SPENCER-STANHOPE, John. Olympia; or, Topography illustrative of the actual state of the Plain of Plympia, and of the Ruins of the City of Elis, London, Dodwell and Martin, 1824/ Athens 2010.

John Spencer-Stanhope (1787-1873) was born into a well-known family of the landed aristocracy and studied Greek mythology. During the Napoleonic Wars, Spencer-Stanhope was in France and as a British subject was held hostage. In exchange for his freedom, the Académie des Belles Lettres charged him with recording the antiquities in Olympia and its surrounding area.

Spencer-Stanhope started out on his journey from Paris in the autumn of 1813. He was accompanied by his brother Edward and by the architect-draftsman Thomas Allason, who was the first to observe the “entasis” (swelling of the shaft) of ancient Greek columns. The party arrived at Zacynthos in the spring of 1814. They crossed over to the Peloponnese, visited Glarentza, Elis, Pyrgos and Miraca, and finally reached Olympia.

For the architectural delineation and measurements, the company used precision instruments, such as the sextant, tape measures, etc., and modern techniques. They were guided by Pausanias’ text as well as the descriptions made by French consul and antiquarian Fauvel. This team was the first to locate the site of the ancient hippodrome in Olympia. Spencer-Stanhope and his collaborators continued their journey on to Leontari, Megalopolis, Navarino, Messene, Sparta, Mantinea, Argos, Nemea, and Corinth, to reach Athens in the summer of 1814. They drew the city’s antiquities and together with C.R. Cockerell and the painter Lickh made archaeological excursions to Attica, Boeotia and Euboea.

Spencer-Stanhope published his topographical, landscape and architectural drawings in three volumes. The circulation of this work during the Greek War of Independence was a philhellenic move in support of the successful outcome of the Struggle.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou