Now let's stroll the Acropolis and, at the same time, look at art in the Greek Classical Age:

The Athenians, by 500 B.C. have now become so humanistic and individualistic that they've created the first democracy AND visually we can see artists seeking to sculpt realistic human beings. We divide the Classical Age into three periods.

The Early Classical Age, roughly 500-461 B.C., is when artists, are making great strides toward understanding HOW to sculpt a perfect human being. They must learn about the human body in order to sculpt a fully developed (in terms of toned musculature, visible veins, ribs and bones, etc.)

During the Golden Age, 461-429 B.C., Athenian democracy is flourishing and Athenians are following the Golden Mean. They like their architecture and art to be balanced and restrained as we can see here with the Doric Parthenon here on the Acropolis. Their individualism is that I want a say in my government individualism. They understand that they need to be civically responsible in order to have a working democracy.

All of the temples here on the Acropolis are devoted to Athena.

We'll stroll up to the west facade of the Parthenon again and then swing around to the left and look at one of the sides of the structure.

Drew, taking a picture of the Parthenon....let's look a bit closer: we're now at the East Facade looking at Dionysos looking away from the scene as Athena is born.

Let's look at the base with some of our trip participants:

The base of the Parthenon, East facade

Athenian democracy is at its height and, at the same time, artists have mastered technique and can do what ever they want. Athenian society has developed an ideal called the Golden Mean: "nothing too much" is the motto. Let's head over to the Acropolis museum. You can see it tucked in to the hill so that it doesn't attract attention away from the ancient structures.

The group taking a rest before we head into the museum.

Let's jump past the Archaic and Early Classical rooms into the Golden Age:

Beauty is balance and restraint and symmetry. This restrained relief sculpure of Athena is a classic example:

Pensive Athena: in the Acropolis museum.

Once again, by 460, they've pretty much mastered technique and understanding as we can see here, with the Poseidon (or Zeus. No one is absolutely sure.)

Poseidon in the Archeological Museum in Athens and,

the Discus Thrower in the British Museum

Now, let's walk over and look at the beautiful Ionic temple to Athena, the Erechtheum. This was built during the Late Classical Age, 429-338 B.C. The Late Classical Age is marked by the terrible Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. It is marked by the decline of Athens' democratic system and a rising individualism that we can see reflected in her art and architecture. We are seeing the changing nature of individualism to a more "me, me, me" form of individualism. Artists are more interested in following their own personal visions and less interested in the Golden Mean. They're not quite as excited about that "nothing too much" motto!

Hey! Click here and take a moment and jump over to Pnyx hill to see the democracy at work and then return here! And then we will go on into the Late Classical Age...

Now, during the Late Classical Age, the Ionic order of Architecture fits more with who they are! And so, we build the Ionic Erechtheum:

The Erechtheum. They are less interested in symmetry and balance and proportion. The Erechtheum has quirky and beautiful little porches. You can see the famous Caryatid porch off to the left.

And here it is up close:

Sarah and Drew in front of the Erechtheum

And, during the Late Classical Age, the Athenians also build the Temple of Athena Nike:

Temple of Athena Nike: The artists are less interested in balance and restraint and more into following their own personal visions as we can see here in a relief sculpture from the Temple of Athena Nike:

Nike Unbinding her Sandal: We're back in the Acropolis Museum. Let's see a larger image:

Click here and let's now leave the Acropolis and go down to the Agora!

OR if you want to stay with art and continue on to the Hellenistic Age, click here.