Human communication has evolved through countless stages, employing a wide range of means and practices. Undoubtedly, writing—regardless of the transformations it underwent—served as a landmark in the critical process of substantiating information, a process fundamental to humanity. In the modern era, around the mid-19th century, written correspondence gained a new medium that would radically reshape the practice of sending written messages: the postcard. The unique nature of this medium lies in its printed image, which functions as an accompanying "gift" to the sender’s handwritten message. In many instances, the image itself constituted the entirety of the message, as numerous postcards were sent without any personal note. The official debut of this new medium occurred on 1 October 1869 in the newly established Austro-Hungarian Empire. Gradually, postcards achieved remarkable popularity: everybody wants to send an image they had personally picked out to a loved one. At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe was living in peace and prosperity. The "Belle Époque" was an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that were created and which evolved funneled both people and their products, tangible and intangible. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, sound recording, radio, photography, but also releases in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolved dynamically and anisotropically formed a complex network of "centers" and "peripheries" in alternating roles. It is precisely this context that allows postcards to flourish; this is their "golden age". The establishment of the "Universal Postal Union" was a catalyst for facilitating their global circulation. On October 9, 1874, the Treaty of Bern established the sending and delivery of correspondence between its members.

Continuous advancements in the technology of this new medium aimed at enhancing both its usability and appeal, in order to address it to an increasingly wider audience. The first postcards were small in size and did not contain images. Nevertheless, their convenient size, durable cardboard material, and the inclusion of the cost of postage in their purchase price were innovative features for the time that upgraded the quality of communication. One side was intended for writing the message and the other was for the dispatch details. Soon, however, the image appears, dramatically increasing their demand. The evolution of photographic technology from the 1830s onward made the "real" image sought after. Postcards make a dynamic entry into a global distribution network and serve as a catalyst in the circulation of the image, which memorializes the "local" by carrying its related social representations as far as possible. It leaves–if not seeks–space for the activation of the imaginary on the part of the recipient.

The postcard with the trilingual caption «ΑΘΗΝΑΙ. – Στάδιον.» / "Athènes. – Stade." (Athens – Stadium.) is a publication issued in Athens, as inferred from the back/verso side, where "Ekdotis Georgios I. Razis, Athinai" (Publisher Georgios I. Razis, Athens) is mentioned, and bears the code 69446. The Panathenaic Stadium, also known as "Kallimarmaro", was built based on the designs of German architect Ernst Ziller. According to the official website of the Panathenaic Stadium (see here) and the ODYSSEUS portal of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports (see here), around 330 BCE, a stadium was originally constructed on the same site, hosting major athletic events. Between 140 and 144 CE, Herodes Atticus renovated and expanded the stadium. However, during the Middle Ages, it was abandoned and succumbed to the wear of time.

Sections of the stadium that had managed to survive became the catalyst for its revival. In 1869-1870, with funding from King George I, Ziller initiated excavations and began redesigning the stadium, envisioning it as he believed it had been in antiquity. Ultimately, the project was realized 20 years later, in preparation for the first modern Olympic Games, which were organized at an international level in 1896. For symbolic reasons, Greece was chosen to be the first host nation. One of the main priorities of the event was the construction of sports facilities, and the Panathenaic Stadium was selected as the primary Olympic venue due to its historical significance. The major sponsor of the Games, Georgios Averof, financed its reconstruction. In recognition of his contribution, the Olympic Games Committee honored him by erecting his statue, which was placed at the stadium's entrance. Although the stadium was used for the first Modern Olympic Games, its full reconstruction was completed in 1904 to properly host the Second Olympic Games in 1906. The architect Anastasios Metaxas was responsible for executing the stadium’s final design, following Ziller’s original plans.

This postcard captures a moment either from the first or the second Olympic Games. It is likely from the latter, as the stadium appears to be fully completed, and the crowd participation is substantial (see related postcard here).

The photograph is colorized and occupies the entire front/recto side. The verso side is divided vertically, with the left part reserved for the message and the right for the dispatch details. There, dashed lines are visible for filling in the address, along with a field for affixing the postage stamp.

Research and text: Dora Spetsiotou1