Athens, Greece. This is the north side of the acropolis at night. Visible and lighted in the center is the first temple built there, often called the Temple of Erectheon, because it was built in stages and dedicated to many of the gods.

Sunday, January 18; Athens

We had an entire day in ancient Athens and the National Archaeological Museum! With a quick spin to the Olympic Stadium we were headed to the Temple of Zeus. At the acropolis there are many buildings dedicated to the mythological gods, like the Nike Temple, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion. On Mars Hill we read Paul’s defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the agora we looked for the inscription dedicating a statue to the “unknown god.” Who remembered we had already seen the inscription at the Istanbul museum? The reconstructed stoa in the commercial agora is as impressive as the artifacts in the museum. The changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was observed when the transition from Sunday daytime to Sunday nighttime uniforms was made. The decorative shoes weigh twelve pounds each.

Monday, January 19; Corinth, Cenhrea, Isthmia

Because of the Corinthian Canal the Peloponnesus is technically an island. A road-bridge keeps the two connected. The drive to the Byzantine, Venetian, and Turkish gates of the Acrocorinth is awe-inspiring. From the top the view of the Gulf of Corinth is impressive. A tour of the museum was accomplished with haste but not without seeing the mantle with menorahs, the inscription that says “synagogue of the Hebrews,” and a bust of Nero, who was Emperor about the time Paul was in Corinth. In the agora there is a view up to the Acrocorinth. The 2500 year old monolithic columns of the Temple of Apollo are the oldest in Greece and still standing. Paul appeared before the Roman governor Gallio at the historic bema seat. The harbor at Cenchrea was ideal for wading and rock skipping. We couldn’t run fast enough to reach Isthmia on a Monday so we headed back to Syntagma (Constitution) Square in Athens.

Tuesday, January 20; Ostia Antica, Catacombs

Departure from the hotel was ahead of time. Arrival at the airport was on time. Our flight was delayed and our arrival in Rome late requiring an adjustment in the schedule. After gathering our luggage we drove the short distance to the port city of Ostia Antica. Our guide reconstructed the entire city piece by piece with vivid explanations and readings from ancient texts. Here, to the bones of the ancient times was added sinew and flesh, and a little “garum.” Time didn’t permit us to get all the way to the synagogue but we saw it from the bus on the road that was once the coastline. We walked a two mile portion of the Appian Way that is wide and flat, lined with imposing walls that guard large estates and farmland. Exploring one of seven miles in the tunnels of the San Sebastiano Catacomb we saw mosaics, mausoleums, and ancient graffiti. We slept through an historic moment in American politics tonight.