Athens, the archeaology post

So, yeah. Being in Athens, we had to see a lot of archaelogy. Poor us, right? Unfortunately, my camera's battery died for the day on the acropolis, but we managed to find some new batteries by mid afternoon and Lyla took lots of photos while mine was dead. So, yay. Anyways... picture time.

The Theatre of Dionysis, the second location for democratic voting, and the first place built specifically for such a purpose. You can sit on the old marble benches.

Another large theater near the Acropolis, still in use today!

Hey, look... it's me in front of the Parthenon.

Hadrian's Gate: carved on the side facing "Greek" Athens, "This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus." Carved on the side facing newer, "Roman" Athens, "This is Athens, the city of Hadrian and not of Theseus." Yes, Hadrian was a typically modest Roman Emperor!

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, which was left, somehow, in the middle of a very peaceful field in downtown Athens, as it was originally intended. There, it smells of chamomile.

A modern-ish church, viewed over the Kerameikos ruins.

The Kerameikos ruins hold the former "sacred way" which led into Athens for religious ceremonies, as well as many cemeteries. Thousands of years ago, this was it, flanked by a large river that is now only a trickle.

This is Filippopoulos Hill, where democracy actually started. It overlooks the Acropolis. I had a strange feeling in my chest while walking over the marbled earth and old ruins of benches and pavilions.

Me, Lyla, and the Parthenon.

The Roman Agora, or marketplace