Selinunte Ancient Greek Polis City

I walked up to the archeological museum of Palermo Antonio Salinas. It’s set in grand building with spacious internal courtyards and botanical foliage .

What really draw my attention was the plan and graphics of the Ancient Greek city of Selinunte. It’s situated on the South west of Sicily on a prominent point with two rivers running along side the city.

It was actually situated between the valleys of the Cottone and Modione rivers. It now lies in the comuneCastelvetrano, between the frazioniof Triscina di Selinunte in the west and Marinella di Selinuntein the east. The archaeological site contains five temples centered on an acropolis. Of the five temples, only the Temple of Hera, also known as “Temple E”, has been re-erected. At its peak before 409 BC the city may have contained up to 30,000 people, excluding slaves.[1]

Selinunte was the most westerly of the Greek colonies in Sicily, and for this reason they soon came into contact with the Phoeniciansof western Sicily and the native Sicilians in the west and northwest of the island. The Phoenicians do not at first seem to have conflicted with them; but as early as 580 BCE the Selinuntines were engaged in hostilities with the non-Greek Elymianpeople of Segesta, whose territory bordered their own.[5] A body of emigrants from Rhodesand Cniduswho subsequently founded Lipara, supported the Segestans on this occasion, leading to their victory; but disputes and hostilities between the Segestans and Selinuntines seem to have occurred frequently, and it is possible that when Diodorus speaks of the Segestans being at war with the Lilybaeans(modern Marsala) in 454 BCE,[6] that the Selinuntines are the people really meant.

Looking at the artefacts which are beautiful in there own right how impressive this city was with the various temples sitting on the raised ground or acropolis. The temple remains and the rubble left give you very little feel of the original beauty of how the city must of looked especially approaching it from the sea.

The temples which housed the Greek gods were white stucco plaster and beautiful coloured motives. The way the Greeks dressed in white it would today seem like meeting such an enlightened civilisation with beautiful poetry with engraving of their gods

Greek City Features

Although each city in Ancient Greece had its own unique features and buildings, they also had many things in common. In the later periods of Ancient Greece, new cities were planned out on a grid system with streets and houses aligned to take advantage of the winds, the sun, and the local scenery. Many Greek cities were located near the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. 

Agora 

The center of activity in any Greek city was the agora. The agora was a large open area that served as the marketplace and meeting place for the town. Around the outside of the agora were long, open air buildings called stoas that had shops in the back. The citizens of the city would meet here to discuss politics, hear speeches, and buy goods. 

Large cities often had a hill or high point in the town called the acropolis. This area would be used as a last area of defense if the city was attacked. 

Temples 

Often there were temples to the gods situated around the agora and in the Acropolis. Most cities had a single god called a patron god that the city was dedicated to. They would have a special large area and temple for their patron god. Examples of patron gods include Athena for Athens, Ares and Artimis for Sparta, Zeus for Olympia, and Poseidon for Corinth. 

Theater 

Many Greek cities had a large open-air theater where plays were held during festivals. Greek theater was a popular form of entertainment. Some theaters were large enough to hold over 10,000 people. 

Stadium 

The Greeks also enjoyed sporting events and contests. They built large stadiums (called the stadion) and had gymnasiums. The hippodrome was a stadium designed to hold chariot races. 

Houses 

Some areas of the city were designated for housing. In some towns the housing was planned such that the soldiers lived in one area, the craftsmen in another, and the farmers in another area. Greek homes were plain and closed off from the outside, but were quite open on the inside and centered around a large courtyard. 

Walls and Defense 

Surrounding the city would be a tall stone wall to provide defense against invaders. Sometimes the walls extended down to the city’s sea port in order to allow for new supplies to enter the city during a siege. 

Outside the Town 

The dead were not buried inside the town. Typically a cemetery was located somewhere down the road outside the town. Some towns also had a special sanctuary nearby. The sanctuary was a place dedicated to a god where the sick could go to be healed and people would go to hear prophesies about their future. 

Interesting Facts About a Typical Town of Ancient Greece

• Elected officials would hold meetings in the council house (called the bouleterion) located near the agora.

• The name for the city-state in Ancient Greece was the “polis.”

• The Greek architect Hippodamos is sometimes called the “father” of city planning.

• Many cities had a mint in the agora where they made their own coins.

Activities

Greek Gods

The Greeks had numerous gods and many stories and myths that surrounded them. Greek mythology consists of all the stories and tales about the Greek gods, goddesses, and heroes. It is also the religion of Ancient Greece as the Greeks built temples and offered sacrifices to their major gods. 

Below are some of the major Greek gods. Click on the god or goddess to learn more about their individual myths and stories. 

The Titans 

The Titans were the first or elder gods. There were twelve of them including the parents of Zeus, Cronus and Rhea. They ruled during what was called the golden age. They were overthrown by their children, led by Zeus. 

The Olympians 

The twelve Olympian gods were the major gods of the Greeks and lived on Mount Olympus. They included:

• Zeus – Leader of the Olympians and god of the sky and lightning. His symbol is the lighting bolt. He is married to Hera, his sister.

• Hera – Queen of the gods and married to Zeus. She is the goddess of marriage and family. Her symbols are the peacock, pomegranate, lion, and cow.

• Poseidon – God of the ocean, earthquakes, and horses. His symbol is the trident. He is Zeus’ and Hades brother.

• Dionysus – Lord of wine and celebrations. Patron god of the theatre and art. His main symbol is the grapevine. He is the son of Zeus and the youngest Olympian.

• Apollo – Greek god of archery, music, light, and prophecy. His symbols include the sun, the bow and arrow, and the lyre. His twin sister is Artemis.

• Artemis – Goddess of the hunt, archery, and animals. Her symbols include the moon, the bow and arrow, and the deer. Her twin brother is Apollo.

• Hermes – God of commerce and thieves. Hermes is also the messenger of the gods. His symbols include winged sandals and the caduceus (which is a staff with two snakes wrapped around it). His son Pan is the god of nature.

• Athena – Greek goddess of wisdom, defense, and war. Her symbols are the owl and the olive branch. She is the patron god of Athens.

• Ares – God of war. His symbols are the spear and shield. He is the son of Zeus and Hera.

• Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. Her symbols include the dove, swan, and rose. She is married to Hephaestus.

• Hephaestus – God of fire. Blacksmith and craftsman for the gods. His symbols include fire, the hammer, the anvil, and the donkey. He is married to Aphrodite.

• Demeter – Goddess of agriculture and the seasons. Her symbols include wheat and the pig.

Athena – Goddess of Wisdom

• Hades – God of the Underworld. He was a god of the Olympians stature, but lived in the Underworld rather than on Mount Olympus.

Greek Heroes 

A Greek hero was a brave and strong man that was favored by the gods. He performed brave exploits and adventures. Sometimes the hero, even though mortal, was somehow related to the gods.

• Hercules – A son of Zeus and the greatest hero in Greek Mythology, Hercules had many labors he had to perform. He was very strong and fought many monsters in his adventures.

• Achilles – The greatest hero of the Trojan war, Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel. He is the central character in Homer’s Iliad.

• Odysseus – The hero of Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey, Odysseus was brave and strong, but mostly got by on his wits and intelligence.