Tower of the Winds - panoramio - Robert Freeman (1)

Athens - Fethiye mosque and roman forum columns

The Roman Agora ( el, Ρωμαϊκή Αγορά) at

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

is located to the north of the

Acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens, ...

and to the east of the Ancient Agora.

History

The Roman Agora was built around 100 metres east of the original agora by

Eucles of Marathon Eucles of Marathon ( grc, Εὐκλῆς Ἡρώδου Μαραθώνιος, Euklēs Hērōdou Marathōnios) was a leading Athenian statesman early in the reign of Augustus. He was responsible for the construction of the Roman Agora in Athens and ...

between 27 BC and 17 BC (or possibly in 10 BC), using funds donated by

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

, in fulfilment of a promise originally made by

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

in 51 BC. The Roman Agora has not today been fully excavated, but is known to have been a open space surrounded by a

peristyle In ancient Greek and Roman architecture, a peristyle (; from Greek ) is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. Tetrastoön ( grc, τετράστῳον or τετράστοον, lit=f ...

. To its south was a fountain. To its west, behind a marble colonnade, were shops and an Ionic propylaeum (entrance), the Gate of Athena Archegetis. To its east was a Doric gate, the East Propylon,Camp, 2001: 192 next to the

Tower of the Winds The Tower of the Winds or the Horologion of Andronikos Kyrrhestes is an octagonal Pentelic marble clocktower in the Roman Agora in Athens that functioned as a ''horologion'' or "timepiece". It is considered the world's first meteorological stat ...

and a set of " vespasianae" (public toilets). An inscription records the existence of an Agoranomion (an office for market officials). The Fethiye Mosque was built to the north during the

Ottoman period The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

Footnotes

Bibliography

* *

External links

''The Roman Agora & the Tower of Winds''
at The Stoa Consortium (www.stoa.org).
''The Roman Agora: the first commercial centre of Athens''
at National Hellenistic Research Foundation (www.eie.gr). {{Landmarks in Athens Roman Athens Roman sites in Greece Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Greece

History

See also

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links