The Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos
 

The Acropolis

   In contrast to other ancient Greek cities, Sparta was not a compact fortified city-state center with monumental civic and religious buildings. It was a loose collection of smaller villages spaced over a large rural area and 6 low hills (cf. Thuc. 1.10.2). The highest of these knolls (ca. 25 m) served as the Acropolis and location for the Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos.

   In the Hellenistic period a theater, stoa and agora were built near the Acropolis, but the Temple of Athena and the earlier remains at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia on the West bank of the Eurotas river are almost the only archaeological remains from Archaic and Classical Sparta.

Map of the Acropolis of Sparta (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos

   The Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos on the top of the Acropolis lies just to the north of the theater.

   Ulysses is supposed to have installed the statue and called it Athena of the Road when he beat Penelope's lovers in the race. He installed three separate Sanctuaries of the Road separately placed. (Pausanias 3.12.4)

   The Temple, which was constructed on the plans of the architect Vathykles from Magnesia, had its interior decorated with bronze sheets.

   There is a Sanctuary built here of Athena Poliouchos (Athena Guardian of the City), who is also called Athena Chalkioikos (Athena of the Bronze House). According to the story it was Tyndareus who started the building of this Sanctuary, and when he died his sons wanted to finish the building from the spoils of Aphidna... (Pausanias 3.17.2)

   An inscription, partly found here states: Athena Poliouchos, (Athena Guardian of the City). (IG v.1, 213)

   Its interior was covered with bronze sheets, hence the name. This was one of the most important cult sites of the classical town.

The Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Cult Statue

   The Temple of Athena Chalkioikos contained a bronze statue created by a local man, called Gitiadas.

   ...it was the Lakonians many years afterwards who erected the Temple and the bronze statue, which was made by a local man, Gitiadas. (Pausanias 3.17.2)

The Bronze Statuette of Athena

   Dedicated to the Patron Goddess of the city circa 450 BCE, this statuette was discovered during excavations in the Temple of Athena Chalkioikos, on the Acropolis of Sparta.

   In her raised right hand the Goddess held her spear, while the now missing shield covered her left side. She wears an Attic helmet with uplifted cheekpieces. The crest bears the dedicatory inscription AOHNAIAI.

The Bronze Statuette of Athena (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Bronze Statuette of a Trumpeter

   Dedicated to Athena circa 500 BCE, this figurine with its stance, the balanced resting on both legs (despite of the bent knee), and the backward stretch of the body, is still reminiscent of the Archaic form of the kouros.

   The position of the hand, lifted with palm nearly open to the height of the face, is rather difficult to explain: the figure was earlier thought to have held a trumpet.

The Bronze Statuette of a Trumpeter (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Statue of Leonidas

   Statue of a hoplitodromos (running hoplite) with helmet of Attic type. The statue is known as Leonidas. It was found in the Temple of Athena Chalkioikos. It preserves the upper part of the body. It is dated to the second quarter of the 5th century BCE.

The Statue of Leonidas (Click the image for a full screen view)

The Tripods

   ...there are also bronze tripods. The older ones are said to be a tithe of the Messenian war. Under the first tripod stood an image of Aphrodite, and under the second an Artemis. The two tripods themselves and the reliefs are the work of Gitiadas. (Pausanias 3.18.7-8)

   The third was made by Gallon of Aegina, and under it stands an image of the Maid, daughter of Demeter.

King Pausanias and the Sanctuary

   The most memorable event here was the death of King Pausanias in 470 BCE as described by Thucydides: Setting off at a run for the Temple of the Goddess of the Bronze House, the enclosure of which was near at hand, he succeeded in taking sanctuary before they took him, and entering into a small chamber, which formed part of the Temple, to avoid being exposed to the weather, he remained there. The ephors, for the moment distanced in the pursuit, afterwards took off the roof of the chamber, and having made sure that he was inside, shut him in, barricaded the doors, and staying before the place, reduced him to starvation. When they found that he was on the point of expiring, just as he was, in the chamber, they brought him out of the Temple while the breath was still in him, and as soon as he was brought out he died. (Thuc. 1.134).

The Archeological Excavations

   The Temple of Athena Chalkioikos on the top of the Acropolis is defined more by some indications from the excavations rather than by the architectural ruins themselves.

   The only remains now, however, are two retaining walls, and it is difficult to differentiate this site from other remains on the Acropolis.

   Sparta Acropolis Excavations by the British School on the low Acropolis of ancient Sparta began in 1906. In 1907-8 and again in 1924-5 (under A. M. Woodward) the School teams identified and excavated the scanty remains of the Sanctuary of Athena Chalkioikos (Athena of the Bronze House), one of the most important cult sites of the classical town. A late archaic and early classical stoa was found, as were contemporary enclosure walls overlying a layer of geometric finds; a possible geometric altar was also located.

The 1908 BSA excavation team at Sparta (Click the image for a full screen view)

   The remains of the Brazen House are datable to ca. 550. (Andrew Stewart)

   The famous sculpture known as 'Leonidas' was recovered in 1925 to the SW of the Chalkioikos precinct.

Leonidas statue recovered in 1925 (Click the image for a full screen view)

Clickable Plan
 

Clickable Plan of the Acropolis of Sparta (Click the image for a full screen view)

Sparta map 513 X 345 9 KB	Acropolis 1 570 X 387 44 KB	Acropolis 2 592 X 392 58 KB
Chalkioikos 2 650 X 500 80 KB	Chalkioikos 1 592 X 393 58 KB	Theater E 592 X 392 57 KB
Athena statuette 207 X 303 7 KB	Bronze trumpeter 207 X 303 7 KB	Leonidas finding 280 X 420 26 KB
Leonidas at the museum 445 X 500 74 KB	Leonidas new statue 393 X 594 47 KB	Leonidas by David 592 X 435 63 KB
Sparta Team 1908 576 X 460 73 KB	Artemis Orthia 592 X 393 57 KB

  Tourist Information:
 

   Sparta (Sparti) is the capital of the prefecture of Lakonia, located 225 km from Athens, Greece, built in the heart of a fertile plain near Evrotas river, on the same site as ancient Sparta had stood, the city forms a modern, well designed urban center. Sparta has its own archaeological museum, a neo classical building in the center of the town, with rich exhibits, belonging mainly to archaic years.

   From Athens, several buses a day depart from the Stathmos Leoforia Peloponnisou (Bus Station for the Peloponnese), Odos Kifissou 100, for the Sparta bus station at Odos Lykourgou, a street also known as Odos Metropolitou Dafnou and Odos Eurotas. By car: from Athens - Corinth - Tripoli, or Patras.

   There are usually enough hotels to go around, many of them on the main avenue of Paleologou. Camping is available at two sites out along the Mystra road; both can be reached via the Mystra bus, which will stop by the sites on request.

   The main hotels are: Hotel Maniatis (at the corner of Paleologou and Lycourgou), Hotel Melelaion (Odos Paleologou 91), Hotel Sparta Inn (Thermopilion 109).

   There is a wide choice for meals, with most restaurants and taverns concentrated on the main street of Paleologou - including several good psistaries towards the south end of Paleologou. One of the most popular music bars at present is Ministry opposite the Menelaion hotel.

  Other Views:

Two retaining walls of Athena Shrine.

  Links:
 

Timeline: Greek period.

Perseus Project: Sparta.

Hellenic Ministry of Culture: Acropolis of Sparta, Archaeological Museum of Sparta

Prof. Adams' Home Page: Materials for the Study of Ancient Sparta.

Laconian Professionals: Sparta Museum.