Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Agrigento

Ruins of the Temple of the Olympian Zeus

One of the important ruin site in Agrigento is the Temple of the Olympian Zeus. According to historians, it is supposed to be the largest doric temple to be ever constructed during that time however, the construction has not been completed.

Historians believe that it was supposed to be constructed to celebrate the triumph at the Battle of Himera but because of further attempts by the Carthaginians to recapture the city, the construction could not continue particularly the roof part. Until an earthquake brought the temple down.

Model of the Temple of the Olympian Zeus

Then during the 18th century, people quarried the ruin site to obtain construction materials for the development of the towns in Agrigento.

Presently, only a few tumbled pillars and rock blocks have survived.


Images: en.wikipedia.org

Temple of Heracles

Temple of Heracles, Agrigento Sicily (wikipedia)

Another interesting archaeological treasure of Agrigento, Sicily is the Temple of Heracles. Historians believe that this has been one of the first temple that Theron, the Greek tyrant of the town of Acragas in Sicily, has built around 480BC before the Battle of Himera.

The Battle of Himera happened in 480BC when the Greek forces of Gelon, King of Syracuse, and Theron, defeated the Carthaginian forces of Hamilcar the Magonid, which ended Carthage’s dominion over Sicily. Historians say that the Temple of Heracles have been completed decades after that momentous war.

The temple is in honor of Heracles, the half-man, half-god hero in the Greek mythology. According to the myth, he is the son of Zeus and has an unmatched power and strength. He has become the epitome of masculinity and courage. In Roman mythology, he is known as Hercules.

It must be enthralling to see the ruins of a temple that has passed more than a thousand years. It is like bringing into the future a tiny glimpse of the engineering and architecture of an ancient civilization.