Dion, the Macedonian Sanctuary

Dion, at the feet of Mount Olympus, has been Macedonian’s Sanctuary for eons. It was here that Alexander brought offerings to Zeus before crossing to Asia. It was here that his father, King Philip II came to celebrate his many glorious victories. It was here that King Archelaos started brightening up the festivals with athletic and theatrical performances. But all Macedonian kings had one thing in common: they gathered here to sacrifice and bring offerings to the Olympian gods, whatever the occasion. Enough reason for me to take a close look at the place, not the least because of Alexander’s multiple visits.

Although Dion became part of a Roman colony founded by Emperor Augustus in the 1^st century AD, the city managed to preserve its Greek character up to the Byzantine times. Yet, after a combination of natural disasters and repeated invasions by the Goths in the 5^th century AD, Dion sank into oblivion.

The drive from Thessaloniki takes me south past the antique sites of Methoni and Pydna, past modern Katerini till mighty Mount Olympus looms at the horizon on my right, an unforgettable and most rewarding view!

Directions in and around Dion (modern Dio) are very clear. The town has been able to lead tourists traffic in such a way as not to interfere too much with the community's daily life. Not much has changed here except for a handful of souvenir stores and cafés. I decided to start with the Museum as it is said to close at 3 pm (the excavation site is open until 7 pm) - we are never sure what to expect when walking through a museum or an archaeological site, are we?

The Museum is not big but offers some interest, although I am still trying to decide whether to visit the Museum before or after seeing antique Dion. I have done it both ways, once in 2006 and now in 2011, but it does not make the explanations any easier. I still have difficulty matching one with the other. Dion is a sanctuary, meaning, in fact, a collection of temples and altars ranging from the 4^th century BC all the way to the 5^th century AD. Even walking around Dion, it is very confusing to sort out the array of buildings, especially here at the Museum, where bits and pieces must match the remains in the field.

I pick out the pieces that most appeal to me: some statues (like that of Hygeia); heads (Demeter and Niké); funeral steles (Hunter with his dog and Mother and Child); slender funeral craters that are well preserved; terracotta statuettes (a lovely Macedonian boy); coins of all kinds and mainly Macedonian; glass beads and other pieces of jewelry; small ivory heads from funeral couches; mosaics (spiral mosaic from the Villa of Dionysos); and a superbly reconstructed hydraulic organ. I even spent some time checking out the inscribed slabs: like the Treaty between King Perseus and the Boeotians, a Letter that Philip V wrote to a certain Eurylochus, and the base for a statue of Cassander. Outside in the grass, I find a dozen or so Roman tombs with Greek inscriptions and, in the shelter of a portico, a stone tomb door, much like the one reconstructed at the Museum of Pella.

The Museum has no cafeteria, but I find the place across the street inviting enough. Their coffee (Greek) is excellent, and their toilets are clean. It is a good thing to take a short break to digest all the impressions before heading for the actual site of Dion, which is, in fact, within walking distance.

Obviously, this location was chosen by the gods in a broad flat valley under the watchful eye of snowcapped Olympus. Its icy waters ran and still run through Dion, and this holy river saved the city from plundering when it disappeared under two meters of water and mud after heavy earthquakes. We had to wait for centuries to put the town back on the map as many pumps and slush gates are still helping to keep our feet dry.

I start with the Greek theater, where a wooden reconstruction has been implemented, and the original layout is still visible. It was located outside the actual city walls and built during the reign of Philip V (221-179 BC). It looks out over a splendid park-like field, where Alexander pitched the tents to entertain his one hundred guests, friends, officers, and ambassadors from all over Greece to celebrate his departure for Asia. The huge Altar of Zeus, where he made his offerings, is situated near the other end, close to the Roman Theatre from the 2^nd century AD. Not often can one come so close to Alexander as we can here.

I wonder if it was in this area that I should picture the famous bronze group made by Lysippos, Alexander’s dedicated sculptor. It represented and was dedicated to 25 cavalrymen who had fallen during the Battle of the Granicus, Alexander’s first victorious confrontation with Persia.

Evidently, the main god worshiped in Dion was the Olympian Zeus, after whom the city was named (the genitive of "Zeus" being Dios). The sanctuaries were used not only by the inhabitants of Dion but also served the religious needs of a more significant number of people during the festivals with thousands of visitors. Here, the base of a large statue of King Cassander was found, now in the Museum. Various pilgrims' offerings were placed in the sanctuaries of Dion. At the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, inscriptions referred to important state affairs such as peace treaties, regulation of boundaries, honorary decrees, etc., some of which are now in the Museum. The Macedonians who crowded these festivals could read these texts and be informed – an official newspaper, in a way.

It is a most pleasant walk along the banks of the clear, fast-flowing stream where fish and crabs have found a home till I reach the Sanctuary of Demeter. This is the earliest Macedonian sanctuary known to date and was used uninterruptedly from the late 6^th century BC to the early 4^th century AD. For a layman, it is not easy to figure out the remains of walls and chambers, but with some effort, one can discern two small temples of the megaron type with an open antechamber and a cella. This is where most of the offerings were found, statuettes, lamps, vessels, beads, etc., which all indicate that an earth goddess of fertility was worshiped here, confirmed by an inscription referring to Demeter (4^th century BC).

I now have to cross the lowest part of this cult area, which always seems to be more or less flooded – no wonder when to my great surprise, I see the many springs bubbling up amidst the ruins! Reflecting in the water and amidst lush green growths lie the elegant Sanctuaries of Serapis, Isis, and Anubis that came to this region during the Hellenistic period thanks to the propaganda of the Ptolemy’s of Egypt. It is a pleasant sight how these statues bathe in the water or admire their mirror image. A metal bridge has been put in place so we can walk closely through this eerie setting. When I climb out of this depth, I pass a Byzantine wall where an unknown deity and the head of Aigle have been reused in its construction. How dare they!

Past the remains of the Roman city wall, I finally enter the city of Dion, which is generally Roman from the 2^nd century. There is an entire network of streets along which many buildings, warehouses, private houses, and public baths have risen. A few of these constructions stand out, of course, for instance, the Roman Baths with parts of the mosaic floors and the hypocaust still in place or the Polygon Villa with a 12-sided courtyard surrounded by columns giving access to the house. At the entrance, we can still admire the 3rd-century mosaic of wrestlers at practice, a very Roman portrait. Further down to the east, we find the remains of the Villa of Dionysos, which takes its name from the large mosaic depicting the god that covers the floor of the banqueting room. And then there is the set of reliefs showing very Macedonian cuirasses and shields that have been set up alongside one of the streets dedicated by Alexander after the Battle of the Granicus. In some places, you can even see sewage conduits underneath these streets. It always makes me wonder how we managed to lose this knowledge in our Middle Ages and had to entirely reinvent the system. If you look closely, you’ll also notice that many mosaic floors have been covered with plastic and gravel to protect them, but it’s so unfortunate that we cannot see them!

Dion is much less known than the Sanctuary of Delphi, for instance, but it is certainly not less inspiring. It definitively completes a thorough visit to Greek Macedonia. 

[Click here on Dion to see all my pictures]