Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1919 — DAYS OF ATHENS’ GREATNESS [ARTICLE]

DAYS OF ATHENS’ GREATNESS

Emperor Hadrian Did Much Toward Making the City Religious Center for All Hellas. It was during Hadrian’s first visit to Athens (about 124 A. D.) that he made plans for rebuilding the majestic temple of Olympian Zeus. He added signally to the adornment of Athens with ir«\ny temples and other buildings ; he built an aqueduct to bring the water of Cephissus to the city, and at Corinth I*> constructed aqueducts to bring to that city the water from Lake Stymphalus. Sparta was then the most* important city in the Peloponnesus, and the visit of Hadrian there is established by an Inscription. He was absent from. Rome three years at this time, returning by way of Sicily, where he made the ascent of Mount Etna to witness a sunrise. Tlt-egorovius believes he has evidence that proves Hadrian to have been in Athens again in the year 132 A. D.. and he gssumes that the great temple of Olympian Zeus was then completed and dedicated. Not for centuries had Athens known any such magnificent festival as that of the dedication of this Olympieion. It was made a national festival, with representatives from every city in Greece, as the Olympian Zeus was the new religious center for all Hellas. The ■dedicatory address was delivered by Polemon of Smyrna, who was the most celebrated Sophist of his day.—From “Athens, the Violet-Crowned,’’ by Lilian Whiting.