An impressive statue depicting Hercules from the Roman times was discovered at the ancient site of Philippi in northern Greece.
The statue, depicting a youthful Hercules, dates to the 2nd century AD. © Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
Alongside the statue, a richly decorated structure, potentially a fountain, was also found.
As stated in the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports announcement, excavations were carried out in Philippi by the Aristotle University team alongside Professor Natalia Poulos, the director of the excavation, and collaborators Assistant Professor Anastasios Tantsis and Emeritus Professor Aristotle Menzos. A total of twenty-four students of AUTH took part in the excavation. The research was funded by Aristotle University and the AUTH Research Committee.
The impressive statue of Hercules in Philippi, Greece
The excavations on the eastern side of one of the city’s main streets, which intersects another key axis at this location and continues further north, reportedly continued this year, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The intersection of the two streets is marked by a widening (a square) that is dominated by a lavishly decorated structure, most likely a fountain. The structure has been found to have distinctive architectural decorations, with fragments having been uncovered.
The superb statue from the Roman era, which dates to around the second century AD, adds to the building’s distinctive architectural design. The statue, which is larger than typical, shows a young, nude Hercules. A shattered club and a lion are dangling from the statue’s left outstretched hand, confirming the identity of the figure. The statue is further decorated with a wreath made of vine leaves that is bound together at the back by a ribbon, the ends of which lay on Hercules’ shoulders.
The impressive statue adorned a building which, according to the excavation findings, dates to the 8th/9th century AD. Credit: Hellenic Ministry of Culture
The remarkable statue, which belongs to the 8th to 9th century AD, was one of the building’s decorative features. It is known that statues from the classical and Roman era continued to adorn buildings and public spaces throughout the late Byzantine period thanks to numerous sources and the wealth of archeological evidence in Constantinople. As a result, the discovery provides insight into how Philippi and other Byzantine Empire cities ornamented their public spaces.
The moment the Greek archeologist unearths the impressive statue of Hercules. Credit: Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
The excavation is set to continue next year.
Many more archeological finds were discovered in Philippi, Greece as part of the excavation. Credit: Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
King of Macedon Philip II founded Philippi on the location of the Thasian settlement of Crenides close to the Aegean Sea’s head in 356 BC. After the 14th-century Ottoman takeover, it was abandoned centuries later. The current municipality of Filippoi, which is a part of the East Macedonia and Thrace district of Kavala, Greece, is situated close to the ruins of the old city.
Currently, the ancient city is the most significant archeological site in the area. The first excavations did not start until the summer of 1914, though, and they were quickly halted by World War I. Archaeologists discovered the Greek theater, forum, baths, and city walls between 1920 and 1937. Greek archaeologists went back to the location after World War II and discovered numerous public structures.
