Description
The temple of the Olympian Zeus is regarded as one of the biggest of the ancient world. Its construction started two centuries before the establishment of the Athenian Democracy, in the 6th century BC and was completed almost seven centuries later, in 132-132 AD, during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian. The emperor was awe inspired by the achievements of the Athenian Civilization, thus he placed two monumentally sculpted statues, one of God Zeus and the other one of himself, in the inner part of the temple.
The triumphal arch, built by the Athenians in 131-132 AD to honour the Roman emperor Hadrian, is located right next to the archaeological site of the Olympieion. It was in the inauguration of the Olympian Zeus Temple that emperor Hadrian made the first step under the arch.
Description
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