If you’re up for a bit of exciting virtual travel, then come along to ancient Athens in 3D. You’ll see the Acropolis in all its classical glory or the agora as Socrates walked through it. I enjoyed this article that explained the methodology used to do these digital reconstructions. The Greek digital artist, Dimitris Tsalkanis, discusses his research process and the archaeologists he consults. What’s more, this is an ongoing project of the heart—and that passion shows!
Unfortunately “Visualizing Athens” article in Ancient Near East Today has been removed. But you can still view on the Ancient Athens 3D website, you can choose which historical period of Athens you wish to see: Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Medieval, or Ottoman.
Mycenaean Athens
I enjoyed seeing his reconstruction–based on the scanty evidence–of the Bronze Age Mycenaean palace that once adorned the high outcrop of the acropolis. On his website he says of this stage, “the Mycenaeans brought into Athens the two most important elements of their city planning: The fortified acropolis and the palace (anáktoron). Thus, the hill of the Acropolis was fortified with a cyclopean wall (like the one in Mycenae) and inside the wall they built a big palace and a settlement.”
That “cyclopean” wall remained the main defense until the 5th century BCE. He further says of the wall “It had two entrances: the northern and the western. The latter, where today stands the Propylaea, was protected by another wall with 9 gates, the “enneápylon” (the “ninegate”) that according to Thucydides existed even during the Persian invasion in Athens in 480 BCE.”
The term “cyclopean,” by the way, comes from the ancient belief that the mythical one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes, built the enormous stone walls of Mycenae, Tiryns, and elsewhere. Personally, I love sites with cyclopean walls.
The Ancient Athens in 3D views
Or go to Dimitris Tsalkanis’ Youtube channel.
Here to see Saqqara Egypt in 3D.