GoGlobal Greece 2018 (2024)

26/06/2018

Athens

Where antiquity meets modern reality

26/06/2018

Thermopylae

26/06/2018

Location 4: Meteora

Indulge in the magnificence of nature

25/06/2018

Location 3: Parga

Beautiful people, exquisite food and a colourful town that made us wish we stayed in this piece of heaven for a little longer.

24/06/2018

Location 2: Galaxidi

Ξενοδoχείο "Γανυμήδης", Γαλαξείδι / Hotel "Ganimede", Galaxidi

24/06/2018

Location 1: Nafplio

Marianna Hotel, Nafplio, Greece

24/06/2018

Team GoGlobal 2018 at the magnificent Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio

24/06/2018

This course would not have been the same without our amazing GA Mario Kallo, thank you so much for being such a ray of sunshine through our whole journey and teaching us how everything is really done in Greece. If not for you we would have just been 12 textbook tourists who don't know where to get the perfect coffee, gyros or wine.

24/06/2018

The Lion Gate at Mycenae

The Lion Gate is one of the most well-known monuments of the Mycenaean civilization, and guards and provides main access to the citadel. It was built during the Bronze Age, or 13th century BC. The gate was excavated and restored by the Greek archaeologist Kyriakos Pittakis, the first to excavate Mycenae in 1841.

The gate represents a combination of the Cyclopean construction and ashlar masonry. Cyclopean construction is a form of megalithic architecture which uses large stones to builds structures such as buildings and surrounding walls. Ashlar masonry is the method of laying out cut stones to form structures.

The width of the opening of the gate is 3.1 meters at the bottom and 2.9 m at the top. The pivot holes of the lintel indicate that there was once a heavy wooden door installed within the gate. It is suggested that the door was placed during the second building phase of the citadel, but is unknown what happened to the door after that. There is also a triangle above the rectangular opening known as a relieving triangle, which was used in Mycenaean architecture as a way to avoid too much weight being put on the lintel. The triangular relief is considered to be the oldest surviving monumental sculpture in Europe. The heads of the lions should have been facing toward people entering the fate, but aren’t shown to be here today. This could be due to antiquity or weathering of the material used for the heads over time. The fore legs of lions are set on two alters where a column stands, which should have been the symbol of either the city of Mycenae or of the royal family of Mycenae.

Maxine Jackson

22/06/2018

WORDS GIVEN FORM: SEEING MY THESIS COME TO LIFE

Just a few short days before I landed in Athens to participate in GoGlobal Greece, I had just submitted my undergraduate honors thesis exploring what Aristophanes’ Old Comedy “Wasps” can tell us about the experience of fifth century Athenian law through the use of stagecraft. My thesis made going on this trip extra special in that it meant I was visiting many historic sites that bore direct relevance to the work that I had been doing over the past twelve months. While my research had taught me a great deal about many of the locations we were going to visit, no words on a page could adequately prepare me to experience these marvels firsthand.

My first encounter with Old Comedy in Greece was an unexpected one, as it came in the shape of a small figurine in the Archeological Museum of Nafplio. This statuette depicts an actor wearing the comically grotesque mask and bodysuit typical of Old Comedy. While my other classmates took little notice of this small figurine, I couldn’t help but stand in awe as I examined, for the first time, tangible proof that my thesis was not merely theory and conjecture that exists only in books and journals, but inhabited tangible objects and spaces that I would soon visit myself. A taste of what was to come.

One such space was the magnificent theatre at Argos, where I received the first of many opportunities to bring ancient theatre to life. As my fellow student Karthik explained in an earlier post, the theatre could seat an audience of approximately 20,000, and could do so by having its tiered seating reach high up into the hill. It was at the uppermost seats of the theatre, overlooking the breathtaking vista of the city below, that I performed a dramatic reading of the night watchman’s iconic monologue from the beginning of Aeschylus’ “Agamemnon”. Delivering these words was more than a mere recitation, because for the first time I truly felt in touch with the performance tradition that has persisted over two thousand years, and one that has inspired me and many others around the world to study classics and performance. To then descend the stairs and hold an impromptu rehearsal of the “Ode to Man” choral ode from Sophocles’ “Antigone” that we had been rehearsing for months prior was one of the most invigorating experiences during my studies in theatre.

Having arrived back in Athens after two long weeks of travelling around the country, the day had finally come – I would get a chance to visit the Theatre of Dionysus and the Athenian Agora. These sites were particularly exciting to me because these were two locations that I had discussed at length in my thesis. Going into these spaces, I had very strong notions about what to expect when I arrived and what I was going to see. Yet when I arrived, my initial reaction was that of shock. For my thesis focused on fifth-century Athens, and it was from this time period that I had formed my preconceived notions about how these historic sites would look. In doing so, I had failed to take into account how the space may have changed over time, particularly in how dramatically the space would have been altered in the Roman era. When my preconceived notions did not align with what my eyes were seeing, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. However, it was in that moment that I smiled, for I realized that the classical world could evoke such a strong emotional response in me, even though we are separated by thousands of years. This was a needed reminder that these ancient sites existed beyond the realms of not only my studies, but also my imagination, and that their history is richer and more varied than I gave it credit for because it has persevered through the ages. It was only by being in this space that could have taught me this crucial lesson, and one that will continue to push me to continue learning and discovering for years to come.

My last encounter with my thesis in Greece poetically ends where it begins, in a museum. This time, after attending a thought-provoking lecture given by Dr Platon Mavromoustakos, my wonderful professor and thesis supervisor Dr. Hallie Marshall pointed out a vase to me at the Benaki Museum. This vase was not just any vase but a depiction of the chorus of old men in “Wasps”, which was the primary focus of my thesis. My primary argument in my thesis was that the stagecraft was an essential aspect of the performance and could provide meaning that other sources could not. To see these grotesque actors simply wearing antennae like bees was unbelievably gratifying, for the central argument I worked so hard to make was perfectly illustrated on this vase. This moment alone made the entire trip worth it for me. Sometimes, a picture really can say a thousand words (or in the case of my case, twenty thousand).

Samuel Jing
Bachelor of Arts, Theatre Studies (Hons.)
UBC Class 2018

21/06/2018

Ancient Texts: Linear B

Linear B is the oldest known written form of the Greek language! It was the language of the Mycenaeans thousands of years ago. Its used stretches as far back as the 15th century BC!

The language derives from the undeciphered Linear A of Minoan Crete. Mycenaeans adapted it into their own dialect, known now as Mycenaean Greek. Linear B is a syllabic language. It has no phonetic correspondence, instead each symbol corresponds to a syllable. And there are around 90 syllabic signs. These scripts were first excavated in late 19th century but were only deciphered in 1950s by British architect Michael Ventris and linguist John Chadwick.

Written on clay tablets, the language recorded palace administrative information such as products and their circulation and tax forms. The tablets also contain references to Mycenaean cities, which provides us some understanding of their geographical and political organisation. Moreover, they include mentions of Greek gods, demonstrating that the Mycenaeans believed in at least some of the same gods worshiped by Ancient Greeks. After the collapse of the Mycenaean palace civilisation in the 13th century BC, language disappeared for centuries, but the remaining tablets of Linear B provide us with valuable insight into Mycenaean society.

Helena Almeida
English Literature and Psychology
Class of 2020

21/06/2018

The Chorus in rehearsal with Director Helen Eastman from Barefaced Greek back in Vancouver 2 months before filming

21/06/2018

The Chorus at The Tomb of Clytemnestra

The vaulted tomb of Clytemnestra in Mycenae dates to about 1,200 B.C. Although it is not certain if this is the true tomb of Clytemnestra, it is believed so because of the golden jewellery that were found inside and that must belong to a queen. In the Hellenistic times, an ancient theatre was constructed above the tomb, which resulted in some damages to the roof and the entrance of it. It seems that the tomb had been discovered in the past, because many treasures has been stolen.

21/06/2018

This trip has been such a wonderful experience for each and every one of us and none of it would have even been possible without our Professor Hallie Marshall and her wonderful family Professor Toph Marshall & Baby Thompson Marshall. We each thank you from the bottom of our hearts for choosing us, giving us this amazing opportunity and making us feel like part of the family, for a group of 12 lost UBC students in Greece that's everything we could have ever asked for.

21/06/2018

Kassope

One of the sites we visited during our travels in Greece was the ruins of the town of Kassope. Founded in the 4th century BCE, Kassope was built on a grid layout called the “Hippodamian plan”, named after the architect responsible for the first grid-planned cities in classical Greece. Hippodamus is credited with the idea that the layout of cities should reflect their social order, particularly the ideals of rationalism and democracy in the neatness of the grid and the similar size for all house lots.

There are the remnants of some of those houses still at Kassope, enough to reconstruct the layouts of the bottom floors and get an idea of how the people who owned these homes might have lived. Rooms such as the andron (men’s dining room or gathering place) and the courtyard common to classical Greek houses are still identifiable. Looking at these foundations and walking the streets, I got a really amazing sense of being immersed in the history and walking in the footsteps of those who lived there thousands of years before. That feeling, the closeness to the history, is truly unique.

Kassope also still has remnants of its agora (the main marketplace), attached to which is a small city theatre (probably used for civic matters, but maybe also for theatrical, literary, or musical performances), a stoa (a “porch” where people could gather out of the sun and talk or conduct business), and a katagogeion (a “hostel” of sorts which had rooms available for visitors to the city). The city also has a second, larger theatre outside of the main thoroughfare which seems likely to have been used for theatre. We took the opportunity to sing in it ourselves!

Nowadays, the only residents of Kassope are herds of local sheep and goats. However, they bring life to these ancient ruins and deepen the atmosphere of the place. It also boasts stunning views -- for all that the cliff seems dangerous, it’s impossible to blame the Greeks for wanting to build in a location with such an amazing vista.

Julia Perroni
Department of Classical, Near Eastern, and Religious Studies
Class of 2019

21/06/2018

Delphi

Considered to be the centre of the world by the ancient Greeks, Delphi holds much history, and was my personal favourite to visit over the course of our travels.

Castalian Spring
Since recent rock falls have made the area unsafe, the Castalian spring itself has been blocked off to visitors. However, we were still able to visit a fountain that the spring gives water to. Many of us filled our water bottles with the water, since it is rumoured that artistic inspiration is given to those who drink from it.

The Pythia
The oracle at Delphi was a priestess, known as the Pythia. We don’t know much about the individual Pythias or why or how they were chosen. However, they did have to be from Delphi, and once she was chosen she served Apollo for life and committed herself to strenuous exercise and chastity.

The Pythia was available for consultation only one day per month, thought to be the seventh day of each month. There were only nine of these instead of twelve, because it was thought that Apollo was absent during the winter months. However, this did not mean that Delphi was considered godless during this time, since instead the god Dionysus ruled over the sanctuary.
On the nine days of each year set aside for full oracular consultation, the Pythia would head at dawn to bathe in the Castalian spring near the sanctuary. The consultants also had to purify themselves with the water from the springs. Local Delphians always had first rights of audience. What followed them was a system of queuing that prioritized first Greeks whose city or tribe was part of Delphi’s supreme governing council, called the Amphictyony, then all other Greeks, and finally non-Greeks. There was, however, a way to skip to the front, called promanteia, which was the right to consult the oracle before others. This could be awarded to individuals or cities as an expression of a close relationship or thanks from Delphi.

The Athenian Treasury
Delphi was a place where many cities came together and in dedication and thanks to Apollo and the Pythia, gave offerings. These often included monuments that served a dual purpose – to show devotion while also showcasing their wealth and military victories to others. In the fourth and fifth pictures, the restored Athenian Treasury can be seen.

Omphalos Stone and Location
Five different accounts exist to explain Delphi’s location, as it is quite secluded from other cities. One of the most well known accounts involves the omphalos stone (fifth photo). This stone, according to some, was supposed to be housed in the heart of the temple of Apollo, and marked the centre of the earth. Zeus, who let two eagles fly and circle the earth until they met at Delphi, threw down this stone in judgement.

Delphi’s location also has significance with Apollo’s journey to choose his sanctuary. In one of the Homeric Hymns, Apollo’s rejection of other sites lists requirements for his oracular site: tranquility, accessibility, and poverty of natural resources.

Icarus Irving

Bibliography:
Scott, Michael. Delphi: A History of the Centre of the Ancient World. Princeton University Press, 2015.

20/06/2018

The Sanctuary for Artemis

Brauron, in the Attica region, held a sanctuary for Artemis. Evidence of a cult in this site starts as far back as the 9th century BC, but many buildings were constructed in the 6th century BC and the sanctuary was most popular during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The most interesting story of the site’s origins, however, comes from myth.

Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians narrates the supposedly sacrificed Iphigenia’s reencounter with her brother Orestes. After Artemis saved the girl from being sacrificed by her own father - yes, Artemis was the one who asked for the sacrifice in the first place threatening to withhold the wind the Greeks needed to go to the Trojan War - she sent Iphigenia to the land of the barbarian Taurians. For years, Iphigenia was a priestess at Artemis’ temple in this land, caring for Artemis’ statue, and forced to prepare any foreign man, including Greeks, who arrived in the land for sacrifice. Trying to averting most spoilers, since Euripides tells it best of course, the delightfully funny recognition scene between the long separated siblings sets off their reversal of fortune and Iphigenia ends up in Brauron along with the statue of the goddess. Orestes has been commanded to construct a sanctuary for Artemis and there we have it!

Iphigenia is said to have remained a priestess for Artemis at Brauron and her reported tomb is among the most fascinating ruins of the site. Brauron was an important centre for a rituals of initiation of young girls entering adulthood, the arkteia. Moreover, the Brauronia festival was held at this temple every four years, where a procession in praise of Artemis started at the Athens Acropolis and proceeded to Brauron.

Helena Almeida
English Literature and Psychology
Class of 2020

20/06/2018

THEATRES THEATRES & MORE THEATRES

As an acting and a theatre history student, one of the most interesting aspects of this course for me was truly the magnificent ancient theatres. From learning about them in my textbooks and from my professors during lectures to actually being in the space and experiencing the acoustics was an almost spiritual experience. To breath the air and feel that almost eerie presence of satyrs and marvellous tragic characters was nothing short of a dream.

The Theatre at Epidaurus, regarded often as one of the most well preserved from the time was our first stop. It was constructed in the late 4th century BC and it was finalized in two stages. It is situated near the ancient sanctuary of Asklepios, a celebrated healing center of the classical world. It was used as a therapeutic and religious centre dedicated to Asklepios, the god of healing. Today the sanctuary is an extended archeological site with interesting buildings. The theatre is surrounded by lush greenery, an integral part of the theatre itself. This famous ancient theatre distinguishes for its architectural symmetry and the great acoustics.

Second, we visited the Theatre of Argos, with a capacity of 20,000 seats approximately, it counts among the largest ancient theatres in Greece. Nestling in the southeastern side of the castle hill, so as to be linked to the agora, it overlooked the ancient city and was visible from the Argolic gulf. Built during the Hellenistic period, in the early third century BC, it replaced the oldest theatre of the town. The Theatre of Argos is where the marvellous Oresteia by Aeschylus was set and to read the words in the space was something I could have never dreamed of.

The Theatre at Delphi is nestled among the rich nature and overlooks the remains of the beautiful Temple of Apollo. Its 35 rows can accommodate around five thousand spectators who in ancient times enjoyed plays, poetry readings, and musical events during the various festivals that took place periodically at Delphi. The lower tiers of seats were built during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The most magnificent visit was definitely to the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The theatre of Dionysus situated on the south side of the Acropolis is where all extant classical Greek plays were first presented. It is a space of great historical and cultural significance but also more importantly coming here as an actor gave me chills. There was something about the air that was different and echoed of antiquity. During the 5th century, the theatre was first used as a regular site for theatrical performances of plays written by the great tragic poets, such as Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles. The theater was a place to honor god Dionysus and the plays were performed as part of these celebrations. The stage was reconstructed over the centuries and most of the ruins that we see today come from the Roman times.

Built at the base of the Acropolis, the ancient amphitheater of Herodeion, also known as the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, is today one of the best places to experience a live classical theatre performance. This ancient theater was built in the Roman times, in about 161 A.D. by the Roman philosopher, teacher and politician Herodes Atticus. It was built in the memory of his wife Aspasia Regilla who died in 160 AD. This semi-circular amphitheater has a wide 1,250 feet radius with a seating capacity of more than 6,000 people. The original wall of the stage stood three storeys high and was decorated with marbles and ceramic pieces while today it stands in ruins.

During our trip we were also given the opportunity to visit the beautiful Municipal Theatre of Piraeus. The Municipal Theater is a landmark of the city of Piraeus. It was founded in 1884, according to designs of the architect Ioannis Lazarimos. Its construction took 10 years and it started operating in 1895. It is considered the most important neoclassical building in the city and one of the most important theaters of the country. Many famous Greek directors, such as Karolos Koun, Alexis Solomos, Dimitris Rondiris, Spyros Evaggelatos, have presented their work there. The establishment of the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus expressed the vision of the emerging bourgeoisie and the intellectuals of that time to designate the city as a cultural international center. Its main stage is in baroque style, while the square of the theater could accommodate up to 1,300 spectators.

Visiting the classic ancient theatres and also simultaneously the modern neo-classical theatre still being used today gave a great example of the traditional antiquity of Greece and the rapid modernization comimg together to show the rich cultural and theatrical heritage of the country.

Karthik Dhananjai Kadam
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting
Class of 2020

Information drawn from the work of Olga Psychogiou, The Ministry of Greek Culture & Sports and statistical information of dates and seating capacity from Greeka.com

20/06/2018

Ίδρυμα Ωνάση / Onassis Foundation & Rigas Velestinlis' magnificent Charta

Rigas Velestinlis is one of the major figures of Greek Enlightenment and a top activist of the Greek Resurgence in the late eighteenth century. A native of Thessaly, he was born in Velestino (1757) and was educated at the neighboring Ampelakia, a prosperous town where he pioneered an early cooperative experience. Spending some time later in Holy Mount Athos and Constantinople, he established himself in Bucharest and became familiar with the French revolutionary ideals and also a firm supporter of the struggle for Greek independence against the Ottoman rule.

In Bucharest he started his cartographic project including the preparation of his major cartographic work, the Charta printed later in Vienna. He spent the last years of his life in Vienna where he developed his publishing agenda related to his political, literature, scientific and cartographic projects. Among these projects his monumental Charta became fatal. Following his arrest in Trieste and his interrogation in Vienna, the Charta was the central document on which the interrogation was focused for proving his presumed revolutionary activism. From Vienna, Rigas and his companions were transferred to Belgrade under Ottoman rule where they were assassinated in 1798.

The impact of Rigas contribution in the struggle for the Greek independence is fundamental in the history of modern Greece. Especially his Charta is considered a milestone, his short lived life was dedicated to showing the people of Greece the power of art in the fight for independence. During our trip to Greece we had the immense pleasure of being invited to visit the Onassis Foundation’s rich library. This building not just exquisite from the outside and filled with wonderful paintings was also the home to many rare collections of Hellenistic literature and not to forget a very important copy of Rigas’ Charta.

Viewing this and learning of its struggle gave us chills. Rigas uses the map to remind the oppressed people of Greece who they once were in antiquity and identifies their struggle with a simple yet beautiful image of a lion located at the bottom left of the map. Classic images of the sultan are balanced over a sleeping lion, which represents the sleeping people of Greece who’s rage, once awake will take what is rightfully theirs with pride and honour. There are also many images of Gods from antiquity such as Heracles chasing away the wild “other” Amazonians who have broken weaponry. The Charta is lined with coins from different eras and pushes Greek glory to the forefront with its various elements. This beautiful piece speaks to the soul of Greece and is nothing short of one of the greatest pieces of revolutionary art this world has seen.

Karthik Dhananjai Kadam
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting
Class of 2020

Information drawn from the work by Chrysoula Boutoura from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki & the short lecture by the staff at the Onassis Foundation of Athens

18/06/2018

Today we wrapped up filming for our version of the famous Ode to Man from Antigone by Sophocles. This text, originally performed by a group of old Theban Men discusses man’s vast achievements. We performed and filmed on a beach, in ruins and in an ancient theatre. This experience was incredibly rewarding for the group of us, in particular the actors through the exploration of performance connection in choral work, and exposure into the methods of bringing historical works into a contemporary context.

For so many reasons this was an incredible and useful experience for an emerging artist/actor to have. The chorus is extremely important art form and theatrical style, which is being used less frequently with the dominating western culture having much more interest in the ‘self’. In my work with theatrical art and performance I have found teamwork, connection and community as an essential part of a quality theatrical performance, making this a key experience for those interested in practicing theatre. With our film and acting experience levels varying throughout the group, there was an abundance of struggles and successes. Through flocking, song, and working in unison we discovered how hard work as a team can bring a successful product, very different than a more self-focused art piece.

The production’s interpretation of the Ode to Man took this historical text and brought it into a contemporary context, giving the piece much relevance. Ironically the production delved into not only man’s creations and accomplishments on earth, but also his nowadays-prominent destruction of earth’s beauty and well being. For us who are student artists, this gives us an idea of how historical texts, whether in original context or not, can be used to spread positive, relevant messages when used as pieces of contemporary art and performance. With the debate of ancient art and text’s relevance, this film has inspired my classmates and myself to see how art and performance history does indeed have relevance when executed suitably.

Connor Riopel
Department of Theatre & Film, BFA in Acting
Class of 2020

16/06/2018

Team GoGlobal Greece 2018 on set filming for Barefaced Greek’s next project ✨

16/06/2018

Filming with Barefaced Greek

One of the major components of theatre 440 was being part of a film produced by Barefaced Greek. While a requirement for the class, I found working with the director of the film Helen Eastman as well as the rest of the crew, to be one of the most informative and interesting parts of this course. We learned a choral song from Sophocles’ Antigone in the original language it was written in. The speech is titled “Ode to Man” and is considered one of the greatest poems written by Sophocles. It describes the accomplishments of man. An aspect of this poem that I found interesting was that the Greek word we learned deinon is used to describe man. The word means wonderful, but also may mean terrible.
Learning the text proved to be much more challenging than I expected, but with much hard work, not to mention tireless instruction from our coaches, we were fluently chanting ancient Greek many days before we started shooting.

The original chorus in Antigone is made up of a group of old Theban men, so a group of young adults chanting this poem on a beach is a very different, fresh take to it. This is what Barefaced Greek is known for. They create short films using the text from Greek drama in the original language, which motivates new generations to take an interest in the subject. We got our makeup done by Pavlos Katsimichas, and set out for our first day of filming on a beach in Galaxidi. The second day we had the privilege of shooting at the archeological site of Oiniades thanks to the very kind permission of Ephorate of Antiquities of Aetoloacarnania and Lefkada.

The experience taught me a lot about the power of choral movement. We had many rehearsals with Helen in Vancouver before shooting in Greece. We worked on flocking, which I had worked on before in my movement class, but we had never put as much focus on moving as a unit. We learned how one little movement means so much more when done by a group instead of an individual. Every person in the chorus was important, and any deviation from one person would reflect on the entire group. I have no doubt that my newfound understanding of the power of choral speech and movement will be very helpful as I pursue a career in acting.

Hana Cripton-Inglis
BFA in Acting
Class of 2020

GoGlobal Greece 2018

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