File:The burial monument of Gaius Julius Philopappos (2) in Athens, Greece. 2nd cent. A.D.jpg

English: According to Pausanias, an ancient periegetic writer of the 2nd c. A.D., the highest of the three Hills west of the Acropolis took its name from the poet Mousaios who lived, taught and was buried there.

The north cut square to the northeast of the summit, which affords niches for statues, benches and alters for offerings, is claimed to belong to the funeral monument of Mousaios. It is more probable, however, that the Hill took its name from a sanctuary of the Muses to whom the Hill must have been dedicated.

The prevalent and commanding position of the Hill of the Muses, directly across the Acropolis, was the stronghold of the Athenians who, according to the myth, fought against the Amazons. Throughout the ages it was used as a fortress of primary strategic significance during major military operations.

In the 5th century B.C. the Athenians incorporated the Hill within the Themistoklean fortification, whereas the Diateichisma was constructed on its summit in the 4th c. B.C. In 294 B.C., Demetrius Poliorketes had a small fort built, known as the Macedonian fort, annexing the Diateichisma wall, where he installed a garrison to guard the city.

In the 2nd century A.D. a burial monument 12m. in height was erected on the hill of the Muses, which was since prevailed over the area. It takes its name from its founder Gaios Julius Philopappos, price of Kommagene of Upper Syria and benefactor of Athens.

This monument is made of pentelic marble on a porous krepis. Its monumental curved façade facing the Acropolis is divided into two zones. The upper zone comprises three deep niches to support seated statues. In the central niche, Philopappos headless is depicted sitting on a throne with the inscription “Philopappos, son of Epiphanes, of the deme of Besa.” In the left niche according to the inscription “King Antiochos, son of King Antiochos”, the fragmentary figure of Philopappos’ grandfather is portrayed. According to the inscription which survived until the 15th c., the founder of the Seleucid dynasty :King Seleucus, son of Antiochos, Nikator” was depicted in the right niche. The lower zone is a relief freeze depicting Philopappos on a quadriga flanked by lictors. The burial chamber in the form of the naiskos which housed the Philopappos’ sarcophagus was behind the monument.

The monument survived intact until the 15th c. but gradually fell victim to vandalism and the elements. It was partly restored by the civil engineer N. Balanos in 1904.

Text credit: Archaeological site inscription.