Greece remains a treasure for archaeology. This recent discovery proves it. Where did it appear? In the Greek city of Philippi. That is where a laureate head of Apollo, one of the main deities of Greco-Roman mythology, has been unearthed. The enormous head of Apollo found in Greece dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century AD
The artifact was found in the 2023 excavation season. It appeared very close to the intersection of the main southern axis of the city with the northern axis. Right there, but in 2022, there was another notable discovery. In that year the statue of young Hercules was found, both larger than life. Archaeologists believe that both statues were part of the same richly decorated monumental structure. Write about this The History Blog.
Part of something more
The 2022 excavation revealed for the first time the presence of a large structure at the site. This is where the city’s two main roads met and widened into a plaza. They only found fragments of the structure itself. And because of this, archaeologists could not conclusively determine what type of structure it was. At least until now. But evidence suggests that it was a fountain built in Byzantine times, around the 8th or 9th centuries AD.
The statue of Hercules and the head of Apollo date from the same time, about 500 years earlier. Fragments of ancient statues were recycled to decorate the Byzantine fountain. The enormous head of Apollo found must have been part of something much larger.
under the earth
Thanks to the review of various sources, as well as archaeological facts, we have a fairly clear idea of the sculptural use of Constantinople. Statues from classical and Roman times adorned buildings and public spaces until the end of the Byzantine period, archaeologists say.
The team of students and archaeologists from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki will continue excavating the site next season. The Greek lands continue to exhibit new historical treasures. Just dig a little.
