Beautiful Marble
Παναθηναϊκό Στάδιο / Panathenaic Stadium
Also known as Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο), or “beautiful marble,” this stadium is the only such structure built entirely of this material. The site originally held a racecourse built circa 330 BCE by the Athenian statesman Lykourgos for the Panathenaic Games, which were held every four years in Athens.
Herodes Atticus, patron of the Acropolis Odeon, rebuilt the stadium in marble in 144 CE, with a capacity of 50,000 seats — one of which is held at the British Museum in London.
It was largely abandoned after the advent of Christianity, but it was excavated in 1869 to host the Zappas Olympics, and it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies for the first modern Olympics in 1896.
The stadium also holds a museum inside, with a permanent exhibition showcasing its history and displaying posters of the Olympic Games through the ages.
While this was not the official poster for the Olympic Games of 1896, it was used as the cover of the Official Report, so that it nevertheless became iconic with the event. The poster depicts Athena holding both an olive branch and a laurel wreath, which were the prizes for first and second place. 776 BCE is listed at the top as the traditionally-agreed starting date of the first ancient Olympic Games, drawing attention to the event as a long-held Greek tradition.
Gold Colored Fox 