Greece was the
birthplace of European civilization. The period from 700 BC saw the rise of the
great city states of Athens, Corinth and Sparta, frequently engaged in long
struggles for supremacy, and uniting only when faced with the common threat of
invasion by the Persian Empire. The zenith was reached in the fifth century BC
when Athens became the cultural and artistic centre of the Mediterranean,
producing magnificent works of architecture, sculpture, drama and literature.
Athens lost her empire through a mutually destructive struggle with her arch
rival Sparta. The nation was then forcibly united under Alexander the Great.
After defeating the sagging military might of Persia in a number of major
battles, the expansion of the empire spread Greek influence through the East as
far as India and through Egypt. The empire fragmented after Alexanders death in
323 BC, the country later came under the sway of Rome. Under the Roman emperor
Constantine, the empire gained a new capital in Constantinople, and Greece came
under the control of the Eastern Empire when the empire divided. The Byzantines
were, however, unable effectively to defend the whole of their empire from
invaders, and only occasionally did Greece enjoy the security of effective
imperial rule. The major beneficiaries of this were the Venetians, who increased
their influence in Greece and other parts of the empire. |
Itinerary and general information
Greece is situated in southeast
Europe on the Mediterranean. The mainland consists of the following regions:
Central Greece, Peloponnesus, Thessaly (east/central), Epirus (west), Macedonia
(north/northwest) and Thrace (northwest). Euboea, the second largest of the
Greek islands, lying to the east of the central region, is also considered to be
part of the mainland region. The Peloponnesus peninsula is separated from the
northern mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth. The northern mainland is dissected
by high mountains (such as the Pindus) that extend southwards towards a
landscape of fertile plains, pine-forested uplands and craggy, scrub-covered
foothills. The islands account for one-fifth of the land area of the country.
The majority are thickly clustered in the Aegean between the Greek and Turkish
coasts. The Ionian Islands are the exception; they are scattered along the west
coast in the Ionian Sea. The Aegean archipelago includes the Dodecanese, lying
off the Turkish coast, of which Rhodes is the best known; the Northeast Aegean
group, including Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Ikaria; the Sporades, off the
central mainland; and the Cyclades, comprising 39 islands (of which only 24 are
inhabited). Crete, the largest island, is not included in any formal grouping.
|
Common Koine
Greek was widely spoken and with Pax Romana allowed for the spread of the Gospel
easily over a vast area.
Byzantium
finally fell to the Turks in 1453, although the process of conquest was already
well underway by the end of the 14th century. For the next 350 years, Greece was
part of the Ottoman Empire. Many attempts were made to shake off the yoke of the
Ottomans, such as the rising of 1770, which was supported by Catherine the
Great. After a bitter War of Independence from 1821, a free state was declared
in 1829.

 Eurail youth flexipass
 |

The Acropolis* |
I had the
wonderful privilege of traveling with the Talbot School of
Theology to the Bible lands of Greece and Rome
December 31, 2003 - January 22, 2004. Dr. Richard
and Mrs. Donna Rigsby led the tour, Dr. Rigsby is a professor at Talbot and
Golden Gate, then we were led on site by author, geographer,
lecturer, and archeologist, Gordon Franz and several
excellent tour guides, Caliope and Poppy. |

The Parthenon |

Mars Hill* |

We departed from LAX on December 31 we had a layover in
London and then arrived in Athens on January 1. We stayed at the Hotel
Dorian Inn.
|

Olympic stadium*, first used in modern times in the Olympics of 1896.
Original marble seats are still in place with fairly new track.
|

Visitor center at Sounion. The earliest literary reference to
Sounion, appears in the Odyssey, where it is called, "the
sacred promontory of the Athenians." Earliest finds here date
from the seventh century BC It continues to be a landmark
for ships today.
|
January 2 we visited the Acropolis. Then we rode by
tour bus to Sounion(click for
movie)
and visited
the Temple of Poseidon. We then went to Piraeus
(Athens' harbor) and departed by ferry to Heraklion on
the island of Crete.

Temple of Poseidon
|

Sign at Sounion |

Sunset at Sounion |

View of the sea from Sounion |

Temple of Poseidon |

Temple of Poseidon |

The Mediterranean or Aegean Sea, as this part
of it is called, is filled with islands, this one visible
from Sounion. |

Leaving Athens |

Ferry we took to Crete |

Our bus and ferry in Crete |

Another view of our ferry, Festos Palace |

Sunrise leaving Athens for Myconos |
January 3 We drove around Heraklion, and saw the Church of Titus. Then went to
Knossos, followed by Mount Ida, and returned to Heraklion.
Where we stayed in the Hotel Olympic.

|

Knossos palace |
 |

Didn't expect to see snow on the trip but here it is atop Mt.
Ida. |
 |

Knossos |
January 4 we visited The Archaeological Museum in Heraklion,
then ancient area called Gortys, and
Fair Haven. We then departed for Piraeus (the port of
Athens) by ferry.
|

Gortys |

Most of the group shortly after leaving Athens on the Express
Afrodidi ferry |

Leaving Athens for Myconos |

The island of Tinos on route to Myconos |

The island of Ceros an island near Myconos
|
January 5 We transfered to another ship to to visit the island of
Myconos, where we stayed at the Khohyli Hotel.
|

Another island stop along the way at Ceros |

Bay and windmills from our hotel |
January 6 we remained on Myconos and went to their special holiday
celebration called Theophania or Epiphany festival. The young men from the island compete to
retrieve a cross thrown into the sea by the priest. The winner gets to
receive offerings from all the island inhabitants for one day. Last year,
the winner received $12,000 euros.
|

Me at the Khohyli Hotel |

One of the beaches and shops at Myconos |
January 7 We went to a museum on Myconos and
then took a 6 hour ferry back to the Hotel Dorian Inn in Athens in the evening.
|

Sunset at Myconos |

A variety of fresh and frozen fish are available in the
downtown meat and fish market in Athens |
January 8 A few of us started the day at local fish and meat market,
then we revisited the Acropolis and visited the Archeological Museum of Piraeus in Athens.
Then sailed by ferry to the
island of Patmos where John wrote the book of Revelation. Here we
stayed at the Hotel Effie

Temple of Apollo from the Agora
|

A bronze figure at the Piraeus Archeological Museum |

Patmos view of harbor
|
January 9 more of Patmos
|

Patmos view of harbor from Monastery of St John* |

Dan, Gary, and I hiked to the top of the mountain
above the hotel at sunrise, where we saw this church. |
January 10 more Patmos we were supposed
to leave this evening, but due to the worst storm in 20 years we
are "exiled to Patmos" for an extra day and two extra nights.
We spent the day in hiking, shopping, and sitting in the hotel.
|

Hotel Effie in the port city Skala on Patmos |

Me, on our first day, at St. John's monastery
overlooking Skala. |
January 11 more Patmos

The first day we were taken by bus on a tour of
the island, from then on, we were on foot. |

The first day was gorgeous, then the next two
days were very stormy. |
|
January 12 we left Patmos at 3:30 a.m. for Piraeus, at 6:00 a.m.
we had to come into an island port of Kora until noon waiting
for the sea to
bemore calm. We then stayed overnight in Athens arriving at
11:30 p.m. and stayed in the Acropol Hotel, which was very
nice. |

Acropol Hotel |

Meteora* |
January 13 we traveled by bus to visit the monasteries in
Meteora and then stayed at the Hotel
Edelweiss in Kalambaka.

Hotel Edelweiss |

View down to the road and parking |

Kavala |
January 14 we visited Dion en-route to Kavala and stayed at the Hotel Egnatia,
right on the main highway overlooking the bay, and close to the
old Egnatia way.
 |

 |

Painting of Paul's landing at Neacopolis on a
church in Kavala |

Inscription at the church |

The church steeple |

Philippi Byzantine Basilica* |
January 15 we visited the excavations of Philippi
we returned to Kavala to see a museum, and then departed Kavala
and traveled on to Thessaloniki
arriving at dusk and visited the ruins and museum in the center of
the city. We stayed at the Holiday Inn.

Thessalonica forum, 2nd c AD
|

Philippi acropolis close up* |

The children were so glad to visit with us during their recess. |
January 16 We departed for Berea and Vergina. We visited St. Pauls Altar
in Berea and saw about 40 children in the church school next
door. Then in
Vergina we saw the Tomb of Phillip II and others in museum
constructed under a huge mound, and an ancient Theater and
parts of an ancient palace. We then went on to
Delphi
and stayed in the Hotel Amalia in the Pitheros Mountains.

Paul's altar in Berea |

They eagerly accepted 30 copies of my testimony and
tract written in Greek, Italian, and English. |

Delphi Theater 2nd Century BC* |
January 17 We hiked around the ancient ruins of Delphi and then
traveled to Corinth, where we stayed at the Isthmia Prime Hotel
right by the canal.
Esther, Susy, Mae, and Terra in a very old oak tree at Delphi. |
Hotel Amalia |

Temple of Apollo rebuilt 4th century BC* |
January 18 We looked at the
ruins of Corinth and climbed the Acrocorinth. In
the afternoon we traveled to Patras to board a ferry to Ancona Rome. Our
final day in Greece. Patras is a thriving
commercial and industrial port, and the third most important town in Greece.
From here, daily ferry services connect the country to Italy and the Ionian
islands .
Corinth Canal looking back to the east* |

Our hotel near the canal, Andy and Sugee |

Colosseum* |
January 19 we arrived in
Rome
and stayed at the Hotel Palatino in the heart of the ancient center of Rome, just
a short walk away from the Coliseum
|

Arch of Titus from northwest* |

Column of Trajan excavations* |
|

Hotel Palatino |
 St Peter's basilica facade* |
January 20 we traveled by bus to the Vatican and
saw the museums and St.
Peters Basilica. Then we visited the Forum and Coliseum. 
Roman soldiers outside the Colosseum |

Ryan, Danny, Ernie, Lisa, Esther, and Michelle at the
Colosseum |

Roman Civilization Museum |
January 21 we visited the Roman Civilization Museum and St. Paul's Basilica.
|

Pauline by the River wall |

May at the Spanish Steps |
January 22 We returned to the USA, we flew from Rome to
London, then on to LAX
|

Altar to the Nations |
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