According to the
Greek
Reporter, the Italian archaeologist Graziano Ranocchia located the site of Plato’s grave in the garden of his
Academy in Athens near the sacred shrine to the Muses.
[The archaeological site of Plato’s academy. Credit: Tomisti, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikipedia] This discovery
is based on the latest deciphering of a carbonized papyrus from Herculaneum (see: Reading
Papyrus scrolls from Herculaneum). The scroll revealed the history
of the Academy by Philodemus of Gadara, a poet and philosopher who lived in Herculaneum.
Plato's Academy included thinkers such as Theaetetus
of Sunium (from Cape
Sounion),
Archytas of Tarentum, a Pythagorean
scientist and philosopher, Leodamas of
Thasos
and Neocleides, both Greek
mathematicians.
The garden where Plato decided to establish his Academia
was originally a sacred grove of olive trees dedicated to Athena, appropriately
the goddess of wisdom, situated outside Athens’
city walls.
Although Plato’s grave site has been established,
nothing is said about whatever remains. Is there a tombstone or any kind of
marker, something for us to see? After all, the garden is a large area.
Wikipedia writes that
“The site of the Academy is located near Colonus,
approximately, 1.5 km
north of Athens'
Dipylon gates. The site was rediscovered in the 20th century, in modern
Akademia Platonos neighbourhood; considerable excavation has been
accomplished.” ... “the Peristyle Building (4th century BC), which is perhaps the only
major building that belonged to the actual Academy of Plato”.
The modern Academy of Athens is Greece’s National Academy,
established in 1926 based on the same principles as the ancient Academy of Plato.
The main building in Greek neoclassical style is a landmark in the city and a
clear reminder of ancient Greece.
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