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of Achaea was officially established, the proconsul administered the territory from Corinth instead of
Athens, another display of imperial displeasure. These penalties, however, did not diminish the Athenian
spirit of independence.
Supremacy over Greece, let alone the rest of the world, was now out of the question, and Athens found it
difficult to compete with the rest of the province economically. Agriculture was helpful, but the city's
survival depended upon the assistance and kindness of benefactors, both Greek and Roman. Few figures of
provincial Athenian history matched the munificence of HERODES ATTICUS, who used large
portions of his personal wealth to build extensively, including such projects as the Odeion. This
assistance was small in comparison to what the emperors of Rome could provide, so Athens looked to
imperial favor for its survival.
Claudius gave Athens his blessing, and Domitian provided relief. His main contribution came in the
confiscation of the wealth of Hipparchus of Athens, whose reduced but still extensive fortune passed to the
control of Herodes Atticus. It was HADRIAN (ruled 117-138 A.D.), lover of all things Greek, who
became Athens' greatest patron.
According to the historian Dio, Hadrian finished the Olympienum, which housed his statues. He granted to
Athens large amounts of money and handed out grain. Equally, Hadrian adopted or imitated the Greek
lifestyle, and Athens thus became the focal point of his devotion. Games were given in honor of
panhellenism, and the emperor assumed the role of archon, or Athenian leader. Lastly, he gave Athens the
revenue of Cephallenia, which alleviated its economic problems. Marcus Aurelius, taught by many Greek
philosophers, in 177-178 ordered the creation of the first great university by endowing chairs at each of the
major philosophical schools situated in Athens. Henceforth, despite being sacked by the
Goths in 267, Athens' reputation was exclusively educational.
Athens was divided into two major sections, the Acropolis and the Lower City. The Acropolis was the
artistic and religious seat, with temples and great statues. The Parthenon dominated the site. Hadrian
completed the temple of Olympian Zeus in 124-125 A.D., built his Arch and then constructed a library
there. Other construction during the Roman era was limited, the most notable structures being the Agora
and the Odeion. Julius Caesar, around 50 B.C., made the Agora possible. The Odeion of Agrippa (not the
one built by Herodes Atticus) was erected by Marcus Agrippa in 15 B.C. but became unusable in the 2nd
century A.D.; a new one was constructed by Atticus.
¤ ATTALUS, PRISCUS (early 5th century A.D.) Senator, usurper and a pawn of the Visigoths. Attalus
was a pagan of Greek origin and was sent in 409 as part of an embassy to the king of the Visigoths,
Alaric. The embassy was unsuccessful, and the Goths sacked Rome and attempted to bring Emperor
Honorius to his knees at Ravenna, using Attalus as a puppet. Alaric proclaimed Attalus the emperor,
because he was serving at the time as urban prefect.
Attalus, however, proved too willful. Alaric made over-hires to Honorius and in 410 removed Attalus
from the throne. The ex-emperor remained under Alaric's control and was given to Athaulf, who
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