The Landscape Transformation of the Terrace at the South Slope of the Athenian Akropolis during the Classical Period: The "Archaîos Naós" of the Asklepieion Jesper Tae Jensen 2026

https://www.academia.edu/180127141/The_Landscape_Transformation_of_the_Terrace_at_the_South_Slope_of_the_Athenian_Akropolis_during_the_Classical_Period_The_Archa%C3%AEos_Na%C3%B3s_of_the_Asklepieion The Athenian Asklepieion lies at the South Slope of Akropolis next to the Theatre of Dionysos Eleuthereus and on the natural terrace above the Stoa of Eumenes II. It is presently believed that the sanctuary had only one temple, the one dated to 300 BC that lies next to the Doric Stoa. In this paper, I will present all the evidence of yet another temple together with a reconstruction of its third construction phase, where all its main architectural elements are preserved. Architect Michaelis Lefantzis (Head of the Department of Studies of Ancient Monuments, Directorate for the Restoration of Ancient Monuments, Hellenic Ministry of Culture) and I have worked on a reconstruction of this small temple with five construction phases dated to 418/17 BC to the Roman Imperial period (Construction Phases IV and V). A meticulous analysis of all the blocks placed at what was formerly believed to be an altar (βωμός) and all the other architectural blocks related to this monument, which are today spread out in the sanctuary, has resulted in this unexpected discovery. Instead of finding a whole altar, we found the remains of the first temple of the sanctuary. This temple is also depicted on the so-called Telemachos Monument that carries an extensive inscription describing the beginning of the history of the sanctuary from its founding in 420/19-412/11 BC. The temple is also mentioned in an inscription dated to 51/50 BC as "ἀρχαῖος ναός" (old temple) together with the Hellenistic temple, which is simply called "ναός" (temple) in the inscription. This inscription gives the final evidence that the Athenian Asklepieion had two temples from at least 300 BC. Finally, the paper will also present the transformation of the landscape around the Asklepieion and the epitheatron of the Theatre of Dionysos Eleuthereus with the new architectural design of the area with the relocation of the Peripatos and the κατατομή of the Akropolis rock during the "Age of Lykurgos" (338 to 324 BC).