Acropolis << uh KROP uh lihs >> was the religious and military center of a city-state in ancient Greece. The Greeks usually fortified a hill, called an acropolis, within or near the city for defense. The acropolis was often the first place to be inhabited. During the height of the Mycenaean era (1400 to 1200 B.C.), the palace of a local king was usually built on a hill. The palace also served as a military fort and a place of refuge for the townspeople during emergencies. The most important temples were also built on the hill, including the local shrines of the gods.
The most famous acropolis was in Athens. The Athenian Acropolis was a rocky hilltop, originally the site of the local armory and royal palace. The Persians demolished many old buildings on the Acropolis during a destructive invasion in 480 B.C. The Athenians then built a magnificent new group of temples. From 447 to 432 B.C., the Athenians built the Parthenon, dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena, the patron of the city (see Parthenon). The Erechtheum, built to honor the legendary founders of the city, was constructed from 421 to about 406 B.C. The Temple of Athena Nike, built about 425 B.C., honored Athena as the goddess of victory. Two theaters and several minor sanctuaries also occupied the slopes of the hilltop. On sacred holidays, a procession made its way up the slopes of the Acropolis and passed through the Propylaea, a large roofed gateway, to various temples.
