Academy was initially a suburb of Athens, named after the hero Academos. Before Plato’s Academy was built, the Academy area contained a sacred grove of olive trees dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
The Academy site was continuously inhabited from the prehistoric period until the 6th century A.D. During the 6th century B.C., one of the three famous Gymnasiums of Athens was founded here. In 387 B.C. Plato founded his philosophical school, which became very famous due to the Neoplatonists, and remained in use until A.D. 526, when it was finally closed down by emperor Justinian.
Plato was one of the most important Greek philosophers. His works on philosophy, politics and mathematics were very influential and laid the foundations for Euclid's systematic approach to mathematics.
Monuments and sites include:
- The Sacred House: where religious rituals took place.
- The Gymnasium: 1st century AD.
- The Peristyle Building: built in the 4th century BC.
- The Early Helladic Apsidal House: was the home of Academos.
Texts and images sources: https://www.wikipedia.org/, https://www.visitgreece.gr/