Day 6 - Welcome to Athens!

Athens, Greece * Tuesday, June 20, 2006

From the Navigator:
In the early hours of the morning we will make our approaches to Athens from the south, using the traffic separation scheme which controls the inbound and outbound traffic into the bay. We will embark our pilot off the part and enter the harbor. Piraeus is the busiest port in Greece and everyday ferries depart for the Greek islands as well as Italy, Cyprus and Turkey. We are scheduled to depart at 5:45pm, when we will thrust off the berth and back out into the harbor before turning to starboard and setting a course between the breakwaters. Once the pilot has disembarked we will set a southerly course through the traffic separation scheme, passing numerous vessels as we build up to 12 knots for our slow speed run to Mykonos.

Athens: Where an Olympic Spirit Soars in the Winds of Democracy

Although it is a bustling modern capital city, Athens still holds the ancient Acropolis and all of its history high enough for everyone to remember.

The core of the city is built on a lofty hill with steep sides, providing an excellent defensive site. It is protected by a ring of lower hills, and by two rivers that flow into the sea nearby. Despite its many protections, Athens was far from isolated.

Very early in history, Athens gained attention among neighboring city-states for its strong maritime commerce and the wealth which that overseas trade generated. This commercial success, in turn, convinced the Athenians that an open-minded, tolerant approach toward all people was good for business, and frequently eliminated the petty causes of antagonism and warfare that might disrupt trade.

The basis for small-scale democracy was founded upon practical needs. Since there never seemed to be enough skilled workers to keep up with the demand for goods, the merchant classes saw that it was in their interests to form a working partnership with artisans, farmers, sailors and day-laborers. Those workers were granted political and civil rights, ensuring their loyalty to a city that protected them.

Slavery was uncommon during the first centuries of Athenian life, escaped slaves frequently found their way to Athens. There was work available, and the steady influx of outsiders hoping to begin a new life was taken for granted.

Life many other Greek sates, Athens exported its surplus population to colonize other parts of the region, spreading its own institutions and customs even further. Athenian settlements extend throughout the Aegean, Sicily, Southern Italy, Asia Minor and even the Black Sea.

Through Greek eyes, the unique traits of Athens disclosed a special relationship with both Poseidon, god of the sea, and Athena, goddess of wisdom. Athena's characteristic owl was a frequent symbol on Athenian coins and her olive tree, signifying peace and harmony, commonly appears on decorative works.

Though technically dedicated to the goddess, Athens did not want to neglect the powerful god of the sea, which dominated their commerce. The beautiful Erectheion on the Acropolis hedges the bet quite nicely: shrines to Poseidon and Athena share the same temple building. There is also a stunning Temple of Poseidon atop the headland of Cap Sounion, overlooking the Aegean Sea.

The Golden Age of Athens began with the social reforms of the philosopher Solon and the strong direction of leaders like Peisistratos in the 6th-century B.C. Imposing public buildings and temples on the Acropolis replace earlier ones, and the Agora or marketplace district expanded several times over.

During the Persian Wars (circa 400 B.C.), the city was captures and destroyed; but Athens and her allies ultimately expelled their Persian foes from Europe. The glorious battles of this period include the lopsided victory at Marathon, followed by the famous 26-mile run to communicate the news of victory.

Following the defeat of the Persians, the great statesman Themistocles built new fortifications to protect the city. There was also much to be rebuilt inside the city; the form of the Acropolis that we see today took shape at this time.

The shops and squares of the Agora and most of the lower town were also rebuilt and expanded during the same building program. Pericles also built the legendary Long Walls, a sort of fortified corridor connecting Athens with Piraeus.

Not far from the Acropolis is the Pnyx, a small crowded amphitheater where the Assembly met and debated political issues. Since each citizen had the right to speak and vote, the Pnyx is the true home of Athenian democracy. The much larger Theater of Dionysus is one of the oldest and most impressive Greek dramatic structures.

After the city went into decline, it was ruled in turn by Sparta, Thebes, Macedonia, and Rome. The Roman Emperor Hadrian added a new walled quarter to the city, complete with library, gymnasium, new aqueducts, and the striking Hadrian's Arch. He also completed the Olympian Temple of Zeus, started centuries before by Peisistratos.

Athens remained part of the Roman-Byzantine empire even after the fall of Rome in the West. Along with the rest of Greece, it was conquered by the Turkish army in the 1450s and remained part of the Ottoman Empire until the 19th century.

Monuments in the modern city honor the memory of two non-Greeks: Lord Byron and Heinrich Schliemann. Byron supported the Greeks' struggle for independence with his military skill, but even more with his writing. Althoug he died long before final victory, he is much loved even today.

Schliemann was a German businessman with a passion for ancient history. He shocked the archaeological world by discovering legendary sites, like Troy, which some scholars had dismissed as mythical. His efforts sparked a new wave of study, which brought to light previously unknown cultures like the Mycenean and Minoan civilizations. His house in Athens is a museum today.

More modern additions to the city include the impressive Olympic Statium, built in 1895. Syntagma or Constitution Square is an elegant space in front of the Parliament. Formerly built for the kings of Greece, also hosts the monument to the Unknown Soldier. One of the streets from there leads to the gracious buildings of the University, the Academy, the National Library, and ultimately to Schliemann's former house.

So, we're still in Greece, and the food and drink specialties haven't changed...but Martini of the Day has! Mambo Martini! (Smirnoff Vodka, Cruzan Rum and Banana Liqueur)