Temple of Olympian Zeus or Olympeion (see detail) in the center of Athens, Greece, completed during the rule of Emperor Hadrian and dedicated by him in 129 or 131 AD. At the time it was the largest temple in Greece (500 m. by 700 m.). The temple is built from marble. One column was blown down by gale winds in 1852. The temple contained in the cella a giant gold and ivory statue of Zeus and another of Hadrian. In his "Politics", Aristotle comments on earlier efforts (510 BC) by Hippias, the son of tyrant Pisistratas, to build this enormous temple as an example of vanity and arrogance of power (hubris). Aristotle also points out that tyrants sponsor great public works (as did Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini) to absorb the attention of the populace.

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