Editing Acropolis (section)

== Differing acropolises ==
The acropolis of a city was used in many ways, with regards to ancient time and through references. Because an acropolis was built at the highest part of a city, it served as a highly functional form of protection, a fortress, and was as well as a home to the royal of a city and a centre for religion through the worshipping of different gods.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book|last=Lefkowitz R.|first=Mary|author-link=Mary Lefkowitz |title=The "Wooden" Horse on the Athenian Acropolis|publisher=Hesperia: The Journal of The American School of Classical Studies at Athens Vol 89. No. 3|year=2020|pages=588, 589}}</ref> There have been many classical and ancient acropolises, including the most commonly-known, [[Acropolis of Athens]], as well as the [[Patara (Lycia)#Location|Tepecik Acropolis]] at [[Patara (Lycia)|Patara]], Ankara Acropolis, [[La Blanca, Peten#Acropolis|Acropolis of La Blanca]], Acropolis at the Maya Site in Guatemala, and the Acropolis at [[Halieis]].

[[File:The Parthenon in Athens.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Parthenon]] in Athens]]
The most famous example is the Athenian Acropolis, which is a collection of structures featuring a citadel on the highest part of land in ancient (and modern-day) Athens, Greece. Many notable structures at the site were constructed in the 5th century BCE, including the [[Propylaea]], [[Erechtheion]], and the Temple of Athena.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book|last=van Rookhuijzen|first=J.Z.|title=The Parthenon Treasury on the Acropolis of Athens|publisher=American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 124 No. 1|year=2020|pages=3, 6}}</ref> The Temple is also commonly known as the [[Parthenon]], which is derived from the divine Athena Parthenos.<ref name=":03"/> There were often dances, music and plays held at the acropolis, which it served as a community centre for the city of Athens. It became a prime tourist destination by the 2nd century AD during the Roman Empire and was known as "the Greece of Greece," as coined by an unknown poet.<ref name=":22"/> Although originating in the mainland of Greece, use of the acropolis model quickly spread to Greek colonies such as the [[Dorians|Dorian]] [[Lato]] on [[Crete]] during the [[Archaic period in Greece|Archaic Period]].

The Tepecik Acropolis at Patara served as a harbor to nearby communities and naval forces, such as Antigonos I Monopthalmos and [[Demetrios Poliorketes]], and combined land and sea.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Dundar, Erkan and K. Rauh|first=Nicholas|title=The North Bastion on the Tepecik Acropolis at Patara: Dating "Early Hellenstic" Fortification Walls in Southwestern Anatolia|publisher=Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Vol. 86. No. 3|year=2017|pages=509, 510, 513, 517}}</ref> Its fortification wall and Bastion date back to the Classical period.<ref name=":3" /> The acropolis was constructed in the fourth century BCE by the Hekatomnids that ultimately led to its seizure in 334 BCE by [[Alexander the Great]].<ref name=":3" /> The acropolis contributed significantly to the overall development that took place during the Hellenistic empires.<ref name=":3" /> This acropolis was the earliest place of settlement, probably dating back to the third millennium BCE.<ref name=":3" /> During excavations that took place in 1989, ceramic items, terracotta figurines, coins, bone and stone objects were found that date to the fourth century BCE.<ref name=":3" /> The fortification wall and bastion that are built at this acropolis uses a style of masonry, commonly known as the Greek word {{Lang|grc|ἔμπλεκτον|italic=no}} (meaning "woven").<ref name=":3" /> This style of masonry was likely used for weight-bearing purposes.

The Acropolis at Halieis dates back to the Neolithic and Classical periods.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book|last=J. Pullen|first=David|title=The Prehistoric Remains of the Acropolis at Halieis: A Final Report|publisher=Hesperia: The American School of Classical Studies at Athens Vol. 69 No. 2|year=2000|pages=133, 134, 135}}</ref> It included a fortified wall, sanctuary of Apollo (two temples, an altar, a race course), and necropolis (cemetery).<ref name=":12"/> This acropolis was the highest point of fortification on the south edge at Halieis. There was a small open-air cult space, including an altar and monuments.<ref name=":12"/>

The Ankara Acropolis, which was set in modern-day Turkey, is a historically prominent space that has changed over time through the urban development of the country from the Phrygian period.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last1=Sahin Güçhan|first1=Neriman|last2=Demiröz|first2=Merve|date=2021|title=Urban Conservation Legacy of the Turkish Planning System: Tracing Spatial Change in the Ankara Acropolis, from 1923 Onwards|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/02665433.2020.1753102|journal=Planning Perspectives|volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=337–362 |doi=10.1080/02665433.2020.1753102 |bibcode=2021PlPer..36..337D |s2cid=218820478 }}</ref> This acropolis was well known as a spot for holy worshipping, and was symbolic of the time. It has also been a place that has historically recognized the legislative changes that Turkey has faced.<ref name=":5" />  

The Acropolis of La Blanca was created in Guatemala as a small ancient Maya settlement and archaeological site that is located adjacent to the Salsipuedes River.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal|last1=Montuori|first1=R.|last2=Gilabert-Sansalvador|first2=L.|last3=L. Rosado-Torres|first3=A.|date=2020|title=3D Printing for Dissemination of Maya Architectural Heritage: The Acropolis of La Blanca (Guatemala)|url=https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XLIV-M-1-2020/481/2020/isprs-archives-XLIV-M-1-2020-481-2020.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XLIV-M-1-2020/481/2020/isprs-archives-XLIV-M-1-2020-481-2020.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|journal=The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences|volume=XLIV-M}}</ref> This acropolis developed as a place of residence for the city of La Blanca's rulers.<ref name=":6" /> Its main period of usage was during the Classical period of 600 AD to 850 AD, as the city developed as a commercial place of trade among a number of nearby settlements.<ref name=":6" />

The Mayan Acropolis site in Guatemala included a burial site and vaulted tombs of the highest status royal.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal|last1=Fitzsimmons L.|first1=James|last2=Scherer|first2=Andrew|last3=D. Houston|first3=Stephen|last4=L. Escobedo|first4=Héctor|date=2003|title=Guardian of the Acropolis: The Sacred Space of a Royal Burial at Piedras Negras, Guatemala|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3557578|journal=Latin American Antiquity|volume=14|issue=4 |pages=449–468 |doi=10.2307/3557578 |jstor=3557578 |s2cid=163269121 }}</ref> This funerary structure was integrated into this sacred landscape, and illustrated the prosperity of power between the royal figures of Pedras Negras in Guatemala.<ref name=":7" />