Tell, lion, whose tomb do you guard, you slayer of cattle? And who was worthy of your valour?

Happy October everyone. 

This beautiful month is actually here. It's a bit hot and sunny in my city but i don't care. 

Also my country does not celebrate Halloween. But i still don't care, it's October! 

Although today i have a post about my summer adventures. 

Let's travel to the Greece of the past.

Come with me to Amphipolis. [map]

Modern Greek: Αμφίπολη; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφίπολις is a municipality in 

the Serres regional unit of Greece. The seat of the municipality is Rodolivos 

(which is my grandmother's village). In ancient times, it was a city in the region once 

called Edonia in the present-day region of Central Macedonia. 

It was built on a distance of around 5 kilometres from the Aegean Sea coast.

Origins; Archaeology has uncovered remains at the site dating to approximately 3000 BC. 

Xerxes I of Persia passed during his invasion of Greece of 480 BC 

and buried alive nine young men and nine maidens as a sacrifice to the river god. 

Near the later site of Amphipolis Alexander I of Macedon 

defeated the remains of Xerxes' army in 479 BC. 

Throughout the 5th century BC, Athens sought to consolidate its control over Thrace, which was strategically important because of its primary materials (the gold and silver of the Pangaion hills and the dense forests essential for naval construction), and the sea routes vital for Athens' supply of grain from Scythia. 

After a first unsuccessful attempt at colonisation in 497 BC by the Milesian Tyrant Histiaeus, 

the Athenians founded a first colony at Ennea-Hodoi (‘Nine Ways’) in 465, 

but these first ten thousand colonists were massacred by the Thracians. 

A second attempt took place in 437 BC on the same site under the guidance of Hagnon, son of Nicias.

The new settlement took the name of Amphipolis (literally, "around the city"), a name which is the subject of much debates about lexicography. Thucydides claims the name comes from the fact that the Strymon flows "around the city" on two sides; however a note in the Suda (also given in the lexicon of Photius) offers a different explanation apparently given by Marsyas, son of Periander: that a large proportion of the population lived "around the city". However, a more probable explanation is the one given by Julius Pollux: that the name indicates the vicinity of an isthmus. Furthermore, the Etymologicum Genuinum gives the following definition: a city of the Athenians or of Thrace, which was once called Nine Routes, (so named) because it is encircled and surrounded by the Strymon river. 

I had the time to select some of the most beautiful stone pine 
(or parasol pine - what a lovely name) cones. 
And i found a lovely place to save them as soon as i got in the city. 
Different shapes and shades of brown create one lovely decor.

Back to history; Amphipolis became the main power base of the Athenians and a target of choice for their Spartan adversaries. The Athenian population remained very much in the minority within the city. 

A rescue expedition led by the Athenian strategos (general, and later historian) Thucydides had to settle for securing Eion and could not retake Amphipolis, a failure for which Thucydides was sentenced to exile. 

A new Athenian force under the command of Cleon failed once more in 422 BC during a battle at which both Cleon and Brasidas lost their lives. Brasidas survived long enough to hear of the defeat of the Athenians and was buried at Amphipolis with impressive pomp. From then on he was regarded as the founder of the city and honoured with yearly games and sacrifices. The city itself kept its independence until the reign of the king Philip II despite several other Athenian attacks, notably because of the government of Callistratus of Aphidnae.

The whole family from my dad's side is from villages like Amphipolis, Rodolivos and Mesolakia (for my greek readers). I practically grew up there. Visiting relatives and staying with my grandma for my summer vacations, when i wasn't travelling with my parents, exploring nature, seeing ancient ruins everywhere. And above all seeing this beautiful lion for over 20 years now (previous post 1) (previous post 2). To be honest i am very happy those places take the popularity they deserve. 

The Lion of Amphipolis, 1962. Photo ASCSA Archaeological Photographic Collection. x

click to enlarge and read all the info about The Lion Of Amphipolis.

Εἰπέ, λέον, φθιμένοιο τίνος τάφον ἀμφιβέβηκας, βουφάγε; τίς τᾶς σᾶς ἄξιος ἦν ἀρετᾶς;

Tell, lion, whose tomb do you guard, you slayer of cattle? And who was worthy of your valour?

Anthologia Palatina 7.426.1-2 (Trans. M. Fantuzzi & R. Hunter)

The lines above, by Hellenistic poet Antipater of Sidon, are as much of a tease today as they were when Oscar Broneer quoted them in The Lion Monument at Amphipolis in 1941. x

Now, let me take you to the Ancient Gymnasium of Amphipolis.

In 1982 excavations by the late archaeologist Dimitri Lazaridi led to the discovery of the first major public building whose inscriptions allowed the indetification as the Palaestra of the Ancient Gymnasium. 

Excavations continued in 1984 following the expropriation of the olive grove that covered the building. The Gymnasium is located on the south-east section of the city between the precinct of the wall of the acropolis and the outer precinct of the long wall. 

The site overlooks the entire sea (the view was spectacular) and it is the only gymnasium complex that has been found to date the northern Greece. Corresponding complexes be found in Delphi, Nemea, Olympia, Epidauros, Pergamo, Miletus, Eretria dating from the 4th to the 2nd century BC. 

The main entrance to the Gymnasium was from the east side, formed by a monumental staircase (8.70 m. wide). Behind it a build wall was revealed with carefully finished masonry... (for more info click the - not so well taken and i am sorry - picture below.)

Archaeology; The site was rediscovered and described by many travellers and archaeologists during the 19th century, including E. Cousinéry (1831), L. Heuzey (1861), and P. Perdrizet (1894–1899). In 1934, M. Feyel, of the École française d'Athènes, led an epigraphical mission to the site and uncovered the remains of a funeral lion (a reconstruction was given in the Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, a publication of the EfA which is available on line). However, excavations did not truly begin until after the Second World War. The Greek Archaeological Society under D. Lazaridis excavated in 1972 and 1985, uncovering a necropolis, the rampart of the old town, the basilicas, and the acropolis. 

The German auction house Gorny & Mosch and the British Museum have smuggled artifacts from Amphipolis at their possession. These artifact smuggled to these countries by British soldiers, during World War I, and by German soldiers, during World War II. Good times... -.-

British soldiers of the 2nd King's Shropshire Light Infantry with skulls excavated illegally during the construction of trenches and dugouts at the ancient Greek site of Amphipolis during World War I, 1916. (wiki)

Google.com

I am not sure if you already know Amphipolis because of the latest news about the "new" tomb they found.

In 2012 Greek archaeologists unearthed northeast of Amphipolis (location: 40.8394°N 23.8628°E) at a location called the Casta Hill, a vast tomb, the biggest burial tomb ever unearthed in Greece. The perimeter is 497 meters long (above picture) and is made of limestone covered with marble. Until today (September 19, 2014 the post is taken from wiki) there are three sections revealed by the excavation, each closed with a stone wall. There are two sphinxes just outside the entrance to the tomb. Two of the columns supporting the roof in the first section are in the form of Karyatids, apparently mimicking the fourth ce. BC style. The large size of the tomb indicates the prominence of the burial made there. 

The identity of the burial remains unknown, since the excavation is still going on. Dr. Katerina Peristeri, the archaeologist currently heading the excavation of the tomb, dates the tomb to the late period of the 4th Century BC, which is the period after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC). Considering the evidence of syncretism (i.e. the archaic style of the Karyatids), and that the marbles covering the limestone perimeter is a Roman style, an archaeologist not connected with the excavation, Professor Olga Palagia, dates the tomb to the late 1st Century BC.

Here is the tomb/ monument from far away. 

Details from the Tomb; Entrance 

Sphinxes

xronometro.com

xronometro.com

Caryatides - Karyatides

xronometro.com

The tomb so far...

Latest findings (2 October 2014) x

In general, we have to wait. The archaeologists will be lucky if they come close to find who made it, for who and what purpose, when and how. They will be lucky if they find artefacts in there, especially after all this time and all the illegal smuggling. They need to research in big museums all over Europe to actually find what they are looking for. Not to mention the private collections... Anyhow, time will show us.

Until the next post, take care everyone