From whom did Lord Elgin purchase marbles?

From whom did Lord Elgin purchase marbles?

• A. The Turks
• B. The Athenians
• C. The Romans
• D. The Egyptians

Answer: (A)

The situation hinges on who actually held political authority in Athens when Elgin secured the marbles. In the early 1800s, Greece was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, so the governing power in Athens was the Ottoman authorities. Elgin obtained permission from the Ottoman rulers to remove and sell the marbles, meaning the transaction was with the Turks, not with local Athenians or any other group. The other options don’t fit because neither Romans nor Egyptians controlled Athens at that time, and the Athenians didn’t have the authority to sell the Parthenon Sculptures.

The situation hinges on who actually held political authority in Athens when Elgin secured the marbles. In the early 1800s, Greece was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, so the governing power in Athens was the Ottoman authorities. Elgin obtained permission from the Ottoman rulers to remove and sell the marbles, meaning the transaction was with the Turks, not with local Athenians or any other group. The other options don’t fit because neither Romans nor Egyptians controlled Athens at that time, and the Athenians didn’t have the authority to sell the Parthenon Sculptures.