Athens: Between the Olympieion and the Ilissos Valley. Reconstructing and Narrating Ancient Landscapes

Abstract

This paper presents a historical and landscape reconstruction of the south-eastern Ilissos Valley, encompassing the archaeological park of the Olympieion in Athens and its surrounding areas, from the Late Bronze Age to the Byzantine period. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates geographical, archaeological, topographical, historical, and literary evidence, the study seeks to reconstruct a coherent framework from a complex and fragmentary body of heterogeneous sources. The analysis reveals a multi-layered landscape in which environmental, topographical, archaeological, historical, and symbolic dimensions intersect, highlighting the long-term transformations of one of the most significant sectors of ancient Athens along the course of the Ilissos River.