Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/492

 476 OLYMPIA. which was covered in the more finished parts by a surface of stucco, which f^ave it the appearance of marble. It was of the Doric order, and a peripteral hexastyle building. Accordingly it had six columns in the front and thirteen on the sides. The co- lumns were fluted, and 7ft. 4in. in diameter, a size greater than that of any other existing columns of a Grecian temple. The length of the temple was 230 Greek feet, the breadth 95, the height to the sum- mit of the pediment 68. The roof was covered with slabs of Pentelic marble in the form of tiles. At each end of the pediment stood a gilded vase, and on the apex a gilded statue of Nike' or Victory; below which was a golden shield with the head of Medusa in the middle, dedicated by the Lacedaemo- nians on account of their victory over the Athenians at Tanagra in b. c. 457. The two pediments were tilled with figures. The eastern pediment had a statue of Zeus in the centre, with Oenomaus on his right and Pelops on his left, prepared to contend in the chariot-race ; the figures on either side consisted of their attendants, and in the angles were the two rivers, Cladeus to the right of Zeus, and Alpheius OLYMPIA. to his left. In the western pediment was the con- test of the Centaurs and the Lapithae, Peirithous occupying the central place. On the metopes over the doors at the eastern and western ends the labours of Hercules were represented. In its interior con- struction the temple resembled the Parthenon. The cella consisted of two chambers, of which the eastern contained the statue, and the western was called the Opisthodomus. The colossal statue of Zeus, the master-work of Pheidias, was made of ivory and gold. It stood at the end of the front chamber of the cella, directly facing the entrance, so that it at once showed itself in all its grandeur to a spec- tator entering the temple. The approach to it was between a double row of columns, supporting the roof. The god was seated on a magnificent throne adorned with sculptures, a full description of which, as well as of the statue, has been given in another place. [Diet, of Biorjr. Vol. III. p. 252-1 Behind the Opisthodomus of the temple was the Callistepha- mis or wild olive tree, which furnished the garlands of the Olympic victors. (Paus. v. 1 5. § 3.) ft GROUND PLA2J OF THE OLYMPIEIUM. 2. The Pehpium stood opposite the temple of Zeus, on the other side of the Pompic way. Its po- sition is defined by Pausanias, who says that it stood to the right of the entrance into the temple of Zeus and to the north of that building. It was an enclosure, containing trees and statues, having an opening to the west. (Paus. v. 13. § L) 3. The Heraeum was the most important temple in the Altis after that of Zeus It was also a Doric peripteral building. Its dimensions are unknown. Pausanias says (v. 16. § 1) that it was 63 feet in length; but this is clearly a mistake, since no perip- teral building was so small; and the numerous statues in the cella, described by Pausanias, clearly show that it must have been of considerable dimen- sions. The two most remarkable monuments in the Heraeum were the table, on which were placed the garlands prepared for the victors in the Olympic contests, and the celebrated chest of Cypselus, covered with figures in relief, of which Pausanias has given an elabor.ate description (v. 17 — 19). We learn from a passage of Dion Chrysostom (Oi-at. xi. p. 163), cited by Leake, that this chest stood in the opisthodomus of the Heraeum ; whence wo may infer that the cella of the temple consisted of two apartments. 4. The Great Altar of Zeus is described by Pausanias as equidistant from the Pelopium and the Heraeum, and as being in front of them both. (Paus. V. 13. § 8.) Leake places the Heraeum near the Pompic entrance of the Stadium, and sup- poses that it faced eastward; accordingly he con- jectures that the altar was opposite to the back- fronts of the Pelopium and the Heraeum. The total height of the altar was 22 feet. It had two platforms, of which the upper was made of the cin- ders of the thighs sacrificed on this and other alt irs. 5. The Column of Oenomaits stood between the great altar and the temple of Zeus. It was said to have belonged to the house of Oenomaus, and to have been the only part of the building which es- caped when it was burnt by lightning. (Paus. v. 20. § 6.) 6. The Metroimi, or temple of the Mother of the Gods, was a large Doric building, situated within the Altis (Paus. v. 20. § 9.) It is placed by Leake to the left of the Pompic Way nearly opposite the Heraeum. 7. The Pnjtaneium is placed by Pausanias within the Altis, near the Gymnasium, which was outside the sacred enclosure (v. 15. § 8.) 8. The Bouleuterion, or Council-House, seems to have been near the Prytaneium. (Paus. v. 23. § 1, 24. §1.) 9. The Philippemm, a circular building, erected by Philip after the battle of Chaeroneia, was to the left in proceeding from the entrance of the Altis to the Prytaneium. (Paus. v. 17. § 4, v. 20. § 10.)