The Parthenon: Power and Politics on the Acropolis

This book takes the reader through the dramatic story of the conception and creation of the Parthenon, setting it against a turbulent historical background and rooting the building firmly in the real and mythological landscape of Athens. Written as a pacy, narrative history, the text features a cast of memorable characters, including Themistocles, the general whose decision to evacuate Athens led to the Persian sack of the acropolis; Pericles, visionary statesman and mastermind of the Athens' building project; and Pheidias, who created the cult statue of Athene, and narrowly escaped impeachment for embezzlement. Beautifully illustrated with site photography, details from the Parthenon sculptures and other related artworks from the collection of the British Museum, this book explores the Parthenon as the spiritual heart of a network of commanding buildings, devised by Pericles and continued by his successors to promote the power of Athens as leader of the Greek world