Palace of Aigai, part of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Credit: Greek Reporter
During a speech at a conference in Thessaloniki titled ‘Greece Talks_Thessaloniki: Thessaloniki on the international tourist map’, Angeliki Kottaridis, Curator of Antiquities of Imathia, told audience members that visitor numbers to the Palace of Aigai – the Kingdom of Macedonia – had this year begun to match those of the Acropolis Museum.
The conference took place at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall yesterday (Thursday, March 14), where the well-known curator, referring to the archaeological site of Aigai, said, “In 2022, recovering from the coronavirus, in Aigai we had 163,255 visitors and since then, in 2024, crazy things have started to happen. In January we had 12,589 visitors and in February 22,855 visitors. Last Sunday we had 7,800 visitors. We are talking about Acropolis museum numbers. And the most impressive thing is that this is an area without tourism,” she said.
Kottaridis then proceeded to take the audience through a digital presentation showing the great and unique things about the archaeological site and museum in Aigai, the great kingdom of Macedonia.
She said that the site is home to “important, rare finds already from the archaic years. Of course we have the weighty wreaths found in the royal tombs, including Philip himself, the famous gold sun boxes of Vergina. But also an amazing gilded fabric that was saved precisely because it was gold.”
She continued, “Despite the fact that we are not Athens, we have found some amazing examples of painting, original classical works. Here, in the picture, we see the work of Nicodemus, now I can say with confidence that it is his, the Abduction of Persephone and even the amazing scene with the hunt, from the tomb of Philip.”
Adding “In Aigai we have the unique opportunity to see some of the few gold-ivory finds that have been identified in the Greek area. Along with these and some amazing busts, such as that of Philip and Alexander, which essentially constitute the birth of the realistic portrait. Yes, the Parthenon is amazing but it is an idealistic work. Here we are dealing with the birth of realistic depiction.”
The History of Aigai, The Kingdom of Macedonia
The palace of Philip II it is considered the largest building of classical Greece, while the palace complex occupies nearly 15,000 square meters. Credit: Greek Reporter
Kottaridis also spoke about the cultural and historical significance that the Macedonian kingdom held for the rest of the world, highlighting the real-life, historical value of the site.
She said “Often in museums and monuments we need stories. Narratives to enhance the visitor’s interest. But in the Goats we don’t need stories. We are not dealing with myths that we somehow have to make up. We are dealing with real events and real people.”
She also touched on the reign and legacy of Philip II of Macedon, saying that “Within 20 years, Philip manages to unite Greece and become the first ruler of the Greeks. After his death, very early one morning at the end of a long-ago October, right after his father’s murder, Alexander runs with his friends to catch up with the conspirators. He enters the peristyle of the palace first and manages to become king. A year later, and after he has first managed to control all the internal issues in the Greek area, he starts from Aigai and goes to where we all know.”
Julius Caesar assassination in Rome. Credit: Flickr/ Colin Bewes CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
On March 15th, a group of ancient Roman history enthusiasts obtained permission from the city of Rome to reenact one of the most infamous events in Roman history: the assassination of Julius Caesar.
The event took place at the site of Largo di Torre Argentina, a large open space in Rome adorned with four Roman Republican temples and the remnants of Pompey’s Theatre. It was in the Curia of Pompey, situated within this square, where Julius Caesar met his fateful end.
With painstaking attention to detail, they recreated the scene of Caesar’s brutal demise, with twenty-three dagger strikes echoing through the air. As the reenactment unfolded, spectators were transported back in time to witness this pivotal moment.
Following the enactment, the group solemnly carried the “body of the assassinated emperor” through the streets of Rome, passing through iconic landmarks such as the Roman Forum and the Altare Della Patria.
They paid homage to the enduring legacy of Caesar and the profound impact his death had on the course of Roman history.
On March 15th 44 B.C., Julius Caesar entered the Senate of Rome and was brutally murdered by twenty-three dagger strikes. His death is commonly understood to be the end of the Roman Republic and to have inaugurated the age of great Roman emperors.
Historians of the time, such as Cicero, were not particularly sympathetic towards him and remember the historical figure of Caesar as being quite authoritative to the extent that Marcus Aurelius vouched for himself to “never become another Caesar.”
Largo di Torre Argentina, Rome, Italy. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Wknight94 CC B Y 3.0
Caesar as a Politician
Caesar’s great military accomplishments had garnered him great respect in Rome, and the Senate’s politics had become the battleground for internal factions as would future colonies. This was supported by ancient Roman aristocracy.
Based on unresolved tensions between factions, when Caesar advanced past the Rubicon River in 49 B.C., this introduced a new crisis in the ongoing Roman civil war. Caesar’s victory upon Pompeus in Tapsus, Tunisia in February 46 B.C garnered him the title of dictator for ten years. His victory in Munda, Spain the following year put an end to the civil war and consolidated Caesar’s following.
In theory, his opposition defended the Republican ideal. In practice, a handful of families held judiciary power and would divide political roles in the provinces and Rome amongst themselves. Consuls, who wielded the real political power in Rome, held their role for a year and would rotate. The title of dictator was reserved for political emergencies in which the Republic was under attack. In practice, Caesar would be the only figure in Roman history to hold the title.
Julius Caesar claimed his family, the gens Iuliaa, descended from the first kings and Jupiter. This was quite common practice for contemporary Roman aristocracy, but it wasn’t a random choice for Cleopatra to seduce him in particular in order to gain favor in Rome. Much like the emperors that succeeded him, Caesar had begun shaping the urban landscape of Rome, building the Forum of Caesar. In many ways, the civil war was fought militarily with conquests and culturally in the same way emperors would always strive for popular support even during the empire.
But is it true that Caesar was killed because he desired to be king of Rome? Caesar was a controversial figure in Rome during his time, but three episodes in the months leading up to his death sealed his fate.
The Statue of Caesar is Crowned
In January 44 B.C. just three months prior to the death of Caesar, the statue of the dictator in the public square in Rome was mysteriously crowned. Ancient Greek historian Nicolaus of Damascus, who lived during Augustus’ time, described the scene:
On the head of Julius Caesar’s statue at the rosters a diadem appeared. Diadems, a string of wool or silk, had been Alexander the Great[‘s]…symbol for regal power. Romans considered it a symbol of servitude and suspected him. Two tribunes of the plebs appeared, Lucius Cesecius Flavus and Gaius Epidius Marullus, and ordered one of their servants to remove it. As soon as Caesar came to know of this, he called for a meeting at the Senate in the Temple of Concordia (the Roman goddess of unity, a symbolic choice) and accused the tribunes, claiming they had put the diadem in secret to vilify and [dishonor] him, in disregard of the Senate and of him. The event showed a larger plan, since they could accuse him of being power-hungry and to disregard the law, and thus instigate a revolt to kill him. Having said this, Caesar tried to find a common ground with the Senate and exiled them.
The rosters were a spot for popular gathering and for politics in the public arena, and the effect on the population was strong. According to Svetonius, it was Caesar himself who had crowned his own statue and was dismayed the gesture had been received so poorly by the plebeians. Alternatively, he could have been upset because he had been deprived of the glory of refusing it. Since then, Svetonius mentions, “he has never been able to shake the suspicion that he was aspiring to the title of king.
The Temple of Mars Ultor in Rome. Credit: NikonZ7II / CC BY-SA 4.0 / via Wikimedia Commons
“I’m not king, I’m Caesar”
On January 26th of the year 44 B.C., the people acclaimed Julius Caesar as “Rex,” or king. He was returning to Rome from the neighboring countryside during Feriae Latinae. However, Rex was also a name and thus Caesar humorously replied: “I am Caesar, not Rex.” According to Cassius Dio, another Greek historian, it was on that occasion that Caesar dealt with the tribunes. However, Cassius Dio lived much later than Nicolaus of Damascus.
For the purpose of our tale, the episodes occurred quite close together. Caesar showed a lot of political wit in his dealings during the turbulent times of Rome. However, it was not enough to save him. Since that time, Caesar has become synonymous with ‘king,’ as have all the translations into other languages (tzar, Kaiser).
It is possible that these two events had been planned by Caesar to try and gauge popular sentiment in terms of taking on the role of king, but neither had gone well. In the first case, the tribunes’ rapid action led to popular sentiment not even being expressed. In the second case, the aftermath of the first event had led to Caesar having his hands tied. Due to the tense political climate, it is entirely possible that his opponents had been spreading rumors about him.
Caesar Is Offered the Crown
On February 15th of 44 B.C., during the celebration of one of the most important Roman holidays, Lupercalia, Caesar refused the crown. Lupercalia was one of the more solemn and darker of the Roman holidays, with sacrifices being carried out in secret by elected patrician Vestal Virgins. Public celebrations included priests wearing loincloths and waving goatskins in the air as well as hitting women who got close to them to ensure easy conception or childbirth.
During celebrations, people laughed and cheered as the dictator sat in a place of honor. One of the priests made his way through the crowd, and the Lupercus neared the place of honor where Caesar was sitting and held a diadem, intertwined with a crown of laurel. This signified both Eastern regality and Latin accomplishment. Numerous people clapped, though unconvincingly and despite the fact that this was actually not a part of the celebrations. The Lupercus was Mark Anthony, consul and one of the highest positions of power in the Roman state.
Anthony was asking Caesar to put an end to the Republic then and there, and, after some hesitation, Caesar declined. Instead, the republic put an end to him.
Led by Brutus and Cassius, senators stabbed Caesar to death at the Theatre of Pompey during a Senate meeting on the Ides of March of 44 B.C. The unstable and undemocratic institution of the triumvirate, as instituted by Caesar and his future enemy Pompey along with Crassus, eventually paved the way for Augustus to be crowned emperor. The rest remains history.
Thessaloniki had a population of more than 50,000 Jews before World War II — some 46,000 of whom were deported and killed at German Nazi death camps.
Thessaloniki, the “Jerusalem of the Balkans”
Before the deportations started, the Jewish community in the city, which mainly comprised Sephardic Jews whose ancestors had been chased out of Spain in 1492, had flourished to the point where it had earned the nickname “The Jerusalem of the Balkans.”
But then came the horrors of 1943, when virtually all of the town’s Jews were deported — just four percent of them surviving the Nazi death camps to which they had been sent.
To carry out this operation, the Nazi authorities dispatched two specialists in the field, Alois Brunner and Dieter Wisliceny, who arrived on February 6, 1943.
They immediately applied the Nuremberg laws in all their rigor, imposing the display of the yellow badge and drastically restricting the Jews’ freedom of movement.
Registration of the Jews of Thessaloniki by the Nazis, July 1942. Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-168-0894-21A /CC BY-SA 3.0 de/ Wikipedia Commons
Death trains for Jews waiting in Thessaloniki
Toward the end of February 1943, they were rounded up in three ghettos (Kalamaria, Singrou and Vardar/Agia Paraskevi) and then transferred to a transit camp, called the Baron Hirsch ghetto or camp, which was adjacent to a train station.
There, the death trains were waiting. To accomplish their mission, the SS relied on a Jewish police force created for the occasion, led by Vital Hasson, which was the source of numerous abuses against the rest of the Jews.
The first convoy departed on March 15, 1943. Each train carried from 1,000–4,000 Jews across the whole of central Europe, mainly to the Auschwitz camp.
A convoy also left for Treblinka, and it is possible that deportation to Sobibor took place, since some Salonican Jews were liberated from that camp.
The Jewish population of Thessaloniki was so large that the deportation took several months until it was completed, which occurred on August 7.
The Holocaust of Greek Jews
The Holocaust of the Greek Jews was one of the darkest episodes of the Nazi occupation of the country.
Once part of thriving communities in several Greek cities, approximately 59,000 Greek Jews were victims of the Holocaust — at least 83 percent of the total number living in Greece at the time of World War II and the German Occupation.
How Aristotle Onassis Became the Richest Man in the World. Credit: Greek Reporter illustration. Pieter Jongerhuis/ CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
Aristotle Onassis was one of the most famous Greeks in the entire world in the 20th century, a visionary who became one of the greatest shipping magnates in modern history. His wealth was acquired in a variety of ways, but it was the Suez Canal deal that made him the richest man in the world.
Onassis and his family fled their home in September 1922 when he was only sixteen years old and settled in Greece in the wake of the catastrophe of Smyrna. A year later, he left Athens, choosing to take up residence in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
After enduringall kinds of trials and being forced to live in poverty for years, Onassis didn’t hesitate to dream big. And his dreams were very large indeed.
He created his own brand of cigarettes, and introducing cigarettes with pink tips, aimed at the female market. Having been exposed to the shipping world through his tobacco-importing business, Onassis realized that much more money could be earned if he changed his business model strictly to shipping.
Soon after, he founded his first shipping and trade company, “Astilleros Onassis,” but his quest to acquire his vast fortune had only just begun.
In the early 1950s, Aristotle Onassis worked out a deal with the King of Saudi Arabia to be granted exclusive rights for the shipping of the country’s oil.
After Onassis made the potentially lucrative deal, he purchased a series of tankers for the express purpose of shipping Saudi Arabia’s precious oil.
Due to the country’s massive oil production, Onassis acquired a great number of ships.
This investment turned out to be potentially disastrous, however, when the Greek shipping magnate was blocked from transporting Saudi Arabia’s oil by the US.
US companies, which had a prior agreement with Saudi Arabia for exclusive shipping rights over the country’s oil, were outraged by Onassis’ deal, and the US government even stepped in.
Saudi Arabia Deal Turns Into Disaster
The renewal of charters for Onassis’ ships was refused, and his vessels were not permitted to load any oil when they reached port in Saudi Arabia. Hence, the deal between the Greek shipowner and the country was voided.
The blockade of Onassis’ ship caused his incipient fortune to quickly drain, as his many vessels sat idle in the Red Sea.
Onassis even considered selling the massive fleet of tankers after he realized he could not afford to pay back the loans he had initially received to buy the ships.
His fortunes quickly turned, however, when Egypt cut off all access to the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis in 1956 after Israel invaded the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip.
The Suez Canal, one of the most important trade routes in the world, remained closed for six months.
Suez Canal Blockage Makes Aristotle Onassis the Richest Man in the World
Aristotle Onassis. Credit: Public Domain
Ships were forced to circumnavigate the entire continent of Africa, a considerably longer trip, and soon there were not enough tankers to fulfill global shipping demands due to delays.
Luckily, Onassis had a massive fleet of ships that had sat unused, the perfect solution to a global need for extra tankers.
Onassis turned what could have been his ruin into a boon. As demand was so high and his ships were not under contract, the Greek magnate had the power to set any price he desired to lease them out, and he made a fortune.
According to records, Onassis could make a two million dollar profit on a single trip with a full tanker at the time.
When the Suez Canal reopened six months later, Onassis had amassed a considerable fortune. In 1957 alone, he made seventy million dollars, equivalent to about $740 million today. Just the year before, he had been drowning in debt.
Onassis made a name for himself as the most powerful and clever shipping magnate on the planet, and he later became the richest man in the world.
Breal’s Cup, awarded to the first-place marathon winner at the first ever modern Olympics, will be on display at the Louvre in Paris. Credit: FocalPoint. CC BY-4.0/Wikimedia Commons/FocalPoint
In anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Louvre Museum has curated a new exhibition titled “Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy”, which dives into the rich history of the Olympic Games, including the influence of ancient Greece on them.
The Louvre’s Upcoming Exhibition for the Paris Olympics 2024
The upcoming exhibition is set to open on April 24, and will present a focus on the genesis of the modern Olympic Games, shedding light on France’s significant role in their establishment, especially in Paris.
“The exhibition firstly seeks to tell the unknown story of the creation of the modern Olympic Games and to highlight the role played by France, and Paris in particular. Many may know Pierre de Coubertin as the father of the modern Olympics, but “Olympism” will also spotlight lesser-known figures, like Dimitrios Vikelas, Michel Bréal and Spyridon Lambros,” a statement from the Louvre read.
It went on, “A highlight of the show will be the first Olympic Cup, known as “Bréal’s Cup,” designed by French academic Michel Bréal and given to the winner of the first marathon. The cup is on a special loan from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.”
Other items that will be displayed at the Louvre in Paris include ephemera, from the first Olympics, which took place in Athens in 1896.
Louvre Museum. Credit: archer10 Dennis. CC BY-2.0/flickr
The Louvre’s statement said, “as part of the programme of cultural events accompanying the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, the exhibition will show how, in the name of sport, the disciplines of philology, history, art history and archaeology came together to create this global sporting event.”
“Olympism” has been curated by Alexandre Farnoux, Professor of Greek Archaeology and Art History at Sorbonne University; Violaine Jeammet, Senior Curator in the Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Musee de Louvre; and Christina Mitsopoulou, Archaeologist at the University of Thessaly, French School of Athens.
In the lead up to the Olympics, the flagship Parisian museum is working to ready itself for the crowds of visitors expected. In January, it increased its basic ticket price from 17 euros to 22 euros.
According to the Art Newspaper, the 30 percent price hike “will help to subsidise free entry for certain individuals. Teachers of art history, visitors aged under 18 from the European Union, staff from the French Ministry of Culture and disabled visitors all qualify for free admission.”
The First Every Modern-Day Olympics
Athens was unanimously chosen to host the first ever international, modern-day Olympic Games during a congress organized by Coubertin in Paris, on June 23, 1894, during which the International Olympic Committee was also formed.
Olympic Second Place medal, Athens 1896. Credit: Yoho2001. CC BY 3.0/Wikimedia Commons/Yoho2001
This decision went ahead because Greece was the birth place of the ancient Olympic Games.
The main venue in the 1896 games was the Panathenaic Stadium, where athletics and wrestling took place; other venues included the Neo Phaliron Velodrome for cycling and the Zappeion for fencing.
Victory in the four Panhellenic Games was not merely personal achievement. It was also a matter of great honor for city-states. Credit: AI depiction from DALLE for the Greek Reporter
Not many events in history show what the culture of ancient Greece was like as well as the four main ancient Greek games called ”the Panhellenic Games” do.
These games were much more than just sports competitions. They were a key part of the life of the Greeks. They were exemplary of the importance of a united Greek front, the love of competition, and the deep religious commitment to the gods.
These were times when Greek city-states, which were typically at war with each other, would put a stop to conflicts to share their unique culture and compete in a friendly way. Through their physical talents and skills, participating athletes competed not only for their own fame but also to honor their gods. Their victories motivated fellow Greeks and left a lasting mark on their legacies.
Celebrating Greek unity with the four crown Games
Among the numerous festivals and competitions in ancient Greece, four stood out as the crown jewels: the Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games.
These were also known as the Panhellenic Games, with panhellenic referring to the whole of Greece. These festivities drew participants and spectators from every corner of the Greek world. They celebrated not only their love for sports but also their religious devotion, artistic expression, and love for a good spectacle; attributes that can be found in our modern world too.
The Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus at Olympia. As we all know today, they were the most renowned. Beginning in 776 BCE, they set the standard for athletic competition, featuring events such as the stadion race, wrestling, and the pentathlon.
Olympic Flame ceremony at ancient Olympia, Greece. Credit : Amna
The Pythian Games were centered around Delphi and celebrated Apollo. They included musical and artistic contests alongside athletic ones, reflecting Apollo’s patronage of the arts.
The Nemean Games were also dedicated to Zeus. They were famous for their brutal foot races and combat sports, echoing the heroic struggles of Heracles.
Finally, the Isthmian Games were held in honor of Poseidon near Corinth. They showcased events such as chariot racing and the unique contest of pankration, a no-holds-barred blend of boxing and wrestling.
Each of these festivals had its unique characteristics and events. However, they all shared a common purpose: to honor the gods and forge a sense of unity in the fractured Greek world. Held in sacred sites, these games were both a religious pilgrimage and an athletic endeavor of their own kind.
If we think about the modern Olympic Games, one of its main goal is to unite our fracture world and bring people and communities from across the globe together.
Mythical foundations: The origins of the Games
These four ancient Greek Games called ”the Panhellenic Games” find their deep roots in Greek myths and history. They can be traced to a time of stories with gods, heroes, and the universe. Legends have it that Heracles himself started one of them, the Olympic Games, to honor Zeus after finishing his twelve labors. In a similar way, the Pythian Games celebrated Apollo beating the Python, a monster from Delphi.
The stadium at Delphi which was the site of the Pythian Games in antiquity. Credit: wikimedia commons / Zde CC BY SA 4.0
These stories show how the games were not just about religion but also the way the Greeks liked to link events with myths. Beyond these mythological beginnings, of course, these ancient Games were living proof of the Greek ideal of “ekecheiria,” or Olympic truce.
During this period, city-states across the Greek world would stop hostilities to allow athletes and spectators alike to travel safely to and from the games. This remarkable tradition says a lot about the role of these games in a common Greek identity that would transcend the individual city-states. All four games were a time when Greeks from distant colonies and rival city-states would come together—this time, not as adversaries but as participants in a grand, unifying event.
The games included many different contests, honoring various gods. Athletes participated in short and long races, wrestling, boxing, archery, and chariot racing. Each contest tested athletes’ physical strength and mental sharpness, aiming to create well-balanced individuals, a crucial ideal for Greeks.
Training for these contests was obviously tough and could last for months or even years. Athletes worked hard in gyms and training areas all over Greece to improve their bodies and abilities. However, it wasn’t only about physical stamina. Competitors of these games also had to adhere to strict rules pertaining to conduct and fair play, showing the true ethos with which their cities and they themselves fought.
All these fundamental elements of preparation and play during these games have managed to reach our modern world. A modern athlete can undoubtedly understand how important training, being strong and competitive but –above all– being fair is.
This is why the victory in these games was not just a personal achievement. It was a matter of great honor for the city-states themselves. Winners were often granted significant rewards. These would range from financial incentives to lifelong privileges. The names of winners would be immortalized in poems and statues that would adorn their cities. The true prize, however, was glory—both for themselves and for their towns. It was a testament to the value placed on honor by the Greeks. One can indubitably see here the similarities with the glory and fame modern athletes gain.
These events and competitions reflected the values of ancient Greek society. They were a celebration of human potential, showing the world the Greek belief that excellence in sports was linked to excellence in life as a whole. These fundamental beliefs have deeply shaped the modern world of sports as well.
The cultural and religious face of the Games
The Panhellenic Games were much more than just sports. They were a deep part of ancient Greek culture and religion. All four events were highly valued by Greek society—not just for the sports themselves but also for how they connected to spiritual and artistic life. Each festival was filled with religious activities, including sacrifices to the gods, large parades, and the setting up of statues and temples. These acts showed that the games were a way to honor the gods, with sports being simply one way to show respect to them.
In today’s world, we see elements of this tradition in the way many people pray before they take part in a competition or in the way towns, cities and communities organize activities and events before, during and after major athletic competitions.
Moreover, the four main ancient Greek games were also a chance for poets, musicians, and artists of every kind to show their talents to a wider audience, celebrating thinking and creativity. These festivals mixed sports, culture, and religion in a unique and beautiful way. They showcased how all parts of Greek life were connected, bringing people together from far and near. This would allow them to celebrate what they all shared: their sense of being Greek although they hailed from cities that also had many differences.
The timeless impact of the competitions
The impact of the Panhellenic Games extends far beyond the ancient Greek world. It etches through centuries, influencing modern sports and culture.
The revival of the Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens, inspired by the ancient Olympics, shows the enduring and timeless legacy of these ancient Greek games. Today’s Olympics try to promote the same spirit of peace, unity, and fair competition, ideals that defined the ancient games.
Additionally, the Panhellenic Games left a lasting mark on the cultural and educational traditions of future generations, too. Today’s concept of the well-rounded individual, excelling in both mind and body, can trace its roots back to these ancient competitions. The games played a vital role in achieving a balance of physical strength, artistic inspiration, and intellectual sharpness.
Ancient stadium of Nemean Games. Credit: Wikimedia Commons /Michael Mehnert CC BY 3.0
The Greek Games’ universal message
We can undoubtedly say that the Panhellenic Games were more than simple sports competitions somewhere in ancient Greece. They celebrated core but fundamental ideals that speak to us all. Physical skills, religious beliefs, and the feeling of unity were among those. The games showed how much the Greeks valued what they called “arete,” related to “excellence.” It was this aim for a balanced growth of body, mind, and spirit that has managed to travel through time and shape our very own lives forever.
Hence, looking back at these four ancient Greek Games, we see how universal Greek ideals have influenced modern sports, culture, and education. The games proved that competition wasn’t only about winning for oneself. It was primarily about honoring something greater as teams of equals rather than fighting factions that oppose each other. This way, the spirit of the Panhellenic Games continues to live on, reminding us of how sports and culture can bring people together and serve as an inspiration.
The Minoan palace at Knossos in Crete is home to the oldest throne in Europe. Credit: Gary Bembridge/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 2.0
The magnificent throne room in the 15th century BC palace of Knossos in Crete at the center of Minoan civilization is believed to be the oldest such room in Europe.
The Minoan civilization flourished for approximately two thousand years.
The magnificent Knossos complex had large palace buildings, extensive workshop installations, and a luxurious rock-cut cave and tholos tombs. As a major center of trade and the economy, Knossos maintained ties with the majority of cities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The palace was a great labyrinthine complex of 20,000 meters (65,616 feet) in length, a ceremonial, religious, and political center that reflected great wealth, power, and highly advanced architecture.
It was based around a central courtyard with more than a thousand interlinked, maze-like halls and chambers.
Minoan palace of Knossos home to the oldest throne in Europe
The throne room was unearthed in 1900 by British archaeologist Arthur Evans during the first phase of his excavations in Knossos.
It was found in the center of the palatial complex and west of the central court. The chamber contains an alabaster seat on the north wall, identified by Evans as a “throne,” while two Griffins resting on each side are gazing at it, seemingly paying obeisance to the figure who sits there.
The griffins are mythical creatures that combine a lion and an eagle—two beasts that rule the land and the earth and symbolize divinity and kingship. However, these two are unusual because although they are beautifully elaborated with collars and something like a crown, they do not have wings.
Griffin fresco in the throne room. Credit: Cavorite /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0
According to Evans’ estimates, a total of thirty people could be accommodated both in the throne room and its anteroom.
Initially, Evans identified the stone throne as the seat of the mythical king of Crete, Minos, evidently applying knowledge from Greek mythology. Other archaeologists suggest that the throne room was a sanctuary of a female divinity and that a priestess who sat there was the person who represented her on earth.
According to most archaeologists, the throne itself may have actually had more religious than political significance, functioning in the re-enactment of epiphany rituals involving a High Priestess, as suggested by the iconography of griffins, palms, and altars in the wall-paintings. More recently, it has been suggested that the room was only used at dawn at certain times of the year for specific ceremonies.
Various archaeologists claim that the room and its furniture most likely date to the time of the Mycenaean takeover circa after 1,450 BC when political conditions in Crete were entirely different, as indicated by the concurrent appearance of elite tombs, individual burials, and the presence of the Mycenaean Greek “Linear B” script.
At that time, the palace at Knossos seems to have been modified in a minor way in order to include features such as the throne room. The stylized paintings of heraldically opposed griffins were especially popular in later-era Mycenaean wall painting but uncommon prior to this in Crete.
For instance, similar wall decoration was also found in the throne room of the Mycenaean palace of Pylos in the Peloponnese.
A New Democracy Member of the European Parliament sent a barrage of emails to voters abroad minutes after they were informed how to vote by mail. Credit: jebulon cc 1, Wikimedia Commons
The scandal caused by the leak of the Greek diaspora’s emails has rocked the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
On Friday, a deputy minister resigned, a governing New Democracy official was fired, and an MEP withdrew from the elections for the European Parliament.
Interior Ministry General Secretary Michalis Stavrianoudakis on Friday tendered his resignation, New Democracy’s Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, Nikos Theodoropoulos, was dismissed and MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou announced that she would not be contesting in the June election.
The internal probe ordered by Mitsotakis found that in May 2023 the list of email addresses was allegedly acquired by an associate of Stavrianoudakis, who forwarded them to Theodoropoulos. The list was later passed on to Asimakopoulou.
Asimakopoulou sent a barrage of emails to voters abroad minutes after they were informed how to vote by mail.
MEP denies wrongdoing in the leak of Greek diaspora emails
She had earlier denied any wrongdoing. She denied that she hadn’t sought their consent as required by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
“One hundred days before the European elections, my office sent a newsletter to Greeks abroad using contact information that I collected during the last five years as an MEP, to ask their permission to communicate with them regularly, as I always have done, concerning personal data and GDPR since 2018.”
“I have never received personal data from the Interior Ministry or any other government body on Greeks living abroad,” she added.
Asimakopoulou is a prominent member of the ruling New Democracy, a lawyer, graduate of the prestigious Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, run by the Quakers, and of the Ivy League Cornell Law School.
Friday’s developments followed Mitsotakis’ comments on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for an “in-depth” investigation into the matter. He said that his conservative party was conducting its own inquiry.
The Athens Prosecutor’s Office and the country’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) have already taken action regarding the case.
The European Parliament will have elections in June and they are seen as a barometer of party strength in countries as well.
Kasselakis blames Mitsotakis for the leak of voter email addresses
The president of SYRIZA, Stefanos Kasselakis, described the withdrawal of Asimakopoulou from the European ballot as anachronistic, stressing that the questions about the conduct of Mitsotakis remain.
“Another ‘sit aside for a while until it is forgotten and you come back’ by Kyriakos Mitsotakis,” Kasselakis said.
“After the uproar over the violation of the personal data of thousands of diaspora voters, Mrs. Asimakopoulou withdraws – retroactively – from New Democracy’s European ballot,” he commented in a post on Twitter.
As he pointed out, “the questions about Mr. Mitsotakis are still valid. How did the MEP gain access to the personal data of thousands of citizens? Did he cooperate with the Ministry of Interior or how else?
“I call on the prime minister to stop hiding. No matter how many innocent victims he sacrifices, the reality will haunt him.”
Stefanos Kasselakis joined the Greek Army on Friday. Credit: AMNA
Stefanos Kasselakis, the leader of Greek main opposition SYRIZA, is starting his brief military service in an army barrack in Thebes on Friday. He is due to receive basic military training for 20 days.
Military service is mandatory for all Greek males. Kasselakis had been exempt from military service as he was residing in the US since age 14. When he returned to Greece he had two options: Spending six months in the military or serving for three weeks and buying off the rest of his time.
While it has a sizeable number of professional troops, Greece’s military is still conscription-based, with service in most cases set at 12 months.
“Proud to do military service in Thebes”, Stefanos Kasselakis says
Before entering the army barracks he was welcomed by the locals in the the central square of Thebes, who offered gifts and good wishes. Some said it was their honor to have the leader of the opposition in the town.
“It is an honor to be here to serve my country as an expatriate who has returned to contribute to his country,” Kasselakis said.
Earlier this week he posted a video on TikTok having an “army-style” haircut. The video begins with Kasselakis holding his dog, Farley, and saying “I’m going to miss her”. The hairdresser asks how he would like his hair done and he replies: “SYRIZA,” which in Greek means very short, to the roots.
When asked about the parting of his hair, he says “Toward the left, where my heart beats.”
The turbulent leadership of Stefanos Kasselakis
Kasselakis, 36, a former businessman without political experience who is gay, was the surprise winner at the SYRIZA elections held last September.
He took the reigns of the party a few months after the catastrophic election results in June/July 2023 that forced former leader and former PM Alexis Tsipras to resign.
His meteoric rise to leadership had upset many leftwing traditionalists who accused him of “right-wing populism” and authoritarian practices.
On 23 November 2023, 9 Members of Parliament (MPs), 1 Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and 57 central committee members declared their departure from the political party in protest of Kasselakis’ leadership.
Notable figures among them included Effi Achtsioglou along with other former ministers. A few days later previously resigned MPs Euclid Tsakalotos and Peti Perka joined forces with the 9 MPs to announce the establishment of a new political entity called “New Left”.
More recently amidst political turmoil and disagreements regarding Kasselakis’ approaches and agenda, MPs and members of the central committee of SYRIZA initiated a rebellion against Kasselakis’ decision to conduct a survey asking the party’s voters whether SYRIZA should alter its name and ideological focus.
The sandals (on the left) were discovered next to the remains of a man who died 2,500 years ago. Credit: Ministry of Culture
The ancient Greek city of Sicyon located in northern Peloponnese may not be as well known as other city-states but excavations in the last few years are bringing to light important clues about its history.
One of the most spectacular discoveries was a 2,500 grave containing the remains of a man. Archaeologists were surprised to find a pair of sandals laid next to the skeleton.
The excavations up to now have not revealed the entire ancient city, but they have unearthed residential remains of the Classical and Late Classical periods, consisting of rooms of houses and parts of domestic workshops.
Pottery from the 6th century B.C. was discovered in addition to pebble mosaic floors, as well as walls clad in red and yellow plaster.
Excavations continue to find more of the ancient city. Credit: Ministry of Culture
The archaeological site lies just west of the modern village of Sikyona (previously Vasiliko) between Corinth and Achaea. It includes the excavated area of the Agora of the Hellenistic and Roman city, the Theatre, the Stadium and the Roman Baths, which have been restored.
The theater of the Ancient Greek City of Sicyon
The ancient theater at Sicyon. Public Domain
The theater was carved into a natural depression at the foothills of the Hellenistic Acropolis and dates back to the late 4th century B.C.
It consists of the Koilon, the Orchestra and the Scene (stage-building); the two vaulted passages at the sides of the Koilon, used for the entrance of the spectators, constitute unique examples of Hellenistic architecture.
During the Roman era, several adjustments were made to the building, especially the Scene.
With a seating area estimated at 122 meters (400 feet) wide and 58 meters (190 feet) deep, it is one of the largest theaters in the Peloponnese.
The present-day ruins at Sicyon are a faint reminder of the Romanized theater the historian Pausanias visited in the second century AD.
In his day, the historian Pausanias recorded the scene at Sicyon thus: “On the stage of the theater built under the citadel is a statue of a man with a shield, who they say is Aratus, the son of Cleinias. After the theater is a temple of Dionysus.”
Sadly, the “statue of Aratus,” as noted by Pausanias, has long since vanished, as have the columns and carved marble ornaments that once graced the theatre’s façade.
Sicyon became a democracy in the 3rd century BC
An ancient monarchy at the time of the Trojan War, the city was ruled by several tyrants during the Archaic and Classical periods and became a democracy in the 3rd century BC. Sicyon was celebrated for its contributions to ancient Greek art, producing many famous painters and sculptors.
In Hellenistic times it was also the home of Aratus of Sicyon, the leader of the Achaean League.
Architectural remains at ancient Sicyon. Credit: Ministry of Culture
Sicyon was built on a low triangular plateau about 3 kilometers (two miles) from the Corinthian Gulf. Between the city and its port lay a fertile plain with olive groves and orchards.
The 4th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Archaeology is responsible for all city excavations, as well as those in the surrounding area. Movable objects which were found at the site are now housed in the onsite Sicyon Museum, which opened in 2007.
