Temple of Athena at Smyrna
Temple of Athena at Smyrna
Phase I
Phase I of the Temple of Athena at Old Smyrna, dated from the early 7th century BCE until around 630 BCE, is primarily reconstructed through indirect architectural evidence rather than fully intact structures. Located on an enlarged platform, its existence is inferred from three key findings: the site's continuous use by later temples, a rectangular stone foundation suitable for a cult statue base, and an east-west andesite wall fragment that served as the socle for a mud-brick superstructure matching the alignment of the subsequent temple. Additionally, archaeologist R. V. Nicholls proposed that Phase I was an absidal building—or a primitive structure with rounded corners—drawing inspiration from the contemporary, nearby "Priestess’s House" which shares a similar absidal plan.
Construction Phases of the Temple of Athena
(Click the image for a full screen view)
Phase II
Phase II of the Temple of Athena at Old Smyrna, dated to approximately 630–610 BCE, unifies several architectural remains previously assigned to different periods—such as a Subgeometric podium, an early Orientalizing crepis, and a late Orientalizing cella—into a single cohesive phase. Built atop a platform expanded by a polygonal retaining wall, this phase was later enhanced with a grand access ramp flanked by Lesbian and ashlar masonry walls, the latter of which may have been topped by a continuous carved frieze. The ramp led between two southern platform extensions (the South and Southeast Bastions) intended to support porticoes, though the temple and porticoes themselves were likely constructed from perishable materials like wood and mudbrick; thus, their existence is inferred primarily from the innovative and luxurious stone substructures, terraces, and ramp works that would have served no other purpose than to anchor this major sanctuary complex.
Temple of Athena from S
(Click the image for a full screen view)
Phase III
Phase III of the Temple of Athena at Old Smyrna, initiated around 610 BCE, was designed to be the largest and grandest sanctuary in the site's history. Constructed from tufa, this Aeolic-style monument featured faceted column shafts, distinct palm-leaf "mushroom" capitals, and the famous ascending-volute capitals made celebrated by Ekrem Akurgal's initial excavations. However, the ambitious project was abruptly interrupted and never completed due to the Lydian conquest of the city at the turn of the century. Based on meticulous modern stratigraphic analysis, the British publication reconstructs a highly unusual construction process: only the western and part of the southern colonnades were actually erected, while the northern colonnade’s space was occupied by a city rampart that had not yet been adapted to accommodate the temple.
Structure of the Temple of Athena
(Click the image for a full screen view)
Within the L-shaped footprint formed by these two completed colonnades sat a complex inner layout. To ensure continuous cult activity during the expansion, a small surviving cella from the previous phase (Temple IV B) was rebuilt inside, nested within the outline of a proposed larger cella. This projected interior space contained two rows of columns prefiguring a four-column internal arrangement, perfectly suited to support a flat roof. While this unfinished configuration appears perplexing, the refined stratigraphy corrected earlier misconceptions—such as Akurgal’s interpretation of the gap between the cella wall and the outer colonnade foundation as a hallway—and raised questions about whether peripteral colonnades in early Aeolic temples were always fully realized. Furthermore, scholar R. V. Nicholls argued that the architectural order combined low cylindrical column bases with composite capitals, stacking the vertical volutes directly atop the droop-leaf "mushroom" neckings.
Relief from Smyrna
Depicts the arbitration between Athena and
Poseidon over the possession of the city of Athens. German Archaeological
Institute at Athens.
(Click the image for a full screen view)
Following the project's sudden halt, cult life at the sanctuary persisted far longer than early assessments suggested. Contrary to Akurgal’s view that the 6th century BCE was a sterile period, phases IV B (580–545 BCE) and IV C (545–494 BCE) saw the older cella and porticoes rebuilt—albeit with simpler materials such as plain columns and wooden entablatures—while an abundance of votive offerings confirms intense devotional activity. After an aborted reconstruction attempt in the early 5th century BCE, the temple experienced a final operational era from 460 to 334 BCE, providing compelling physical evidence that the population shift from Old to New Smyrna was a gradual process rather than an immediate relocation.
Smyrna Bayrakli Settlement Mound Map
(Click the image for a full screen view)
Location
Home » Museum » Temples Gallery » Temple of Athena at Smyrna