How far are the temples you have studied commemorative monuments rather than religious?

Firstly, the Parthenon at the Athenian Acropolis is the most obvious example to analyse when debating the functions of temples. One can argue that the lavishly decorated Parthenon is clearly a religious monument, because the detail and extent of its decoration highlights the importance of the temple being a dedication to Athena. For example, it features huge Doric and Ionic columns and the sculptural frieze that wraps around the Parthenon, (particularly the Southern frieze, which depicts Athene’s birth) demonstrates the detail and hard works that was put in to creating the Parthenon. Its sheer scale also suggests that the temple is a religious monument, as a temple of such grandeur would have served as a better gift to the gods, and it stood as the largest, most impressive building within the Acropolis. Moreover, inside the Parthenon was the giant chryselephantine statue of Athene Parthenos (the virgin). This is another indicator of the temple’s religious significance, as it suggests the temple’s true purpose of being an elaborate gift and dedication to the Athenians’ patron goddess.

On the other hand, the Parthenon was built at around 480 BC, in accordance to Pericles’ new building programme, and the Delian League funded its construction. The relevance of this is that the Parthenon’s building was sparked by the success of the Athenians in the Battle of Marathon against the Persians, and so was built to commemorate this victory in battle, as well as demonstrate the wealth and power of the Athenians. Therefore, one can argue that the reason the real reason the Parthenon was built is based around commemorating Athenian military success, and its grandeur served to exhibit the wealth and authority of the Athenians, rather than to impress Athene. Moreover, analysing the Athene Parthenos statue further proves the Parthenon’s commemorative function. The state carries a shield in one hand, and ‘Nike’ in the other. The shield depicts mythological combat, such as the Athenians battling the Amazons (which could symbolise the theme of civilisation vs barbarism also present on the Parthenon’s metopes). Also, the Nike represents a physical manifestation of Athenian victories throughout time. Therefore, the Parthenon was clearly a commemorative building with religious elements, rather than a purely religious one.