Acropolis

The acropolis of a Greek city was the fortified upper town, used as place of refuge when the city was besieged. Often, the main sanctuary was to be found on this summit: after all, it was the best protected place in town, from where the temple would dominate the region and was visible from a great distance. The military significance diminished in the Roman age, but the fortresses were reused in the Byzantine period.

Examples from the Classical age are:

• Assos
• Athens: simply named the acropolis, dominated by the Parthenon
• Byzantium (occupied by the Topkapi Palace)
• Corinth: the Acrocorinth
• Sparta
• Thebes: the Cadmea

From the Hellenistic age:

• Alexandria in Margiana: the Erk Kala
• Pergamon
• Philippi
• Priene

Similar bulwarks existed outside the Greek world, like the Capitol in Rome and the acropolis of Susa. Modern archaeologists apply the expression losely for urban fortresses in the Hellenistic and Roman east (e.g., the northeast fortress of Thessaloniki.)

Assos, Road to the acropolis	Apollonia's unexcavated acropolis	Buthrotum, Acropolis, site of the original Greek settlement	The acropolis of Byzantium
Tlos, Acropolis and tombs (with Ottoman fort)	Sparta, Acropolis	Susa, Acropolis from the north	Dascylium, Acropolis

The Athenian acropolis

Athens, Acropolis from the east (with gate of Hadrian)

Athens, Agora and Acropolis

Athens, Acropolis from the north

Athens, Kerameikos, View of the Acropolis