Metroon

The Metroon in Athens.

A metroon (Greek: Μητρῷον, Mētrō̂on or Mētrō̂ion) was an ancient Greek temple dedicated to a mother goddess. They were often devoted to Cybele, Demeter, or Rhea.

Athens

Coordinates: 37°58′31″N 23°43′19″E / 37.975214°N 23.722077°E / 37.975214; 23.722077

The Athenian Metroon was located on the west side of the city's Agora, in the Old Bouleuterion which formerly housed the city council. At the end of the 5th century BC, the New Bouleuterion was built and the council's former home converted into a temple to Cybele. Supposedly, the Athenians had killed one of her wandering priests when he attempted to introduce her cult; the plague which then visited the city was dealt with by honoring her. (The account may, however, have been a later invention, as the earliest source is from the 4th century AD.)[1][2][3][4] The Metroon continued to serve a public function, housing the official archives of the city.[5]

Olympia

The Olympian Metroon was erected in the late 4th or early 3rd century BC immediately below the terrace which housed the Treasuries.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Julian. "Hymn to the Mother of the Gods". (362).
  2. ↑ Roller, 1999. pp. 162 - 167
  3. ↑ Roscoe, p. 200
  4. ↑ Robertson, in Lane, p. 258.
  5. ↑ The Metrôon (Old Bouleuterion) at Athenian Daily Life, Brooklyn College, City University of New York.
  6. ↑ Olympía - Metroon

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, July 29, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.