Historical snapshots in Ancient Athens: Interaction and historical narrations
FHW, in the context of its project ‘Digital representation of events and monuments of Athens' urban landscape’, has planned and realized a three-dimensional virtual representation of specific historical and cultural events occurring in Athens’ urban landscape. Its goal is to present this concept in the virtual environment of the Virtual Reality systems FHW has at its disposal, in particular the ‘Tholos’, where its digital collections are displayed.
In order to complete the virtual environment of the ancient city, in which the events take place, we have designed and incorporated into it new virtual spaces, employing the special methodology of scientific documentation and design of visualized representations developed by FHW. More specifically, we have designed and incorporated into the virtual environment the following buildings and their respective sites, dating from the Classical to the Roman period: the en astei Eleusinion with its peribolos, propylon and stoa; the Attic stelae; the Temple of Triptolemus and the ‘Ploutoneion’; as well as the Roman Agora of Caesar and Augustus.
The three new experiences offered to the visitor of Ancient Athens' virtual space differ substantially from a typical retelling of events or a guided tour in an archaeological site. On the contrary, we have designed, documented and realized three actions taken from life in ancient Athens; they are based on historical information and unfold in the ancient city’s virtual space.
During the visit, the spectators are called upon through successive selections to participate in forming the virtual experience, designed on the basis of a ‘cinematographic’ and playful approach. The visitor assumes a specific role within the plot and, interacting with characters ‘inhabiting’ the virtual world, and through interactive storytelling, gradually discovers information which will eventually lead to familiarization with important facts of the historical context presented.
The events that take place strike a careful balance between the scientifically proven facts and the fictional, entertaining yet historically ‘realistic' episode. The three interactive experiences are snapshots from three important periods of the Agora after the Classical period:
The Hellenistic era of the 2nd cent. BC. (Eleusinian Mysteries: on the path to Initiation);
The Imperial Period of the 2nd cent. AD. (Once upon a time in Athens... in the days of Hadrian) and
The Late Roman period of the 3rd cent. AD. (The raid of Heruli in Athens, the story of a battle).
The project was designed and implemented by FHW and funded in the framework of the Operational Programme of Information Society.
