Arch of Hadrian
Roman-era marble gateway inscribed with two contradictory claims about who truly founded the city.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Arch of Hadrian in Athens starts with the two inscriptions carved into the same marble gateway: one side calls this the city of Theseus, the other the city of Hadrian, not Theseus. It follows the Roman emperor's love of Greek culture, the temple he finished after Athenians had left it unbuilt for six centuries, and the mix of Corinthian columns and Greek pediment above you. You'll hear the historians' rival theories for what the arch was really meant to mark. Read both inscriptions before you decide which city you're standing in.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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