Priene

Priene: Greek city in western Turkey.

The city of Priene was some five centuries old already, when the inhabitants decided to move to a more western location. The town was refounded in the fourth century BCE, perhaps after a suggestion made by Maussolus of Caria. The site of the citadel was almost impossible to reach: on the top of a very steep hill, which can be seen on this satellite photo; the town itself was constructed at a lower terrace (satellite photo). The view is from the battlefield of Mycale, west of Priene.

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The temple of Athena Polias. Photo Marco Prins.

This picture shows the remains of the sanctuary of Athena Polias, with the citadel. in the background.

The temple of Athena Polias was presented to the city by the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, who stayed here during the siege of Miletus in the summer of 334 BCE. The sanctuary was designed by an artist named Pytheos, who had also worked on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The cult statue was a copy of the famous Athena of Phidias in the Athenian Parthenon.

Inscription of Alexander the Great from the temple of Athena Polias. British Museum (London). Photo Marco Prins.

The foundation inscription by Alexander from the temple of Athena Polias, which is now in the British Museum: "King Alexander built the shrine of Athena Polias". It is probably the first text in which Alexander is called king, basileus.

Terrace walls at Priene. Photo Marco Prins.

Terrace walls. The construction of these giant walls was necessary because of Priene's location on a steep hill.

The house of Alexander the Great. Photo Marco Prins.

The house of Alexander. Later, it became a sanctuary; an inscription (now in Berlin) says that the visitors were obliged to wear white garments.

An inscription from the temple of Athena Polias, to honor Julia, the daughter of the emperor Titus. Now in the British Museum.


Main road	Terrace of the Temple of Athena	Temple of Athena

Statue of Alexander (Antikensammlung, Berlin)	The view from the house of Alexander. On the background, you can see Miletus and Lade, where the Macedonians were fighting against the Persians.	This bust of Gaius Julius Caesar was made in c.50 CE, and was excavated in the temple of Athena Polias (British Museum).

A final look at the temple of Athena Polias.