. A smaller history of Greece, from the earliest times to the Roman conquest. city. It is to Athens what Vesuvius is toNaples, or Arthurs Seat to Edinburgh. South-west of Lycabettusthere are four hills of moderate height, all of which formed part ofthe city. Of these the nearest to Lycabettus, and at the distance ofa mile from the latter, was the Acropolis, or citadel of Athens, asquare craggy rock rising abrutly about 150 feet, with a flat summitof about 1000 feet long from east to west, by 500 feet broad fromnorth to south. Immediately west of the Acropolis is a second hillof irregular form,
. A smaller history of Greece, from the earliest times to the Roman conquest. city. It is to Athens what Vesuvius is toNaples, or Arthurs Seat to Edinburgh. South-west of Lycabettusthere are four hills of moderate height, all of which formed part ofthe city. Of these the nearest to Lycabettus, and at the distance ofa mile from the latter, was the Acropolis, or citadel of Athens, asquare craggy rock rising abrutly about 150 feet, with a flat summitof about 1000 feet long from east to west, by 500 feet broad fromnorth to south. Immediately west of the Acropolis is a second hillof irregular form, the Areopagus. To the south-west there rises athird hill, the Pnyx, on which the assemblies of the citizens wereheld ; and to the south of the latter is a fourth hill, known as the 86 HISTORY OF GREECE. Chap. X. Museu m. On the eastern and western sides of the city there ran twosmall streams, which are nearly exhausted before they reach thesea, by the heats of summer and by the channels for artificial irri-gation. That on the east is the Ilissu3, which flowed through the. Plan of Athens. 1. Pnyx Ecclesia. 4. Odeum of Pericles. 2. Theseum. 5. Temple of the Olympiana. Theatre of Dionysus. Zeus. southern quarter of the city: that on the west is the of the city was seen the Saronic gulf, with the harbours ofAthens. Athens is said to have derived its name from the prominencegiven to the worship of Athena by its king Erechtheus. The inha-bitants were previously called Cranai and CecropidsB, from Cecrops,who, according to tradition, was the original founder of the at first occupied only the hill or rock which afterwards becamethe Acropolis : but gradually the buildings began to spread overthe ground at the southern foot of this hill. It was not till thetime of Pisistratus and his sons ( 560-514) that the city beganto assume any degree of splendour. The most remarkable buildingof these despots was the gigantic temple of the Olympian Zeus, Chap. X. CITY OF
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