposed by the huge Persian power of the Achaemenids, which was experiencing a constant bitter struggle between various dynasties. The unlimited power of the king, the complex bureaucratic apparatus characteristic of ancient Eastern states with a mass of powerless subjects seemed to the Hellenes a manifestation of barbarism.

Revolt of Miletus. Greek cities, located in Asia Minor on the coast of the Aegean Sea, were under the rule of the Persians for a long time. Exorbitantly high taxes, the arbitrariness of the Persian rulers - satraps, and their constant interference in the economic affairs of the Greeks placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of the residents of the cities of Asia Minor. Big City Miletus rebelled and overthrew the Persian protege. The Milesians were supported by other cities in Asia Minor, and the uprising flared up. The Persians suppressed it, but realized that the cities of the Balkan Peninsula were setting an example of love of freedom for the Greeks of Asia Minor, and decided to destroy the foundations of the democratic system in the cities of mainland Greece.

The beginning of the Greco-Persian wars. In 492 BC. e. The son-in-law of the Persian king Darius I, Mardonius, went on a campaign to Greece. However, after the death of three hundred ships during a storm, he returned ingloriously. Second campaign of the Persians in 490 BC. e. was also unsuccessful. At the historic Battle of Marathon, the Greeks utterly defeated the Persian army. A more severe test befell the Hellenes in 480 BC. e., when the Persian army was led by a new king, Xerxes. Hordes of barbarians moved from the north and stopped at the Thermopylae Gorge. Greek warriors showed an example of courage and perseverance. Only with the help of a traitor did the Persian troops manage to win. 300 valiant Spartans, covering the retreat of the main troops, fell along with their leader, King Leonidas. At the site of their death, a monument was erected - a marble statue of a lion with the inscription: “Traveler! Go tell our citizens in Lacedaemon that, keeping their covenants, here we died with our bones!” The Persian army, breaking through the Thermopylae gorge, moved towards Athens and captured it.

Destruction of the monuments of the Acropolis. Athens was destroyed. The Acropolis was especially badly damaged. The temples were destroyed and lay in ruins, their treasures were plundered, their sanctuaries were desecrated. Numerous statues, including kor statues, were thrown off their pedestals and broken. Here is what the famous Greek historian Herodotus writes about the Persian capture of the Acropolis:

“The Persians settled on that hill opposite the Acropolis, which the Athenians call the Areopagus, and began to besiege the Acropolis in the following way: they wrapped arrows in tow, lit them and then shot them from bows at the fortification. The besieged Athenians, although they were brought to the last extreme and the fortification collapsed, continued However, to resist. The proposal of the Pisistratids 9 regarding surrender was rejected by the Athenians; for the purpose of defense they used various means, among other things, throwing huge stones at the barbarians every time they approached the gates. As a result of this, Xerxes, not being able to take the Athenians, for a long time I didn't know what to do for a while.

Finally, after such difficulties, access to the Acropolis was opened to the barbarians: the fact is that, according to the saying of the oracle, all of Attica was destined to fall under the rule of the Persians. So, in front of the Acropolis, but behind the gate and the rise, where there were no guards and where, as it seemed to everyone, no one could ascend, in the same place with a steep descent near the sanctuary of the Kecronian daughter Aglavra, several people ascended, When the Athenians They saw these barbarians entering the Acropolis, some of them rushed from the wall and died, while others fled inside the sanctuary; The barbarians who entered the wall rushed first of all to the gate, opened it and killed those asking for protection; After killing them all, the barbarians plundered the temple and set the entire Acropolis on fire."

Greek victory. The Hellenes, despite the capture of Athens by the Persians, emerged from the ordeal with honor. At the Battle of Salamis, the resistance of the Persian fleet was broken, and at the Battle of Plataea, the enemy's land army was defeated. Having defeated their enemies, the Greeks showed the superiority of the democratic system over the moribund social system of the Persians. The Greek cities won a victory, the significance of which was extremely great. Not only the well-being of the Greek state. It is difficult to imagine what Hellenic culture would have been like if the Persians had won. It is unlikely that the Acropolis would then be crowned with the majestic Parthenon. Probably, there would not have been the genius of Phidias, Scopas, Lysippos. And without classical Greek culture, the character of Roman civilization, and at the same time further European civilization, would have been completely different.

The victory of the Greeks over the Persians meant the triumph of new, progressive principles of democracy and freedom in the political and social system. The victory led to the emergence of new fruitful impulses in Greek art. The system of archaic artistic thinking, which had some common features with the ancient Eastern one, turned out to be untenable. It is no coincidence, therefore, that the transition from archaic art to classical art coincides in time with the successful outcome of this war for the Greeks.