Editing Nemea (section)

== Features of the Site ==

=== Temple of Zeus ===
The Temple of Zeus at Nemea is the most popular feature of the ancient Nemea site. The temple is located within a large sacred area with many buildings and features. The Temple remains today date back to the 4th century BC (~330 BC) but the temple was built on top of an earlier version dating back to the 6th century BC. The older version of the Temple of Zeus was destroyed in fire, so the people of ancient Nemea built the current temple on top of the site.

The current temple is 9,240 feet large and mostly made of limestone. It had 32 columns along the perimeter, only three of which remain standing today. Six columns have been reconstructed for reference when visiting the site. The temple was partially reconstructed to give visitors a clearer idea its magnitude and greatness. The Temple of Zeus uses three of the architectural orders: Doric, Corinthian, and Ionic. The doric peristyle is used on the exterior of the Temple, the corinthian style for the colonnade, and the ionic order for the second story of the Temple. The finished Temple of Zeus did not have any sculpted decoration. The design is traditional and displays precision and care.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Stephen |title=Nemea: A Guide to the Site and Museum |publisher=University of California Press |pages=132}}</ref>

=== The Hellenistic Stadium ===
The Nemean Stadium was excavated from 1974 to 1981. The natural earth where the stadium was built was perfect for the construction. Two ridges extending north from Evangelistria Hill created a natural space for an amphitheater. The track originally was 600 feet long. The eastern side of the track has a water channel, water basin, and a 300-foot marker, all of which correspond to the western side of the track. There are also thought to be "front row seats" in the Nemean Stadium. These "seats" are scattered limestone blocks parallel to the water channel.

The stadium includes a tunnel that is 36 meter long. The tunnel serves to prove that Ancient Greek architects understood how to create the complex architectural form. Along the walls of the tunnel, there is graffiti from the Ancient Greeks. The name "Telestas", who is a known ancient olympic victor, was carved into the wall. There is also the apodyterion, or locker room. Athletes would use this space to prepare for the competitions by removing their clothing and rubbing their body with olive oil. The apodyterion has stamps on the roof-tiles that reveal the architects name, Sosikles.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Stephen |title=Nemea: A Guide to the Site and Museum |publisher=University of California Press |pages=171, 174}}</ref>

The Nemean Games were held at the Stadium every two years. Nemea was one of the four sites for the competitions, the other sites were Delphi, Isthmia, and Olympia. All Greeks gathered for the celebration, and there was established a sacred truce to suspend all wars and hostilities so everyone could come see the competition. The track of the stadium had to be dug up, leveled, and rolled over every two years to keep its level below the water channel on the sides. Found in the excavation of the site are two black marble bases that may have been where the victors of the games stood.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Stephen |title=Nemea: A Guide to the Site and Museum |publisher=University of California Press |pages=175, 177}}</ref>

=== The Oikoi ===
[[File:Nemea Oikoi in 1991 from W.jpg|alt=Image of the remains of the first oikos taken in 1991. The west wall is in the foreground and the limestone walls are very short and damaged. Only the rectangular walls remain around the soil and grass, there are also hills and trees in the background.|thumb|Remains of the first oikos.]]
South of the Temple of Zeus, there are nine poorly preserved buildings, now commonly called oikoi. The Greek word “[[oikos]]”, usually meaning “house”, is used since the purpose of these buildings is unclear. These buildings face north along an east–west line and resemble the position of the [[treasuries at Olympia]], and possibly served a similar purpose as both a treasury and meeting hall, as at [[Delos]].

The fourth, fifth, and sixth oikos have been dated to the first half of the 5th century BC, following the [[Greco-Persian Wars|Persian Wars]], which suggest a general date for the others. The first oikoi were discovered during the 1920s but were not completely excavated until the 1970s. Farming activity and robbing of the building materials in the [[Post-classical history|post-classical period]] has caused extensive damage to the site, so that only the limestone foundations of the oikoi remain.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Stephen |title=Nemea: A Guide to the Site and Museum |publisher=University of California Press |pages=118–127, 161–168}}</ref>

The first oikos is the largest and measures 22.40 by 13.15 meters. It lies just east of the modern path to the Temple of Zeus. The eighth oikos, which is located much farther east, features a well in its back room that could have been used in association with preparing and eating meals.  It was later remodeled as a bronze sculpting workshop. The ninth oikos was used as a cooking area for the conjoined dining establishment but suffered early destruction. The dining establishment connected to the eighth and ninth oikos measured 9.82 by 7.44 meters and had a sacrificial pit 6.20 meters west of it. The establishment allowed up to eleven [[Klinē|dining couches]] and the ash and pig bones located in the pit suggest the use of [[Animal sacrifice|ritual dining]]. Located just southwest of the dining establishment, there were four kilns that used to produce roof tiles most likely during the later years of the 4th century BC when the site was renovated with funding from the [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonian kings]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Stephen |title=Nemea: A Guide to the Site and Museum |publisher=University of California Press |pages=64–67}}</ref>