42 facts about athens

As a result of these shady practices during the construction of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, an official death toll of 14 workers was released to the public. Athens was named after Athena who triumphed the guardian position of the city. It was actually decried by people like Aristotle for being an example of how despots divert the attention the people they oppress with huge, overly gaudy building projects so that they’re too distracted or tired to rebel. Unfortunately, things were just getting started. Koukidis was on flag duty on the Acropolis when the Germans took Athens. Here are some Athens-facts in order to know about what kind of place Athens is. Greece had been under a far-right military rule, known as the Junta, for over six years by that point. According to Homer’s account in the Iliad, Athena was a … The Olympic Games have many dark sides that the International Olympic Committee doesn’t want the average person to know or think about while they watch their nation’s athletes compete—in between endless commercials, of course. On top of all that, two police officers in Athens found themselves facing off against a group of youths. 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Modern Athens was constructed after 1834, when it became the capital of a newly independent Greece. 0-17. …that’s a little more than 1/4 of the size of London. Because we all need a happy ending, both men survived the war and lived long enough to be honored for their heroism. He himself was taken in by the EAM-ELAS, which saved hundreds of Jewish lives, on top of the thousands which Barzilai’s initial actions likely saved. Madame de Pompadour didn't just share King Louis XV's bed, she also shared his power. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history. Athens was abandoned and deserted when they got word of the Persians’ approach, allowing the Persians to raze and plunder the city unopposed. Despite the doubt, a plaque stands in Athens near the area where he supposedly fell from the Acropolis to honor his choice of death rather than assisting Nazis in any way. Athens incorporates architectural styles ranging from Greco-Roman and Neoclassical to modern times. Once the Nazis were removed from power, fighting broke out in Athens between the powerful left-wing resistance group known as the EAM-ELAS and the Greek government, not to mention various groups of right-wing resistance fighters who were backed by the British army. However, the Battle of Thermopylae did nothing to stop the Persians from ravaging a large portion of the Greek mainland when they did pass through. Admittedly, the evidence of his existence has yet to be confirmed, as it could have simply been a story invented to encourage Greek resistance to the occupying force. 42. Frankly, when men “are being forced to work long shifts, up to 14 hours a day every day, in very hot temperatures and under constant pressure to complete construction work in time for the Olympics,” how could anyone act surprised if that regimen turns out to be a health risk? Not surprisingly, Athens is a world center for the subjects of history and archaeology. This was a disastrous PR move for the British, who were already showing their anti-communist colors by advising the government and right-wing militias against EAM-ELAS. The ancient Olympic games were never actually held there. Despite winning the first victories of WWII against the Axis Powers, the Greeks were eventually overrun by the combined Italian and German forces. Athens lies 5 miles (8 km) from the Bay of Phaleron, an inlet of the Aegean (Aigaíon) Sea where Piraeus (Piraiévs), the port of Athens, is situated, in a mountain-girt arid basin divided north-south by a line of hills. …that’s just over 1/3 of the population of London…. The city center of Athens is only 15 sq miles or 39 sq kilometers. Interestingly, the Soviet Union did not support the left-wing factions, some of whom identified as Communist. For anyone not keeping count, that’s over 600 years after the project began. For such a spectacular tribute to Zeus, he really didn’t help the Athenians out when it came to actually building the damn thing! The sacred buildings on top of the Acropolis include the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaia, all of which date back to the … Athens was then subject to Macedonian rule until their defeat by the Romans in 197 BCE at the Battle of Cynocephalae after which Greece was methodically conquered by the Roman Empire.It is a tribute to an enduring legacy that the Roman general Sulla, who sacked Athens in 87-86 BCE, slaughtered the citizenry, and burned the port of Piraeus, refused to allow his soldiers to burn the city itself. Trop sexy pour mes pinces. The area now known as Athens was first settled by Europeans around 1797. During the occupation of Greece, he was ordered to submit a list of names and addresses of Jews living in Athens. Either EAM-ELAS would win and become Soviet allies, or else the British involvement in their defeat would be good for propaganda. In both versions, however, Athena prevails with her gift of the olive tree. Despite the horror which came out of the invasion of Greece in World War II, one story of heroism which emerged was that of the Greek soldier known as Konstantinos Koukidis. It was given to her during the reign of Cecrops, the first king of Athens. Surely, a city this old has a more sinister side to its long life. The sacred buildings on top of the Acropolis include the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Propylaia, all of which date back to the 5th century BC. In 2015, 240,000 people were asked by European Best Destination to vote on which European city was the best one to visit. However, the Battle of Thermopylae did nothing to stop the Persians from ravaging a large portion of the Greek mainland when they did pass through. The word “idiot” finds its origins in ancient Greece, but at that time, it was meant to refer to anyone who didn’t participate in politics. Medusa is known because her hair, which was made out of snakes. All this early settlement can be credited to Athens’ handy location near the water. Although Athenian Democracy has been hailed as a monumental event in the history of government and politics, there were many who criticized the way democracy used to be set up. One of the main attractions in Athens is an ancient fortification on top of a hill in the middle of Athens. But is the city just resting on its laurels or is there more to Athens? The total land area of Athens is 159 square miles (412 square kilometres)…. This was because Sultan Mehmed II rode into Athens and was so amazed at the ancient architecture in the city that he forbade his forces from looting on the pain of death. ft. Get home facts, home value, real estate property … The city hosted the final game of the Euroleague three times during the 1980s and 1990s. This act was said to have inspired others to join the Greek resistance. In 174 BC, the project was finally revived by Antiochus IV, King of the Seleucid Empire, who found himself hanging out in Athens and was bored enough to take up an old unfinished project that was still lying around. We may need to make another facts about Crete list just for the food! Because we all need a happy ending, both men survived the war and lived long enough to be honored for their heroism. Christine Tran. She was the daughter of Zeus; no mother bore her. In both versions, however, Athena prevails with her gift of the olive tree. Athens is a Beta global city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, and is one of the biggest economic centers in southeastern Europe. Athens is statistically one of the lowest ranking capital cities when it comes to violent crime. The Peloponnesian War resulted in the defeat of Athens by Sparta and its allies—helped in part by Persian finance. We’re thinking it’s about time they got a movie or two. While the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos had sparked the riots into gear, they came to embody all the resentments and anger of the Greek populace at the time. During the occupation of Greece, he was ordered to submit a list of names and addresses of Jews living in Athens. image: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. This was all before the Great Depression and World War II happened, mind you. In 2015, 240,000 people were asked by European Best Destination to vote on which European city was the best one to visit. However, things were just starting to get ugly for them. In fact, the nation has one of the highest numbers of international airports of any country in Europe. Gate of athena archegetis Temple of Hefestion Athena in University history museum at Tholou str. Before long, they’d spread to cities across Greece, and even found protests against Greek consulates in dozens of other countries. Athens is one of the oldest cities of the world. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. However, Alaric spared Athens from this fate, because the city opened its gates to the king and didn’t put up a fight. However, its origin story has somehow been swept under the rug, despite it being the most interesting aspect of the temple. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Riots broke out across Athens as people demanded justice for Grigoropoulos. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIII’s first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. This was a disastrous PR move for the British, who were already showing their anti-communist colors by advising the government and right-wing militias against EAM-ELAS. One of the darkest and most turbulent moments in the modern history of Athens occurred in December 2008. On November 14, students at the university launched another of many protests against the military regime ruling Greece. During this time it grew from a small fishing village to the most important city in the ancient world. Athens hosted the first modern Olympic games in 1896 and then hosted them again in 2004. 11 facts / 123 reads / 0 votes. Unfortunately, when Cimon and his soldiers arrived, the suspicious Spartans turned the Athenians away. We would be very remiss to not mention the heroism of Elias Barzilai, the Grand Rabbi of Athens in 1943. During this occupation by the Ottomans, the city of Athens lost a lot of prestige as a city. Each state had its own laws, government and money but they shared the same language and religion. It is generally believed that the city was named after the goddess of wisdom, Athena. It was actually decried by people like Aristotle for being an example of how despots divert the attention the people they oppress with huge, overly gaudy building projects so that they’re too distracted or tired to rebel. He suspected that as many as 40 people died during the construction process. Pretty on the nose, all things considered. Thanks for your time! Ironically, their ruthless measures to stomp out resistance only confirmed to the city of Athens that they needed to be overthrown. Traveling to Athens, Greece was an incredible experience. Ordered to withdraw from the situation, the officers disobeyed and confronted the youths. Sorry, tourists. To put its age into perspective: the first permanent settlement in the United States (St. Augustine, Florida) wasn’t founded until 1565! According to the BBC, the workers hired to construct the buildings in Athens for the games were mostly from eastern Europe and southern Asia. 4. Athena, also referred to as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things. Students barricaded themselves in the university and launched a radio station which reached out to Athens with their messages and their cause. Construction on the massive Temple finally resumed, but things were stalled again when Antiochus died. Many important people wandered its streets throughout time. German occupation of Greece was focused on the area around Athens, and they made sure everyone knew it by flying the Nazi flag over the Acropolis—definitely a low point for that monument. The city is a world center of archaeological research. If the Nazi occupation of Greece was ever to be made into a film, one of the many Oscar moments would undoubtedly go to the actions of Apostolos Santas and Manolis Glezos. 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