Monuments are one of the key pieces of evidence in understanding the Ancient Greek civilization as a whole. Whether it’s their architecture or their religion, it isn’t far fetched to say that monuments help define a strong identity in the society they are built in. Today, we will be taking a look at how monuments defined the Ancient Greek City states and whether or not monuments in the present day have the same effect as the ones in ancient times. In order to discover the effects of monuments in both Ancient Greece and in the present day, we must be able to define what exactly a monument is. After a brief explanation of what defines a monument, we take a look at how monuments defined Greek city states and how they acted as a statement of power and superiority over other people. Finally, using the Statue of Liberty as an example, we take a look at three major differences of present day monuments compared to the monuments of the ancient world.
First, to understand what exactly a monument is, we must develop a definition that would allow us to categorize what is and what isn’t a monument. A good way to start is to take a look at the root of the word monument, “The etymology of the word, which comes from monumentum in Latin, which in turn derives from monere, ‘to remind.'” [1] Since the word monument comes from the meaning of “remind” we can define monuments as “ reminders, in enduring material, of the achievement of a collective (whether family, city or nation)” [2] and “Monuments, as memorials and reminders, can come in any number of forms, and they can perform any number of purposes.” [3] Using this definition, we can place many monuments from Ancient Greece and begin to analyze not only their functions but also their ability to create a statement of power within the land that they exist in. Monuments such as the Parthenon in Athens are one of the strongest examples of this, being a temple with many functions including religion. However, that isn’t the only type of monument Greeks had. Other monuments such as the old theaters can also be considered to be monuments: “Tourists came from all over Greece to watch the tragedies performed in honor of the god Dionysus” [4] Here, we can see that theatres were used to put on a show, in this case tragic plays for entertainment. While theatres aren’t the most eye-catching, they still fall under the definition of a monument: theatres are still “enduring material” that “remind” people even to this day of their “purpose” which in this case entertainment.
With the Parthenon and theaters considered as monuments based on our definition, we can analyze the effect they have on their city, Athens, and how they act as a statement of power. This idea of monuments of the Ancient world acting as a statement of power begins when “The Athenians diverted some of the money they received for policing the seas to the… erection of magnificent public buildings such as the temple to Athena called the Parthenon.” [5] For some context, this event happens right after the victory over the Persian invasion of Xerxes. This is important as it shows the idea that monuments act as a statement of power, specifically power over others. The Athenians built the Parthenon as a statement to others that they were able to not only beat the Persians, but spend the money they won from war to dedicate to public buildings. It shows they are confident in their power and superiority and seek ways to show that, in this case the building of a huge and glorious temple dedicated to their gods; a statement of power through a monument, to express their superiority to others in the Ancient World. This also connects to the theatres as well, as they also fall under “public buildings” and were another way of showing the culture and superiority of the Athenians. And as mentioned before, theatres worked in spreading the culture of Athens, bringing “tourists… from all over Greece.” Monuments in the present day however, act as statements of ideals rather than power, quite different from their ancient predecessors.
There are three major differences between present day monuments and the monuments of the ancient world: statement of an ideal rather than power, scale of influence and types of tourism/visitation.
First, differences in the type of statement monuments bring between present and ancient can be understood when looking at the Statue of Liberty. “This immense statue has been and continues to be, a symbol of justice, freedom, truth and eternal youth for countless immigrants and American citizens.” [6] Here we get the idea that the Statue of Liberty isn’t a monument for power or superiority like the ancient Parthenon or theatres, but an ideal of “justice, freedom, truth and eternal youth.” Present day monuments aren’t competitive or engrossed with power or superiority, but instead a means of showing greatness or a statement of an ideal such as freedom.
Another difference between monuments then and now is the scale of influence they have. Compared to the Parthenon in ancient times which only provided a statement of power for its own city state, the Statue of Liberty acts as a statement for a whole country and even beyond; “Over the years, the statue has become an icon of freedom worldwide. At least 206 replicas have been planted on the soil of the United States and its territories by the Boy Scouts of America. Look-alikes hold up the flame in Buenos Aires's Belgrano Park, near Rio de Janeiro, and in Bangkok. There are several versions in Japan.” [7] Here we begin to understand the sheer scale of the symbolism the Statue of Liberty has on not only the U.S but even across the world. A universal statement rather than being limited to one city.
The last major differences of monuments then and now are the types of visitors or tourists. It would be wrong to say that there were no such things as tourists in the ancient world. People went to theaters often and the Parthenon related festivals also acted as a place of tourist attraction. However, the tourists of the ancient world are different from the tourists of the present day. People who went to the theaters or Parthenon related festivals went for specifically the events held there and not for the actual monument itself. “Pisistratus also commissioned the first editions of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and made Homeric recitations a regular part of the great Panathenaic festival together with athletic events, which was celebrated at Athens every four years. The Panathenaea culminated in a great procession to Athena’s temple bearing the robe woven for her by Athenian girls.” [8] Here we get specific mention of the Parthenon, or “Athena’s Temple” being used as part of a festival, a place where people went to celebrate. Not to sight-see the actual temple itself. This is further evident when you take a look at theatres and the types of tourists that went there. “Tourists came from all over Greece to watch the tragedies performed in honor of the god Dionysus” Tourists specifically go for the event of the theatre, that being a play, rather than to see the actual physical theatre itself. On the other hand, tourists going to the Statue of Liberty are the exact opposite, going to see the statue not because of an event but instead the monument itself, “Restored to her full splendour, the colossus was opened to the public again in time for the centennial of the original installation, attracting sight-seers by the million--and souvenir-hawkers galore.” [9] Tourists nowadays are “sight-seers,” not attendees to an event such as a festival or a play like in Ancient Greece. A polar opposite in the types of tourist/visitors.
Both monuments then and now are structures that provide an “enduring material” that “remind” us of the past. However, the differences between monuments of the past compared to the present are the statements that they bring, size of influence and types of visitors. No longer are monuments used as a statement of superiority or power: of competition. Monuments in the present day instead embody ideals of freedom, or justice, ideas that can be used universally. Nor are they limited to the city that they were built in, they can extend beyond their city, being a statement or symbol for their country or even the entire world. Finally, the types of tourists between the past and the present are exact opposites. The past were tourists of an event that involved the monuments, a religious festival for the Parthenon or a play in the ancient theatres. On the other hand, the Statue of Liberty attracts tourists who wish to see the statue itself, and not of an event. These are the effects monuments bring and how they have translated and changed in the modern world.
Endnotes
[1] Porter, James I. “Sublime Monuments and Sublime Ruins in Ancient Aesthetics.” (European Review of History: Revue Europeenne d’histoire 18 no. 5-6, 2011) https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/13507486/v18i5-6/685_smasriaa.xml
[2] Porter, “Sublime Monuments”
[3] Porter, “Sublime Monuments”
[4] Pomeroy, Sarah et al., A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019), 161
[5] Pomeroy, A Brief History, 161
[6] Patterson, Suzanne. "The Statue of Liberty." (UNESCO Courier, 1992) https://go-gale-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ps/i.do?p=CPI&u=utoronto_main&id=GALE|A13617801&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon
[7] Patterson, “The Statue of Liberty”
[8] Pomeroy, A Brief History 137
[9] Patterson, “The Statue of Liberty”
Bibliography
Patterson, Suzanne. "The Statue of Liberty." UNESCO Courier, September 1992, 46+. Gale OneFile: CPI.Q (accessed November 23, 2020). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A13617801/CPI?u=utoronto_main&sid=CPI&xid=c9f44045.
Pomeroy, et al. A Brief History of Ancient Greece. US: Oxford University Press Academic, 2019.
Porter, James I. “Sublime Monuments and Sublime Ruins in Ancient Aesthetics.” European Review of History: Revue Europeenne d’histoire 18, no. 5–6 (October 1, 2011): 685–96. doi:10.1080/13507486.2011.618319.