More monuments of the Ancient Agora

More monuments of the Ancient Agora

The archaeological area of Ancient Agora is very extensive. Here you can walk labyrinthine through nature which releases the remnants of this unique culture from time to time. Some other archaeological highlights are the following.

Stoa of Zeus (Eleftherios)
Built at the end of 5th Century B.C. as a hall to honor all those who fought for the freedom and security of the city, the Stoa of Zeus is the earliest monumental religious building erected in the Agora during the Classical period by the Eleutherios (Freedom): a cult founded after the Persian War. Researchers believe that the structure may have been built by Mnesikles, the architect who built the Propylaia Furthermore, the unusual 2-aisled stoa - with an elegant Pi-shaped Doric structure and prominent wings located in the northwest corner of the Ancient Agora - was also known as a place that Socrates frequented and philosophized.

Temple of Apollo Patroos
A small Ionian temple from about 340-320 B.C. where the God Apollo was worshipped as the founder of the Ionian race. In the temple was a cult statue dedicated to the god and made by the famous greek sculptor Euphranor. Under this temple are the remains of a smaller, apsidal Temple of Apollo, dated to the 6th century B.C. The earlier temple was probably destroyed by the Persians in 480/79 B.C.

Bouleutherion
The city council of Ancient Athens (boule) had its regular meetings here. It was built at the end of the 5th Century B.C. and replaced the former Bouleuterion – whose remainders were found under the neighboring Metroon. Found at the at the west side of the Athenian Ancient Agora, and then west of the old Boule it was closely connected to the Ekklesia of Demos, as one of its main duties was to prepare the issues and laws that would be put to vote at the assembly of citizens.

Metroon (Old Bouleutherion)
A simple structure, east of the Tholos, this is where all of the official archives of the ctiy were stored, the protocols of the Boule and other documents – all under the protection of the Mother Goddess. The building has an Ionian propylon of the 2nd Century B.C.

The Monument of Eponymous Heroes
On top of an elongated, compounded foundation was where the bronze statues of the mythical heroes that gave their names to the ten tribes of the city stood. On this pedestal are where public announcements were made as well (2nd half of the 4th Century B.C.). It is located in front of the Bouleuterion, on the opposite side of the street leading to the Tholos and was a central spot in Athenian political life.

Altar of Twelve Gods (with peristye)
Built in 522-521 B.C. in front of the Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios, in the central area of the Agora, by the Panathenaic Way. It was a place of asylum and functioned as the center point for basing all distances in the Attica region.

Odeon of Agrippa
This music conservatory was constructed by Agrippus in 15 B.C. with a capacity for 1000 spectators and a bi-level gallery. It was destroyed by a fire in 267 B.C. In 400 B.C. the Gymnasium was erected in the same spot in the center of the Ancient Agora. It was a gift to the people of Athens by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, a Roman statesman and General. On the northern side, four colossal Giants and Tritons from the Odeon were placed on a compact foundation.

Stoa Basileos (Royal Stoa)
The royal headquarters of the King (Basileus) Archon, found in in the northwest corner of the Ancient Agora, where the laws of Solon were displayed. It was also the meeting place of the Supreme Court (Areopagus) council and where Socrates was formally charged with impiety by Meletus.

Tholos
A circular building that acted as the center for the ruling tribe of the Boule of 500 (had their meals and stayed overnight) as well as housing the original counts and stations, which were necessary for commercial trading. Established in 460 B.C.