The Olympieion is a colossal temple, dedicated to
Zeus. The first temple was started in about 515 B.C, the present one of
the Corinthian order (which did not exist in Athens in the classical
period) was finished in the year 131 under the emperor, Hadrian, a great
and profound admirer of Athens. The base of the columns is 5 feet 8 inches
wide only 15 out of the 104 columns remain, since the temple was used as a
quarry in the Middle Ages. |