The Acropolis: a biography of Athens’ most emblematic monument

When we talk about the Acropolis, our thoughts are usually focused on either the era in which the Parthenon was built, or the era in which the monument began to be praised as a symbol of contemporary culture. However, over twenty centuries had passed between the former and the latter, and the history of those intervening years is little known, despite being filled with trials and tribulations and last-minute rescues from threatened destruction. This is the unknown ‘life’ of one of Mankind’s most celebrated monuments.

The “History as a historical phenomenon and the teaching of History” cycle seeks to shed light on such critical issues as the moulding of the collective consciousness through the way History is taught in schools and through public debate on historical matters, and the oft-noted disparity between the History of specialist historians on the one hand, and the ‘official’ version of history taught in schools, and public history in general, on the other. It will also address how political goals and social trends can impact on the teaching of History.