Happy Birthday Jonathan

July 31st is Jonathan's second birthday. I hope he has lots of fun on his birthday and has lots of friends to share it with. I hope he has a big party and that he and Clara have lots and lots of fun. Happy Birthday Jonathan. We do love you.

Taormina, Sicily

Taormina, a nineteenth century haunt of the English Aristocracy, has somtimes been called the Sicilian Monte Carlo, without the casinos. It has long been Sicily's most famous resort town, and it was here in Taormina that a self exiled D. H. Lawrence was inspired to write Lady Chatterly's Lover, one of the most passionate and erotic love stories of its era. Taormina has endlessly winding medieval streets and tiny passages, each with its own secrets. There are great restaurants, cafes and ice cream bars, some of which are secluded gardens hidden by stone walls. Others are set on terraces overlooking the coast, or in more public but equally pleasant squares. While Taormina is beautiful by day, in the evenings it is enchanting. One can stroll the illuminated streets, or enjoy a fabulous view of the coast over dinner. You may even be lucky enough to see the fires of Mount Etna as the molten lava flows along the snow-covered slopes of the greatest natural wonder in Europe, leaving steam and light in its wake. There are archeological monuments and medieval homes within the stone walls of Taormina such as Palazzo Santo Stefano. Magnificent views of the sea complete a most outstanding picture. The most famous view is overlooking the Greco-Roman amphitheatre, one of Sicily's largest, again with Mount Etna in the background.

If you are looking for someplace to glimpse Sicily's beauty and history from several different angles, then Taormina is the place to go. The city is located on a plateau below Mount Tauro, for which Taormina is named. Here there are the ruins of two medieval fortresses. The anchient Greek splendor, medieval charm, and gorgous views of Mount Etna and the Ionian Coast will give you a lasting impression, and will make you want to one day go back to visit.

Taormina was settled by the people of nearby Naxos, an older Greek settlement, around 395 BC. These people had fled the tyranny of Dionysius the Elder, who eventually conquered Taormina anyway in 392 BC. In 358 BC the city was renamed Tauromenion and was very importnat in the regional politics for the next two centuries.

The city supported Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, against Syracuse in 278 BC. It was from Taormina that he conducted his Sicilian campaign witht the aid of at least ten thousand troops. Yet, Taormina was one of the first cities to support Rome during the Punic Wars. Eventually the city was taken back by Eunus during a slave revolt, and when the Romans finally occupied Taormina they massacred thousands of slaves.

Taormina flourished under Julius Ceasar, but suffered under Octavian. Octavian retalianted against the city for its support of Pompey by expelling most of the inhabitants, and gave their homes to Roman soldiers. The Romans prospered in Taormina.

Ovid wrote of the "sweet mullet and tender eel' of the waters surrounding Taormina. In the first century Pliny the Elder praised the wines of Taormina. The city's splendor, still evident today, survived the fall of the Roman Empire, but the city's importance diminished. The "Saracen" castle on top of Mount Tauro was probably built by the Saracens on a older Byzantine sturcture, and was later enlarged by the Normans. Another fortress stood on even higher ground in the Castelmola district. Taormina's medieval and ancient city walls still remain very much intact in the old city.

Though it is not very high above sea level, the city seems much higher. The Greek amphithestre was built in the third century, and was later expanded by the Romans, who enlarged the stage and added a partial roof, which no longer exists.Reserved seating existed even in Greek times. A seat bears the name of Philistide, wife of Heron II of Syracuse. The world famous view of Mout Etna and the sea beyond the theatre is absolutely breathtaking. The theatre is still used during the summer for dramatic performances, and seasons are alternated with perfomances at Segesta, Sicily's other laarge Greek amphitheatre.

The odeon, a much smaller Roman theatre, is located near the Church of Saint Catherine (Santa Caterina), which obscures it. On the site of Saint Pancras Church, just beyond Porta Messina (The Messina Gate) outside the medieval city walls, was a temple dedicated to Zeus. Saint Pancras is believed to have been an early priest or bishop of Taormina's Christian community. Another eastern Sicilian example of the phenomenon of temples being converted to churches with the introduction of Christianity is the cathedral of Syracuse.

Indications of Taormina's ancient street plan are evident, and Roman mosaic floors have been found in the ancient villas. Even Palazzo Corvaia, built during the foutheenth century, was constructed on Roman foundations. Taormina has a very good archeological museum near the amphitheatre, but many of the significant finds from Taormina are housed elsewhere.

Taormina's streets, churches and residences retain much of their medieval flavor. The city's "Duomo" is not actually a cathedral as the name implies, but this Norman-Arab church built over an earlier Paleo Christian structure dates from the twelfth century. The Badia Vecchia (Old Abbey) is a fourteenth century construction. A Medieval Byzantine (Orthodox) mosaic icon of the Theotokos (Mother of God) is perfectly preserved in the archway passage under the clock tower along Corso Umberto I leading into Piazza 9 Aprile. There has been much British presence in Taormina, and a charming Anglican Church can be found there. D. H. Lawrence (1865-1930) lived nearby, and based several of his stories on local events.

The larger castle in the Castelmola district overlooks the city. It affords a spectacular view, but is somewhat distant from Taormina and not well preserved.

Several beaches are close by, and one can also take an excursion to Mount Etna. The scenic Alcantra Gorge is located about twenty minutes south and west of Taormina on the Alcantara River. Volcanic activity created the beautiful basalt formation.

There are many restaurnats that offer seafood and other cusine. Taormina's main streets are full of places to buy craft items, especially fashion, jewelry, ceramics, mosaics, puppets and porcelain dolls. While few of these things are actually made in Taormina, they are of the higest quality. The beach at Giardini-Naxos is a few kilometers away and there are plenty hotels in the area. A funicular cableway connects the old town to coastal Mazzaro below. There is a train stationat Giardini nearby, but it is easier to reach Taormina by exspress bus from Catania and the airport.You'll have to park your car outside of town.Taormina holds a film festival, which attracts talent like Tom Cruise and Hugh Grant, and concert series each summer.

This is a religious building in Taormina.

A creche setting. These can often be found at other than Christmas time.

Nativity Scenes are also often seen.

Climbing up the hill.

Cyclamen on an upstairs windowsill.

Beautiful balconies covered with flowers

Even the Monday Morning wash has a patron saint.

This show's Taormina's Train station-but look at the view, too.

View of Taormina and the hill.

Soldiers facing the castle high up on the top of the hill.

Ceramic guard lions are on all the walls

An intricate fountain in Taormina.

A view of teh entire fountain.

The Merhorse Fountain

Second story flower garden.

Ceramic shops are everywhere in Taormina.

The Greek Theatre In Taormina.

Behind the Stage of the Greek Theater.

Looking through the stage to the seating area of the Greek Theatre.

More of the seating of the Greek Threater.

The mountain above Taormina.

A view of Mount Etna from Taormina.

Another view of Mount Etna from Taormina.

Yet another viesw of Mount Etna from Taormina.

A lush Garden in Taormina

Main entrance to Taormina. I think this is called the Messina GAte.

A side street in Taormina

Pottery jars on the stairs in Taormina

Another side street in Taormina

The Stage of the Greek Amphitheater

Branch Clinic Naval Air Station Sigonella

When we arrived in Sicily we had a lot to learn. We could speak no Italian (and still can't, except maybe ciao), and we were surprised at how many of the Italians could speak at least a little English. The Sicilians seemed to like Americans and were very friendly with them. I once had a waiter in a restaurant tell me he'd been in a prisoner camp and the Americans liberated the camp. He said he owed a lot to the Americans.

Sigonella was considered a remote duty station. There was no high school there, and once your children were old enough for high school they were sent to Zaragosa, Spain. They would board there, and would come home for holidays and spring break. Almost every time they came home the plane they flew on had some sort of difficulty and they were either delayed coming to Sigonella or getting to Zaragosa.

As for anything to do with the medical needs of the people in Sigonella, this too was limited. At the time we were stationed there we had a branch clinic--it was actually a small dispensary.Minor things could be taken care of, and it did have a ward of about ten beds and one "quiet room" for anyone who could not be in with the typical patients. Women having babies were sent to Naval Hospital Naples. They could go downtown to a hospital in Catania, but then they were subject to Italian laws. Other, more serious illnesses or injuries were sent to Rhein Main, Germany. In fact, one of our friends was sent to Germany to have a kidney removed.

When we arrived in Sigonella the Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Commander Eckmeyer. He was a gruff sort of fellow when you first met him, and could be intimidating if you let him. One of his favorite commands was , "Petty Officer Mullikin, F&C." The first time I heard this I had no idea what he was trying to say. Of course I soon learned it meant "Front and Center" and that he wanted to talk to you, up close and personal. Mr. Eckmeyer's wife was from England, and I guess about two years after we arrived Mr. Eckmeyer retired. He and his wife were going to England to live, and were having a few difficulties--like their pets would have to be quarantined for six months before being allowed in England. These pictures below are a few of his retirement ceremony.

I think in this picture Mr. Eckmeyer is reviewing the troops one last time.

This is Chief Ciciora Leading Mr. Eckmeyer through the troops.

Mr. Eckmeyer was given a plaque commerating his time at Sigonella.

And of course there were speeches made. The man in the front is Chief Ciciora, and in the second row, first person is Glenn Hickman.

And I had to put this one in. The second sailor in the front row is none other than Petty Officer First Class Mullikin.

Agrigento, Sicily

Agrigento is a city on the southern coast of Sicily and is the capital of the province of Agrigento. It is also known as the Greek city of Akragras, Acragas in Greek, Agrigrntum in Latin and Kerkent in Arabic. Agrigento was one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden age of Ancient Greece.

Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. It was established about 582-580 BC and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela who named it Akragas. The meaning of the word is unclear, though there is a possibility it comes from a legendary founder, an Akragante.

As Akragas, the town grew rapidly and became one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia. It came to prominence under the sixth centuray tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son, Thrasydaeus. The city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, but its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. It never fully recovered its former status, although it did revive some under Timoleon at the end of the fourth century.

In 262 BC the city was overthrown by the Romans, and in 255 BC the Carthaginians also overthrew it. It suffered badly during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) when both Rome and Carthage fought to control the city. Eventually in 210 BC the Romans captured Akragas and renamed it Agrigentum, although it remained a largely Greek-speaking community for several centuries afterwards. It again became prosperous under Roman control and at the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC the inhabitants received full Roman citizenship.

After the fall of the Roman Empire the city passed into the hands of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy and then to the Byzantine Empire. During this period the inhabitants abandoned the lower parts of the city and moved up to the former acropolis at the top of the hill. No one is really sure what caused this move, but more than likely the destructive coastal raids of the Saracens, Berbers and others had something to do with it. In 828 CE the Saracens captured the diminished city and pronounced its name as Kerkent in Arabic. It was then Sicilianized as "Girgenti" and retained this name until 1927 when Mussolini's government reintroduced an Italianized version of the Latin name.

Agrigento was also captured in 1087 by the Normans under Count Roger I, who established a Latin bishopric there. The population declined during much of the medieval period but revived after the 18th century. In 1860 the inhabitants supported Giuseppe Garibaldi in his campaign to unify Italy (the Risorgimento). The city also suffered several destructive bombings during World War II.

Agrigento is a major tourist area doe to its archaeological findings, and is also the agricultural center for the surrounding area. Sulphur and potash have been mined for centuries and are exported form the harbor of Porto Empedocle, anmed after the philosopher Empedocles, who lived in the ancient city of Akragas. Given all this, it is one of the poorest towns in Italy and has a long standing problem with organized crime, particularly involving the Maffia and the smuggling of illegal drugs.

Ancient Akragas covers a wide area, much of which is still not excavated today. One site that is very important in Agrigento is the famous Valle dei Templi, or Valley of the Temples. This is a misnomer, as it is actually a ridge rather than a valley. This area comprises a large sacred area on the south side of the ancient city where seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style were constructed during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. These have been excavated and partially restored and constitute some of the largest and best preserved Greek buidlings outside of Greece.

The best preserved of the temples are two very similar buildings attributed tot he goddesses Juno Lacinia and Concordia, although archaeologists believe this last attribution to be incorrect. The Temple of Juno Lacinia is remardably intact due to having been converted to a Christian church in 597 CE. Both temples were constructed to a periteral hexastyle design. The area around the Temple of Concordia was later reused by early Christians as a catacomb and tombs were hewn out of the rocky cliffs and outcrops. These two temples are described even more in the narrative further down this page.

The other temples are not as well preserved, having been destroyed by earthquakes long ago and quarried for their stones. The largest of these is the Temple of Olympian Zeus, built to commemorate the Battle of Himera in 480 BCE. It is believed to have been the largest Doric temple ever built. Although it had been used it appears to have never been finished--construction was abandoned after the Carthaginian invasion of 406 BCE. The remains of the temple were quarried in the eighteenth century to build the jetties of Porto Empedocle. This temple is also described later in this post.

There is the Temple of Hephaestus (Vulcan), of which there are only two columns staning on the incomplete base. It was erected about 430 BC on the western-most end of the hill. It was originally surrounded by 34 columns. Hephaestus was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes. According to legend Hephaestus had a forge located underneath Mt. Etna, the volcano of Sicily.

The Temple of Asclepius (Esculapius) is dedicated to the Greek god of medicine, who was the son of Apollo. Many people visited this temple because it was believed that Asclepius had the power to heal those who were sick. It was constructed during the 5th century BC and what is left of the temple can be found in the middle of the countryside. It consisted of a cella in antis and a pronaos with two columns. The building, according to Polybius, was eight and a half stadiums away from the city. That would be about 1,480 meters. Cicero asserts that in the temple there was a statue of Apollo, made by Miron, whose name was written with silver letters on one thigh of the statue. It was a rather small building and the decoration was far inferior to that of classical Greek Temples.

The Tomb of Theron was built in 480 BC and was believed to be the tomb of the tyrant Theron, but some studies seem to suggest it was, in fact, built to honor those who courageously fought and lost their lives during the Second Punic War.

The sacred area also includes a sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, formally known as the Temple of Castor and Pollux. The marks of the fires set by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE can still be seen on the sanctuary's stones.

Theer are many other Hellenistic and Roman sites in Agrigento, including a pre-Hellenic cave sanctuary near the Temple of Demeter, over which the Church of San Biagio was built. A first century CE heroon (heroic shrine) adjoins the thirteenth century Church of San Nicola a short distance away from the Temple of Demeter. A sizeable area of the Greco-Roman city has also been excavated, and several classical necropolises and quarries are still extant.

Much of the present day Agrigento is modern but it still retains a number of medieval and Baroque buildings. These include the fourteenth century cathedral and thirteenth century Church of Maria dei Greci (Our Lady of the Greeks), which stands on the site of an ancient Greek temple. The town also has a notable arhaeological museum displaying finds from the ancient city.

Tow famous people who lived in Agrigento are Empedocles, the Greek pre-Socratic philosopher, and Luigi Pirandello, dramatist, born at Contrada Kaos near Agrigento. Sister cities of Agrigento include Tampa, Florida, Valenciennes, France and Perm, Russia.

I hope you enjoy the history and sites of Agrigento. We spent hours walking through the Valley of the Temples. It is astounding that something built so many centuries ago, that had withstood earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, weather, wars, bombings, and just plain time can still be standing. Look at the size of the stones and realize these temples were built with nothing near modern tools. It is amazing how these huge stones were lifted to sit on top of each other by the sole power of men. It had to have been literally back-breaking work and I'm sure the temples casued the deaths of numberous workers. The scenery around the temples is breath-taking, especially in spring when the hills are filled with wild flowers, some of which can be seen in the video. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions. I will try to answer any and all of them.

Valley of the Temples Video

I downloaded this video from You Tube. It shows, I think, all of the temples I have discussed in my post. I think this video gives you even more of an idea of how impressive these temples are. If you look closely you can see the columns were actually built in pieces and had a square hole that went through them to keep them even and straight. I think this video also gives you more of an idea of how massive the temples are.

The Valley of the Temples

These pictures show and altar and part of the sacred area, also known as the Sanctuary to the Chthonic Deities. This area is rather large and there are four temples and numerous altars in this area. The entire complex, dating to the 6th century BC, was dedicated to the chthonic deities Demeter and Persephone. Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Demeter's own younger self. Persephone was the goddess of the underworld. The temple of Demeter was a temple in antis--having a recessed portico with a row of columns between the antae. It was built about 480 BC, dedicated to the goddess of the grain and harvest, and the base and most of the cella are still well preserved. In the Middle Ages, the Church of San Biagio was built on the steps of the Temple of Demeter.

This is the Temple of Castor and Pollux (Dioscuri). It was built in the 5th century BC and dedicated to Leda and Zeus's twins. The temples, which is also the symbol of Sicily, and the most photographed of all the temples, has only four columns and some of the trabeation standing. Close to it have been found two sacrificial altars, one square and one rectangular, probably belonging to an original sanctuary dedicated to the infernal gods. On the corner ashlar is a beautiful rosette. The building was cleared in 1836 of all the rubble and earth that had covered it for many centuries; The archaeologists Villareale and Cavallari, by order of the Duke of Serradifalco, unearthed the columns and re-erected three of them on three steps. A fourth one was added in 1856.

Castor and Pollux, also known as Gemini, were the children of Leda and the brothers of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Castor means beaver and the meaning of Pollux is "very sweet". In mythology, Castor and Pollux had the same mother but different fathers, which meant Pollux was immortal and Castor was mortal. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to keep them together and they were transformed into the Gemini Constellation. They are also called Dioscuri, meaning youths of Zeus.

This is the Temple of Olympian Jove, also known as Zeus or Jupiter. The Akragantines, after their victory over the Carthaginians at Himera (480-479 BC) erected this temple to Zeus as a thanks giving. This temple is one of the largest in antiquity. It is a Doric building, but it was pseudoperipteral--that is there were no free-standing columns, but demi-columns, seven by fourteen, engaged into a continuous wall. The massive rectangular platform stands on five steps, and faces east. It is nearly the dimensions of a soccer field and can hold 4,200 spectators. In the intercolumni (spaces between the columns) stood giant statues called Telamons. The historian Tommaso Fazello, who discovered this temple, reported most of the building fell to the ground on December 9, 1401. Many of the tufa blocks have peculiar u-shaped cuts, which were used to channel the rope when lifting and setting the stones. This temple was never finished due in part to the Carthaginian raid in 406 BC If it had been completed it would have been the largest temple in the Greek and Roman world. Not much is left of the temple because the blocks were taken to help construct other buildings.

Zeus, or Juno, or Jupiter, was the supreme god of the Olympians. He was the father of heroes Perseus and Heracles, the latter of whom once wrestled him to a draw. Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. When he was born his father intended to swallow him and he had all of Zeus' siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera. But Rhea hid the newborn in a cave on Mount Dicte on Crete. Even today, the guides at the "cave of Zeus" use flashlights to cast shadow puppets in the cave, creating images of baby Zeus. When he was an adult, Zeus caused Cronus to vomit up his sisters and brothers, and these gods joined him in fighting for control of the universe from the Titans and Cronus, their king. Having vanquished his father and the other Titans, Zeus imprisoned most of them in the underworld of Tartarus. Afterwards Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades divided up creation. Poseidon received the sea as his domain, Hades got the underworld, and Zeus took the sky. Zeus was also accorded with the supreme authority on earth and on Mount Olympus.

The picture below shows one of the Telamon. This is a support sculpted in the form of a man, which may take the place of a column, pier or pilaster. It is also known as and Atlas, and the female equivalent is known as a Caryatid

This is the Temple of Hercules (Heracles is the Latin equivalent). Hercules was the son of Jupiter and Alcmene. His jealous stepmother, Juno, tried the murder the infant Hercules by placing a serpent in his cradle. Luckily he was born with great strength and killed the serpent. By the time he was an adult he had killed a lion. Eventually Juno drove Hercules insane. Because of his insanity Hercules killed his wife, Megara, and their three children. Because of the shame he brought on himself Hercules exiled himself. He decided to ask the Delphic Oracle what he should do to regain his honor and was told to go to Eurystheus, King of Mycenae, and serve him for twelve years. King Eyrystheus could not think of and tasks that might prove difficult for the mighty son of Jupiter, so Juno came down from her palace on Olympus to help him. Together the two of them came up with twelve tasks for Juno's immortal stepson to complete. These tasks are known as the twelve labors of Hercules.

The first task was to kill the Nemean Lion. Hercules strangled the lion and carried it back to Mycenae. The second task was to overcome the nine-headed snake known as Hydra. Hercules cousin, Ioloas helped him by burning the stumps of the heads after Hercules cut the heads off. Since the ninth head was immortal Hercules rolled a rock over it. The third task was to find the golden-horned stag and bring it back alive. Hercules followed the stag for one year, finally captured it and took it back alive. The fourth labor was to capture a wild boar that terrorized Mycenae's people. Hercules chased the boar up a mountain where the boar fell into a snow drift and Hercules was able to subdue it. The fifth task was to clean the Augean stables, where thousands of cattle were housed in a single day. Hercules diverted two rivers so that they would flow into the stables. The sixth labor was to destroy the man-eating Stymphalian birds. Hercules drove them out of their hiding places with a rattle and shot them with poison tipped arrows. The seventh task was for Hercules to capture a Cretean savage bull. Hercules wrestled it to the ground and took it back to King Eurystheus. The eighth labor was to capture the four man-eating mares of Thrace. Hercules threw the master of the mares to them and the horses became very tame. Hercules then led that back to Mycenae. The ninth labor was to obtain the girdle of the fierce Amazon warrior queen, Hippolyta. Hippolyta willingly gave her girdle to Hercules, but Juno convinced the Amazons that Hercules was trying to take Hippolyta from them, so Hercules fought them off and returned to his master with the girdle. The tenth labor was to recapture the cattle of the monster, Geryon. Hercules killed Geryon, claimed the cattle, and took them back to the king. The eleventh task was to get the golden apples of the Hesperides. Hercules told Atlas that if he would get the apples for him, he (Hercules) would hold the heavens for him. When Atlas returned from his task, Hercules tricked him into taking back the heavens. The last labor was to bring the three-headed watchdog of the underworld, Cerberus, to the surface without using any weapons. Hercules seized two of Cerberus' heads and the dog gave up. Hercules took the dog to his master, who ordered him to take it back. Finally, after twelve years and twelve tasks Hercules was a free man.

Hercules went to the town of Thebes and married Deianira and they had many children. Later the male centaur, Nessus, abducted Deianira, but Hercules came to her rescue by shooting Nessus with a poison tipped arrow. As he was dying, Nessus told Deianira to keep a protion of his blood to use as a love potion on Hercules if she thought she was losing him to another woman. A few months later, Deianira thought another woman was coming between her and Hercules so she washed one of Hercules' shirts in Nessus' blood and gave it to him to wear. Nessus had lied to her, and the blood really acted as a poison and almost killed Hercules. On is funeral pyre, the dying Hercules ascended to Olympus where he was granted immortality and lived among the gods.

The Temple of Hercules in Agrigento is one of the most beautiful temples of antiquity, but it is now in poor ruins. Even so, the building is still visible from far away. It is imposing and rises in the Valley of the Temples like the symbol of power and strength of Hercules, who is the national hero of Sicily, and in particular, Agrigento. The temple is huge, with six columns on the front and fifteen on the long sides. Out of the original 38 columns only nine stand today. These were re-erected in q922 by the English captain Alexander Hardcastle. The Temple of Hercules was the first to be built in Agrigento. The remaining columns show they were tapered, being smaller at the top to make them look taller. Looking south from the Temple of Hercules is the Tomb of Terone, a huge tufa stone monument. It is a pyramid shaped monument and was built to commemorate the soldiers who died during the Second Punic War.

This is the Temple of Concord. In Roman religion, Concord was the goddess of agreement, understanding and marital harmony. Her Greek version is Harmonia, and the Harmonians and some Discordians equate her with Aneris. Her opposite is Discordia (or the Greek Eris).The cult of Concordia Augusta (Majestic Harmony) was of special importance to the imperial household. Dedicatory inscriptions to her on behalf of emperors and members of the imperial family were common. In art, Concordia was depicted sitting, wearing a long cloak and holding into a patera (sacrificial bowl) a cornucopia (symbol of prosperity) or a caduceus (symbol of peace). She was often shown in between two other figures, such as standing between two members of the Royal House shaking hands. She was associated with a pair of female deities, such as Pax and Salus--or Securitas and Fortuna. The latter pair of concepts (security and fortune) could also be represented by Hercules and Mercury.

The setting of Temple of Concord is unique throughout the world. The proportions of this temple are perfect. It was erected about 430 BC and covers an area of 84,338 square meters and is 13,481 meters high. The cella, or inner chamber, was preceded by a simple antechamber, or pronaos, with two columns and was followed by a back porch, or opistodomos, where the treasure, votive gifts and the archives of the temple were kept. Of all the temples in the valley this is the only one to remain relatively intact and is considered one of the best preserved Doric style temples. It is not really clear which god this temple was erected to honor. The temple was named by the historian Fazello (1490-1570), who found a Latin inscription in the vicinity of the temple which really had no relationship to the building. It is built of six columns by 13 columns, each of which consists of 4 drums and has 20 sharp edged flutes. In 597 BC the temple was converted to a Christian basilica by the bishop Gregorio. He pulled down two pagan dolls in the temple, one of which was called Raps. Because of this the Church was later consecrated to St. Gregorio of the Rapes (Turnips). It is still possible to see the arches included in the central cell walls. There are massive tapered columns, and the frieze (wide central section part of the entabulature) is decorated with triglyphs (vertical blocks usually aligned over and between each column. They consist of two vertical grooves (glyphs) bordered by two hemi or half glyphs, hence the triglyph) and metopes (a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze.).

This is the Temple of Juno (Roman) or Hera (Greek). She was the wife and older sister of Zeus. She was the goddess of women and marriage. The cow and peacock were sacred to her. She was the mother of Mars. Juno's parents were Cronus and Rhea, but due to a prophecy that one of his children would take over the throne, she was swallowed by her father. Zeus was saved from being swallowed by a plan contrived by Rhea and Gaia. Rhea wrapped a stone in baby clothing and gave it to Cronus, and Zeus was moved to a cave on Crete. Rhea then gave Cronus an herb which she told him would make him invincible, but it actually made him regurgitate the other five Olympians he'd swallowed--Hestia, Demeter, Hera (Juno), Hades and Poseidon--as well as the stone. When Zeus was older he banished Cronus to Tartarus, the deepest chasm in the underworld, because Titans were immortal and could not be killed.

Portrayed as majestic and solemn, Hera is often shown enthroned and crowned with the polos, a high cylindrical crown worn by many of the Great Goddesses, Hera may have in her hand the pomegrante, the emblem of fertile blood and death, and a substitute for the narcotic capsule of the opium poppy. She was well known for her jealous and vengeful nature, most notably against Zeus's paramours and offspring, and against mortals who crossed her, like Pelias and Paris, who offended her by choosing Aphrodite as the most beautiful of goddesses.

Hera was worshipped as "Argive Hera" at her sanctuary that was between the former Mycenaean city-states of Argos and Mycenae. Festivals held in her honor were called Heraia. Hera statred, "The three cities I love most are Argos, Sparta and Mycenae of the broad streets." Another main place for her was Samos, and there were temples to her in Olympia, Corinth, Tiyns, Perachora and the sacred island of Delos.In Magna Graecia the temple long attributed to Poseidon among the group at Paestum was identified in the 1950s as a second temple there to Hera.

In Classical times, Greek altars were always under an open sky. Hera may have been the first to have a closed roof temple dedicated to her at Samos in about 800 BC. The Temple of Juno in Agrigento was built in 470 BC and dedicated to Juno. Itm was merected on the highest point in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, which is located in the southeast corner. In 406 BC the Carthaginians ransacked the city and set the temple on fire. It was initially constructed with 34 columns, 30 of which still stand, only 16 of which still have their capitals. This temple was restored by the Prince of Torremuzza in 1787. This temple is known by several names, including the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Hera Lacinia and the Temple of Juno Lucino. The scenery in the last two pictures above is what you see looking from the temple.