Philopappus Hill
Philopappos Hill, Philopappus Hill
Greece, Athens
The Hill of Philopappus, as well as the Monument of Philopappus, is an ancient Greek mausoleum in Athens dedicated to Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanius Philopappus, king of Commagene.
Philopappou died in 116 and his death was a great loss for his sister Julia Bilbilla. In order to worthily honor the memory of the king of one of the provinces of the mighty Roman Empire, Julia, together with the citizens of Athens, erected a marble mausoleum on the Museion hill, not far from the Athenian Acropolis. Since then, the hill itself has been called Philopappus Hill. The mausoleum was built on the same site in the 6th century BC. the burial of the mystical poet and oracle Musei took place.
For 13 centuries, the monument remained unscathed until the Ottoman era came. Then it was partially simply destroyed, and later dismantled into building stones, like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, for the construction of a mosque in the modern Monastiraki area of Athens.
The monument to Philopappos is a two-story building, set on a platform. On the lower level is a frieze representing Philopappos as consul, riding a chariot driven by lictors. On the upper level, statues of Antiochus IV of Comageni and Philopappus himself have been preserved.