An artifact dating back to 1800 found during excavations of an ancient Greek city

Archaeologists from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki have recently discovered a surprisingly well-preserved marble head of the Greek god Apollo in the ancient city of Philippi in northwestern Greece.

This was reported by SSPDaily.

The head, which dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century AD, is a youthful image of Apollo, the Greek god of music and archery, with curly hair and his famous laurel wreath.

Discovered in late 2023 by a group of 15 students led by Professor Natalia Poulos, the head was found during excavations in Philippi, a project initiated by the university in the 1960s.

The statue of Apollo was originally created for religious purposes, but it appears to have been remodeled in the Middle Ages and may have served as part of a fountain decoration in the town square.

Unlike other Greek gods, Apollo did not have a lasting symbolic meaning in Christian Philippi. However, statues of the classical and Roman era were used to decorate public places for a long time. This shows that the city valued fine arts and cultural continuity.

The head was found during excavations of the city's central square, surrounded by elaborately decorated buildings.

Interestingly, shortly before that, a statue of Hercules was discovered nearby, which was probably part of the same fountain ensemble. This statue depicted the first feat of the ancient hero, the victory over the lion of nymphs.

As a reminder, a 2500-year-old statue that survived the war with Carthage and earthquakes was installed in Sicily.