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C H A P T E R V I I

The AgoraSouth East and North Borders

N the south side of the Agora, near its western end is a square

fountain-house wi th a port ico on i ts northern and western

sides and two inner corridors with drainage-basins at the base

of the part i t ion walls in which the spouts del ivering water from a

source to the southeast wo uld h ave b een place d. T h e ma terial and

construction in its earliest parts indicate a sixth-century date and it un-

doubtedly was an important feature of the water-system of Peisistratean

times.

It was bu t natural to identi fy i t with the Enne akrou nos or Nin e Spouts

which Pausanias speaks of as being near the Odeion and consequently

in the Agora. He attributes its construction to Peisistratos, and says

that though there were many wells throughout the ci ty, this was the

only spring. The matter of identi f icat ion would be simple enough were

Pausanias our only source of information, but the Enneakrounos was

a famous spring and is mentioned by other ancient writers. The

attempts to reconcile all their statements with each other as well as

with the results of the discoveries of the last half-century or so have led

to confusion worse confounded.

Th ucy did es includes in the southeast quarters of Ath ens th e

fountain now cal led Enneakrounos or the nine conduits from the form

given i t by the tyrants, but or iginal ly , before the streams were covered

i n , K al l i r hoe or t he Fai r St r eam . The spr i ng K al l i r hoe i n t he bed o f

the I l issos, below the Temple of Olympian Zeus, goes by that name to

this day and legends of the rude Pelasgians from neighbouring Hymet-

t os swoopi ng down on t he mai dens at t he fou nt a i n ar e many. The

Thu cydi dean K al l i r hoe conver t ed t o E nneakr ou nos cannot be t he

same as the Enneakrounos of Pausanias, who says nothing of the

earl ier nam e and al l the legends conn ected w ith i t , though i t is jus t

the sort of thing that would have interested him. Frazer was one of the

first to state that the Ennea kroun os of Th ucy did es co uld not be the same

as that of Pausanias, b ut m an y other scholars preferred to bel ieve ei ther

that Pausanias had made an unparal leled digression in his orderly

and systematic tour of the sights or that the passage in Pausanias

really referred to the Ilissos but had got out of place and had been

inserted into the middle of his chapters on the Agora. The matter was

further complicated by Dr. Drpfeld's discovery of an intr icate water

system, including a fountain, east of the Pnyx, and identi f ied by him

as the Enneakrounos, si tuated in what he regarded as the oldest Agora

Brought to you by | Universidad de Costa Rica

Authenticated | 10 248 254 158

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4 T H E A N C I E N T C I T Y O F A T H E N S

A l a r g e m o n u m e n t a t t h e w e s t e r n e n d o f t h e t e r r a c e o f t h e M i d d l e

S t o a w a s e v e n t u a l l y r e p l a c e d b y a s t a i r w a y u p t o t h e t e r r a c e a n d e a s t

o f t h e S t o a t h e P a n a t h e n a i c w a y h a d b e e n b r o a d e n e d i n t o a so r t o f

p l a z a b o u n d e d o n t h e w e s t b y a n a r r o w s c r e e n - li k e b u i l d i n g t h a t

c l o se d t h e o p e n a r e a b e t w e e n t h e M i d d l e a n d S o u t h S t o a s .

T h e e a s t e rn b o u n d a r y o f t h e A g o r a w a s f o r m e d fo r t h e m o s t p a r t b y

t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s . T h e P a n a t h e n a i c W a y w h i c h c r os s ed t h e A g o r a

d i a g o n a l l y f r o m n o r t h w e s t t o s o u t h e a s t i s f la nk ed o n t h e e a s t f o r m u c h

o f its c o u r se f r o m th e A g o r a to K l e p s y d r a b y t h e V a l e r i a n W a l l

b u i l t m o s t l y o f r e - u s e d m a t e r i a l w i t h f a c e s o f h e a v y m a r b l e b l o c k s

e n c l o s i n g a c e n t r a l fillin g 2 - 2 5 m . w i d e a n d c r a m m e d w i t h a r c h i -

t e c t u r a l m e m b e r s i n c l u d i n g c o r n i c e s , c a p i t a l s a n d c o l u m n d r u m s ,

o f t e n b u i l t i n t o t h e f a c e o f t h e w a l l a n d s o m e t i m e s b e a r i n g l e tt e r s

t h a t i n d i c a t e th e i r o r i g i n a l p o s i t io n . M a n y f r a g m e n t s c a m e f r o m

t h e T e m p l e o f A r e s , th e M e t r o o n , th e M i d d l e S t o a a n d th e O d e i o n .

T h e p a r t o f t hi s w a l l w h i c h r a n t h r o u g h t h e A g o r a h a s n o w b e e n

r e m o v e d . A g r e a t q u a n t i t y o f o l d e r m a t e r i a l w a s a l s o f o u n d b u i l t i n t o

s o m e o f t h e to w e r s w h i c h o c c u r a t i n t e r v a l s , a n d a w a t e r - m i l l w a s

c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e a n g l e b e t w e e n a t o w e r a n d t h e w a l l c l o s e b y t h e

l i b r a r y o f P a n t a in o s .

O n b o t h s i de s o f t h e w a l l t h e a r e a c o n t a i n s m a n y c i s te r n s , w e l l s ,

c o n d u i t s a n d w a t e r - p i p e s ( s o m e o f t h e s i x t h c e n t u r y B.C. a n d t h e

w h o l e n e i g h b o u r h o o d p r e s e n t e d a c h a o t i c m a s s o f m i s c e l l a n e o u s

m a t e r i a l u n t i l t h e w a l l w a s r e m o v e d a n d t h e a r e a p u t i n o r d e r , t h u s

e n t i r e l y f r e e i n g t h e t w o i m p o r t a n t b u i l d i n g s o f t h e e a s te r n b o u n d a r y .

T h e s e a r e th e S t o a o f A t t a l o s b u i l t i n th e se c o n d c e n t u r y

B.C.

a n d t h e

R o m a n L i b r a r y o f P an ta in os w h i c h is d i v i d e d f r o m i t b y a p a v e d

s t r e e t l e a d i n g e a s t w a r d s .

F o r t o p o g r a p h i c a l r e a s o n s w e m a y b e g i n w i t h t h e l a t t e r , a s i t l i e s

f a r t h e r s o u t h , n e a r e r t h e b u i l d i n g s a l r e a d y d e s c r i b e d . U n d e r t h e

V a l e r i a n W a l l a n d th e C h a p e l o f S t . S p y r i d o n ( t a ke n d o w n a f t er

i ts l a t e B y z a n t i n e fr e sc o e s h a d b e e n s a f e l y r e m o v e d ) w a s a l a r g e R o m a n

b u i l d i n g f a c i n g w e s t o n t h e P a n a t h e n a i c W a y w i t h f o u n d a t i o n s o f s t o n e

a n d u p p e r p a r t o f s t u c c o e d b r i c k . I t c o n s is t e d o f a p e r i s t y l e c o u r t

s u r r o u n d e d b y r o o m s o n a l l s i d e s b u t t h e s o u t h e r n . T h e e a s t s i d e

p r o b a b l y i n c l u d e d t h e p r i n c i p a l r o o m s o f t h e b u i l d i n g b u t is s t il l

b u r i e d d e e p i n t h e z o n e r e s e r v e d f o r t h e G r e e k a r c h a e o l o g i s t s . T o t h e

w e s t a r e f i v e r o o m s , e a c h

ca

4 - 3 0 m . b y 5 m . , w i t h a p a s s a g e t h r o u g h

t h e c e n t r a l o n e i n t o t h e c o u r t . T h e w e s t e r n f a a d e h a s a p o r t i c o 3 5 m .

l o n g b y 5 -2 0 m . d e e p w i t h n i n e I o n i c c o l u m n s . R e m a i n s o f a p o r t i c o

o n t h e n o r t h s i d e a r e o r i e n t a t e d t o s u i t t h e s t r e e t a n d n o t t h e L i b r a r y .

B u i l t i n t o t h e V a l e r i a n W a l l w a s a l i n t e l b l o c k t h a t e x a c t l y f i t s t h e

p r i n c i p a l e n t r a n c e d o o r o f t h e w e s t e r n f a a d e a n d b e a r s a n i n s c r i p t i o n

s t a t i n g t h a t T . F l a v i u s P a n t a i n o s a n d h is c h i l d r e n h a d f r o m h i s o w n

m e a n s d e d i c a t e d t h e o u t e r s t o as t h e p e r i s t y l e t h e l i b r a r y w i t h it s




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A G O R A : S O U T H E A S T A N D N O R T H

6 5

b o o k s a n d a l l t h e d e c o r a t i o n s i n t h e b u i l d i n g t o A t h e n e F o l i a s a n d t o

t h e E m p e r o r T r a j a n . T h e in s c r ip t io n m a y b e d a t e d

ca

A.D. 1 0 0 a n d

t h e d o n o r is p r e s u m a b l y t h e P a n t a i n o s w h o w a s a r c h o n s h o r t l y a f t e r

A.D. 1 0 2 . T h i s b u i l d i n g , a s w e l l a s t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s , m u s t h a v e s t o o d

h e r e i n P a u s a n i a s ' s t i m e , b u t n e i t h e r is m e n t i o n e d b y h i m .

R u n n i n g e a st a n d w e s t a t r i g h t a n g l e s t o t h e P a n a t h e n a i c W a y w a s

a st r e e t w h i c h d i v i d e d t h e L i b r a r y o f P a n t a i n o s f r o m t h e S t o a o f

A t t a l o s a n d l ed t o t h e R o m a n m a r k e t . T h e m a r b l e p i l a st e r s o f a l a r g e

p o r t a l s t a n d a t t h e e a s t e n d . A s m a l l o u t l e t f o r a p i p e o n t h e w e s t f a c e

o f t h e s o u t h p i l a s t e r a n d t h e d i s c o l o u r e d c o n d i t i o n o f t h e m a r b l e

s u g g e s t t h a t a f o u n t a i n w i t h a li o n ' s h e a d s p o u t o f b r o n z e m a y h a v e

s t o o d t h e r e . T h e t h r e s h o l d w a s a l a r g e m a r b l e b l o c k w i t h c u t t i n g s

f o r s w i n g i n g g a t e s . S t e p s l e d u p t o th e s tr e e t w h i c h w a s a t a h i g h e r

l e v e l t h a n t h e e n d o f t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s a n d h a d a d r a i n a g e g u t t e r

a l o n g t h e s o u t h s id e b o u n d e d f o r th e m o s t p a r t b y t h e s t e p p e d n o r t h

p o r c h o f t h e L i b r a r y . A t t h e s o u t h s id e o f t h e s t e p s is a l a r g e m o n u -

m e n t b a s e 5 - 20 m . s q u a r e a p p a r e n t l y cl o s e ly c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h t h e

L i b r a r y .

T h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s ' i s t h e o n l y b u i l d i n g i n t h e A g o r a w h i c h h a d

b e e n p o s i t i v e l y id e n t i f i e d b e f o r e t h e r e c e n t e x c a v a t i o n s . I n t h o s e

b e g u n in 1 8 5 9 b y t h e G r e e k A r c h a e o l o g i c a l S o c i e t y t h e r e w a s f o u n d

p a r t o f a n i n s c r i b e d e p i s t y l e r e c o r d i n g t h e d e d i c a t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g

b y K i n g A t t a l o s I I o f P e r g a m o n w h o r e i g n e d f r o m 1 5 9 - 1 3 8

B.C.

a n d

w a s a m e m b e r o f a f a m i l y o f m o n a r c h s f a m o u s f o r t h e i r g e n e r o s i t y t o

A t h e n s . T h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f t h e S t o a w a s u n c o v e r e d a t t h a t ti m e b u t

m a n y p r o b l e m s r e m a i n e d u n s o l v e d a n d t h e d e c i s i o n to u t i li s e i t f o r t h e

A g o r a M u s e u m m a d e a t h o r o u g h s t u d y o f t h e b u i l d i n g a n d it s s u r -

r o u n d i n g s d e s ir a b l e . I t h a s n o w b e e n c l e a r e d to b e d r o c k , t h e V a l e r i a n

W a l l h a s b e e n r e m o v e d a n d m a n y f ra g m e n t s r e c o v e r e d f r o m i t a n d

t h e s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a h a s b e e n l a i d b a r e a n d t i d i e d u p , t h u s i n c r e a s i n g

o u r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t e a r l i e r s t r u c t u r e s b e n e a t h t h e S t o a a s w e l l a s o f

t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e o f t h e b u i l d i n g i t s e l f .

T h e S t o a a s c o m p l e t e d h a d b e e n e x t e n d e d n o r t h w a r d s ca 14-50 m.

b e y o n d i t s o r i g i n a l p l a n a n d m e a s u r e s o v e r a l l

ca

1 1 6 - 5 0 m . b y

1 9 - 4 0 m . I t is b u i l t c h i e f l y o f p o r o s o n f o u n d a t i o n s o f b r e c c i a a n d h a s

o r t h o s t at e s a n d d o o r f r a m e s o f H y m e t t o s m a r b l e a n d c o l u m n s o f

P e n t e l i c . T h e b u i l d i n g h a d t w o s t o r e y s . T h e p o r t i c o w a s r a i s e d t h r e e

s t e p s a b o v e t h e b r o a d t e r r a c e w h i c h r a n a l o n g i t s e n t i r e f r o n t a n d w a s

d o u b l e w i t h 4 5 D o r i c c o l u m n s o n th e f a a d e a n d 2 2 I o n i c i n t e r i o r

c o l u m n s d i v i d i n g i t i n t o t w o n e a r l y e q u a l a i sl e s. B e h i n d t h e c o l o n n a d e

o n e a c h f lo or w a s a r o w o f 2 1 ( o r i g i n a l l y 1 8 ) r e c t a n g u l a r s h o p s w i t h

a d o o r f r o m e a c h i n t o t h e c o l o n n a d e . T h e s h o p s w e r e a l s o l i g h t e d b y

w i n d o w s i n t h e e a s t w a l l a n d i n R o m a n t i m e s m e z z a n i n e flo ors w e r e

i n s e r t e d in m a n y o f t h e m . O l d d r a w i n g s o f t h e n o r t h e r n e n d o f t h e

S t o a s h o w t h a t i t w a s fin is he d w i t h a g a b l e a n d t h a t n e a r t h e m i d d l e




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6 6 T H E A N C I E N T C I T Y O F A T H E N S

o f t h e g a b l e e n d w a s a n o p e n i n g f r a m e d b y p i la s t e r s , p r o b a b l y t o l i g h t

t h e w e l l o f t h e s t a i r s l e a d i n g t o t h e u p p e r s t o r e y .

T h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s w a s n o t t h e fir st b u i l d i n g t o o c c u p y t h i s s i te .

I n f r o n t o f t h e e i g h t h a n d n i n t h s h o p s f r o m t h e s o u t h e n d a r e a t l e a s t

t w o r o o m s o f a b u i l d i n g o f t h e e a r l y s e c o n d c e n t u r y B C. w h i c h w a s

d e m o l i s h e d w h e n t h e S t o a w a s b u i l t . B e n e a t h t h e n o r t h e r n h a l f o f t h e

S t o a a n d a t a f lo or l e v e l 3 - 4 0 m . b e l o w t h a t o f t h e c o l o n n a d e a r e p a r t s

o f t h e f o u n d a t i o n s o f a l a r g e c o u r t y a r d 3 9 m . s q u a r e , s u r r o u n d e d o n

a l l f o u r s i d e s b y a p e r i s t y l e 9 - 5 0 m . w i d e w i t h n o t r a c e s o f c l o s e d r o o m s

a t th e b a c k . T h e f lo or o f b r o w n c l a y s lo p e d s l i g h t l y n o r t h w a r d s t o c a r r y

t h e w a t e r o f f b y m e a n s o f t w o d r a i n a g e t u n n e l s b e l o w t h e n o r t h e r n

c o l o n n a d e . T h e l o w e r f o u n d a t i o n s w e r e o f c o n g l o m e r a t e a n d t h e

e u t h y n t e r i a o f p o r o s . T h e a c c o m p a n y i n g p o t t e r y i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e

b u i l d i n g b e l o n g s t o t h e l a t e r f o u r t h o r e a r l y t h i r d c e n t u r y B C. T h i s

b u i l d i n g is o r i e n t a t e d d i f f e r e n t l y f r o m t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s , a p p a r e n t l y

t o c o n f o r m w i t h t h e li n e o f t h e r o a d b o u n d i n g t h e A g o r a o n th e n o r t h ,

a n d h a s b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s a m a r k e t o r a g y m n a s i u m ( t h a t o f P t o l e m y

h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d b u t t h e r e i s n o d e f i n i t e e v i d e n c e f o r i t ) . I f t h e f o r m e r ,

i t s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n r e p l a c e d b y t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s , t h e M i d d l e S t o a

a n d t h e S o u t h S t o a , a n d s t i l l l a t e r b y t h e R o m a n M a r k e t o f A u g u s t u s

w h i c h i s a l s o a p e r i s t y l e . A t a d i s t a n c e o f 0 - 7 5 m . u n d e r t h e s q u a r e

m a r k e t w a s a g r a v e l l e d c o u r t o f a n e a r l i e r e s t a b l i s h m e n t w h i c h h a s t h e

i m p r i n t s o f a st o n e w a t e r c h a n n e l w i t h s q u a r e b a s in s a t i n t e r v a l s o f

c

8 - 5 0 m . T h e p o t t e r y s h o w s i t t o h a v e b e e n l a t e f ifth o r e a r l y f o u r t h

c e n t u r y B .c.

D e e p u n d e r t h e n o r t h e n d o f t h e S t o a w a s a l a t e a r c h a i c c i r c u l a r

p o r o s b e d d i n g i -3 5 m . i n d i a m e t e r , p r e s u m a b l y f o r a n a l t a r , f e n c e d

w i t h a r i n g o f p o s ts . I t s p o s i t i o n i n d i c a t e s t h a t i t w a s i m p o r t a n t b u t

t h e r e i s n o c l u e t o i ts i d e n t i t y . I n t h e e a r t h fill o f t h e S t o a u n d e r t h e

n o r t h e r n p a r t o f t h e c o l o n n a d e w e r e s e v e r a l f r a g m e n t s o f L . H . I l l

p o t t e r y a n d s c r a p s o f b o n e , p e r h a p s f r o m a M y c e n a e a n g r a v e .

T h e o n l y l i t e r a r y m e n t i o n o f t h e S t o a is b y A t h e n a e u s w h o s a y s t h a t

w h e n A t h e n i o n w a s a b o u t t o h a r a n g u e t h e p e o p l e h e m o u n t e d o n t h e

b e m a w h i c h h a d b e e n b u i l t f o r t h e R o m a n g e n e r a l s i n f r o n t o f t h e

S t o a o f A t t a l o s . A m a s s i v e r e c t a n g u l a r f o u n d a t i o n m e a s u r i n g 8 - 5 0 m .

b y 5 - 9 5 m . j u s t w e s t o f t h e S t o a a n d a l i g n i n g w i t h i t h a s b e e n i d e n t i f i e d

a s t h e b e m a .

T h i s w a s n o t t h e o n l y l a r g e s t r u c t u r e w e s t o f t h e t e r r a c e . T h e l a r g e

f o u n d a t i o n ( 5 - 70 m . X 6 - 2 0 m . a t i ts l o w e s t p a r t ) j u t t i n g f o r w a r d

f r o m a b o u t t h e m i d d l e o f t h e t e r r a c e a n d p r e v i o u s l y r e s t o r e d as a

s t a i r w a y h a s n o w b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s t h e u n d e r p i n n i n g f o r t h e p e d e s t a l

o f a b r o n z e q u a d r i g a , m o s t o f w h o s e b lo c k s o f H y m e t t o s m a r b l e h a d

b e e n r e u s e d i n b u i l d i n g t h e V a l e r i a n W a l l . S o m e o f t h e m f r o m th e

t o p m o s t c o u r s e h a v e h o l e s f o r th e i n s e r t io n o f t h e h o r s e s ' f e e t . A n

i n s c r i p t i o n o n t h e p e d e s t a l r e c o r d s a d e d i c a t i o n t o t h e E m p e r o r




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A G O R A : S O U T H , E A S T A N D N O R T H 6 7

T i b e r i u s , b u t s i n c e t h e f o u n d a t i o n is c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h t h e S t o a , i t

s e e m s t h a t , a s i n t h e c a se o f t h e m o n u m e n t t o A g r i p p a a t th e e n t r a n c e

t o t h e A c r o p o U s , a m e m o r i a l o r i g i n a l l y d e d i c a t e d t o a P e r g a m e n e

m o n a r c h w a s l a t e r g i v e n to a R o m a n .

T h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e a b u n d a n t m o n u m e n t s t h a t u s e d t h e S t o a t e r r a c e

a s a b a c k g r o u n d c o n s i st m e r e l y o f f o u n d a t i o n s f o r p e d e s t a l s , b u t o n e

f r o m t h e e x t r e m e n o r t h e r n e n d h a s f o u r d r u m s o f a n u n f l u t e d c o l u m n

o f H y m e t t o s m a r b l e w i t h m a s o n s m a r k s o n t h e m m a k i n g i t p o s s ib l e

t o r e s t o r e t h e c o l u m n a s 7 - 1 9 m . i n h e i g h t w i t h a l o w e r d i a m e t e r o f ca.

0 -8 8 m . T h i s w a s p r o b a b l y t o p p e d b y a C o r i n t h i a n c a p i t a l ( l i k e t h e

c o l u m n s a b o v e t h e T h e a t r e o f D i o n y s o s ) b u t i n s te a d o f c a r r y i n g a

t r i p o d b o r e th e s t a t u e w h i c h a n i n s c r i p t i o n o n t h e b o t t o m d r u m s h o w s

w a s t h a t o f Q_. L . C a t u l u s ( d . 6 1

B.C.)

w h o p e r h a p s c a m e t o A t h e n s

w i t h S u l l a .

A n o t h e r b a s e r e t r i e v e d b y t h e e x c a v a t i o n s w a s t h a t f o r t h e s e a t e d

s t a tu e o f t h e p h i l o s o p h e r K a r n e a d e s d e d i c a t e d b y h i s p u p i l s A t t a l o s

a n d A r i a r a t h e s , l a t e r t h e r u l e rs o f P e r g a m o n a n d C a p p a d o c i a a n d

b r o t h e r s - i n - l a w . T h i s m a y h a v e b e e n th e f a m o u s s t a t u e o f K a r n e a d e s

r e f e r r e d t o b y C i c e r o i n de Finibus V . 2 .

A l s o w e s t o f t h e t e r r a c e w a s f o u n d p a r t o f t h e p o r o s f o u n d a t i o n s a n d

t h r e e b l o c k s o f t h e w h i t e m a r b l e c o r n i c e o f a s m a l l r o u n d b u i l d i n g

8 - 1 0 m . in d i a m e t e r . A f r a g m e n t o f b r i c k a n d c o n c r e t e s h o w s t h e s p r i n g

o f t h e v a u l t . T h e c o r n i c e h a s d e n t i l s w i t h a s t r a g a l a b o v e , t h e s o f f i t h a s

s c r o l l s a n d f lo w er s a n d t h e s i m a h a s l o t u s l e a v e s a l t e r n a t i n g w i t h

l i o n s h e a d s . I t p r o b a b l y b e l o n g s t o t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y

A.D.

T h e a r e a t o t h e e a s t o f t h e S t o a , w h e r e a l o n g c u t t i n g v a r y i n g f r o m

1 0 m . t o 2 0 m . w i d e a n d b o u n d e d o n i ts e a s t s i d e b y a n e a r t h s c a r p a n d

p o o r l y b u i l t r e t a i n i n g w a l l s u p p o r t i n g t h e m o d e r n s t r e e t t h a t r u n s

n o r t h a n d s o u th a b o v e , h a d b e e n d u g d u r i n g t h e G r e e k e x c a v a t i o n s .

I t w a s t h o r o u g h l y e x a m i n e d a n d a n e w r e t a i n i n g w a l l b u i lt . T h e m o s t

c o n s p i c u o u s r e m a i n s b e l o n g t o a l a r g e b u i l d i n g , 80 m . o f w h i c h a r e

e x p o s e d i n t h e c u t , w i t h c o n c r e t e f o u n d a t i o n s r u n n i n g n o r t h a n d s o u t h ,

a n d a t l e a s t fiv e c o m p a r t m e n t s . T h e r o o m a t th e s o u t h w e s t c o r n e r h a d

a m a r b l e f lo or , l a t e r r e p a i r e d w i t h i n o s a i c . P a r a l l e l to t h e m i s s i n g w e s t

w a l l w e r e t h e ba s e s o f t h r e e I o n i c c o l u m n s 0 - 5 6 m . in d i a m e t e r r e s t i n g

o n m a r b l e p l i n th s s p a c e d 2 - 8 4 m . a p a r t w h i c h m a y h a v e b e l o n g e d t o

a p e r i s t y l e c o u r t . T h e o r i e n t a t i o n ( l i k e t h e o l d s q u a r e b u i l d i n g a n d t h e

L i b r a r y o f H a d r i a n ) f o l l o w s t h e l i n e o f t h e a n c i e n t r o a d n o r t h o f t h e

A g o r a . I t d a t e s ca . t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y A.D. a n d t h o u g h i t h a s n o t b e e n

i d e n t i f i e d it m i g h t p o s s i b l y b e th e G y m n a s i u m o f H a d r i a n li s te d b y

P a u s a n i a s ( w h o is t h e o n l y l i t e r a r y e v i d e n c e f o r i t) a m o n g H a d r i a n s

b u i l d i n g s i n A t h e n s a n d m e n t i o n e d j u s t a f t e r h is L i b r a r y .

P a r t o f a l o n g s t o a r u n n i n g e a s t a n d w e s t e x t e n d s a c r o s s th e e a s t e r n

e n d o f t h e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e A g o r a a n d n e a r l y t o u c h e s th e n o r t h w e s t

c o r n e r o f t h e t e r r a c e - w a l l o f t h e S t o a o f A t t a l o s , b e i n g s e p a r a t e d f r o m




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i t b y a p a s s a g e w a y o n l y 2 - 6 5 m . w i d e . T h e f o u n d a t i o n w a l l s o f i ts

s o u t h e r n s id e m e a s u r e d 2 6 - 6 0 m . b y 7 m . a n d i ts n o r t h w a l l a n d

w e s t e r n e n d h a v e b e e n d e s t r o y e d b y t h e c u t t i n g f o r t h e e l e c t r i c r a i l w a y .

A p o r t i o n o f t h e l o w e s t o f t h e t h r e e H y m e t t o s m a r b l e s t ep s o f t h e s o u t h

f a a d e r e m a i n s i n p l a c e n e a r t h e e a s t e r n e n d . S u f f i c i e n t f r a g m e n t s o f

t h e s u p e r s t r u c t u r e h a v e s u r v i v e d t o s h o w t h a t i t h a d u n f l u t e d c o l u m n s

o f g r e e n i s h - w h i t e K a r y s t o s m a r b l e w i t h I o n i c c a p i t a l s o f P e n t e l i c

m a r b l e c l e a r l y p a t t e r n e d a f t e r t h o se o f t h e E r e c h t h e i o n . T h e a r r a n g e -

m e n t w a s p r o b a b l y p r o s t y l e r a t h e r t h a n in antis a n d t h e s p a c i n g w o u l d

c a l l f o r 1 1 c o l u m n s . T h e n u m e r o u s t h o u g h s m a l l f r a g m e n t s o f a r c h i -

t r a v e s , d e n t i l s , a m a r b l e a n t e f i x a n d r e v e t m e n t s u g g e s t a r i c h d e c o r a -

t i o n a n d t h e s t y le r e s e m b l e s t h a t o f t h e T e m p l e o f R o m e a n d A u g u s t u s

o n t h e A c r o p o l i s w h i c h i s d a t e d ca 2 7 - 1 8

B C

T h e w e s t e r n e n d o f t h e S t o a w a s p r e s u m a b l y n o t f a r f r o m t h e

A c h a r n a e a n G a t e l e a d i n g i n f r o m t h e n o r t h a n d t h e l i n e o f i ts b a c k w a l l

i f e x t e n d e d w e s t w a r d w o u l d s k i r t t h e n o r t h e a s t c o r n e r o f t h e P e r b o l o s

o f t h e T w e l v e G o d s a n d t h e n o r t h e n d o f t h e S t o a o f Z e u s a n d b e i n

l i n e w i t h t h e s o u t h e r n e d g e o f t h e r o a d l e a d i n g b e t w e e n t h e S a n c t u a r y

o f D e m o s a n d t h e G r a c e s o n t h e s o u t h a n d t h e n a r r o w A u g u s t a n S t o a

o n t h e n o r t h s ( se e p . 3 7 ) .

T h e m o r e w e s t e r n p a r t o f t h e n o r t h e r n b o u n d a r y o f t h e A g o r a w a s

p r o b a b l y o c c u p i e d b y th e S t o a P o i k i l . i S e v e r a l s c o r e o f a r c h i t e c t u r a l

f r a g m e n t s o f b r o w n p o r o s ( a l l b u t o n e o f t h e m D o r i c ) w e r e r e c o v e r e d

w h e n a l a te w a l l in th e n o r t h e a s t e r n p a r t o f t h e A g o r a w a s d e m o l i s h e d .

T h e y in c l u d e d a flute d c o l u m n d r u m , a n a n t a c a p i t a l , a r c h i t r a v e ,

t r i g l y p h s , h o r i z o n t a l c o r n i c e , w a l l b l o c k s a n d t h e c r o w n i n g c o u r s e o f

o n e o f t h e m . M a n y s ti ll h a v e t r a c e s o f p a i n t e d d e s i g n s a p p l i e d d i r e c t l y

t o t h e p o r o s s u r f a c e ( o n e D o r i c c o l u m n d r u m w a s s tu c c o e d ) . T h e b e s t

p r e s e r v e d i s t h e a n t a c a p i t a l , 0 - 4 5 m . h i g h b y 0 - 7 9 m . b y 0 - 4 6 5 m . ,

f r o m w h i c h t h e d e c o r a t i o n c a n b e a c c u r a t e l y r e s t o r e d .

T h e t y p e s o f t h e m o u l d i n g s a r e e a r l i e r t h a n t h o s e o f t h e P a r t h e n o n

a n d m a y b e c o m p a r e d t o t h o se o f t h e T e m p l e o f H e p h a i s t o s a n d t h e

T r e a s u r y o f t h e A t h e n i a n s a t D e l p h i a n d d a t e d

ca

4 6 0 B C

T h e b u i l d i n g f r o m w h i c h t h e y c a m e c a n w i t h a l l p r o b a b i l i t y b e

i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h e S t o a P o i k i l a n d a n o t h e r p o i n t i n f a v o u r o f t h i s i s

t h e p r e p a r a t i o n o f s o m e o f t h e w a l l b l o c k s f o r i r o n p i n s ( s o m e s t u m p s

o f w h i c h r e m a i n ) f o r h o l d i n g t h e w o o d e n p a n e l s w i t h t h e r e n o w n e d

p a i n t i n g s d e s c r i b e d b y P a u s a n i a s .

T h e S t o a P o i k i l w a s o n e o f t h e m o s t f a m o u s b u i l d i n g s i n A t h e n s a n d

w a s k n o w n a l s o a s t h e S t o a P e i s i a n a k t e i o s a f t e r i ts b u i l d e r P e i s i a n a x ,

t h e b r o t h e r - i n - l a w o f K i m o n . P a u s a n i a s v is it s i t i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r h e

h a s b e e n t o t h e T e m p l e o f H e p h a i s t o s a n d t h e s a n c t u a r y o f H e a v e n l y

A p h r o d i t e .

I t w a s o n e o f t h e f a v o u r i t e h a u n t s o f t h e p h i l o s o p h e r s a n d g o t i t s

n a m e P o i k i l f r o m t h e p a i n t i n g s o n i ts w a l l s . T h e s e i n c l u d e d t w o




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A G O R A : S O U T H E A S T A N D N O R T H 6 9

historical scenesthe battle of Oinoe by an unknown painter and the

battle of Marathon by Panainos the brother of Pheidias , and two

myth ological subjects the battle between Theseus and the Am azons by

Mikon and the Capture of Troy by Polygnotos . With such a combina-

tion of popular subjects and famous painters it is small wonder that the

renown of the Stoa Poiki l was great and that these paintings doubt-

less inspired many of the vase paintings which have come down to us.

Within the portico were bronze shields, some taken from the Scion-

ians in 421

B

.c . and others from the Lakedaimonian prisoners on the

is land of Sphakteria . A badly crushed but nearly complete f ine bronze

oval shield (0-95 m. X 0-83 m.) found in a cistern south of the Hep-

haisteion seems to be a relic of the long blockade. The rim is bordered

with an elaborate gui l loche design, and the smooth convex surface is

inscribed with carelessly punched letters which read:

[ 1 [ 0 ] | [ ]

Although the next to the last letter is not clearly defined the most

reasonable restoration of the f inal word is which would refer

to the Athenian victory at Sphakteria in 424 B C In front of the

Portico stood a bronze statue of Solon and a l i tt le farther away was

one of Seleucus.

The area between the Stoa Basi leios and the Stoa Poiki l known as

T h e H er m s was closely connected with the activities of the cav alry

in the Panathenaic Process ion where the knights made the round of

the Agora from the Herms and back again. The Bryaxis base (p. 43) ,

found very near the north end of the Stoa Basileios, was erected by a

father and two sons, a l l of whom had been winners in the cavalry

display called Anthippasia , which may have been a part of the Pan-

a th en a i c P r oces s i on .

The Herms were said to extend from the Stoa Poiki l and the Stoa

Basi leios , which would suggest that a row went northward from each

stoa and flanked the sides of an open space at the top end of the

Dipy lon Road. The Hermae were the fami l iar p i l la rs surmounted by

busts of the bearded Hermes, other gods or famous men. They usually

stood in front of the doors of houses and it was the mutilation of some

of these on the eve of the Sicilian Exp edit ion that .led to the arrest of

several prominent citizens supposed to be implicated. Besides the Street

of the Hermae ancient writers mention a Stoa of the Hermae of which

nothing further is known.

Pausanias does not mention the Street of the Hermae but he does

say that on the way to the Stoa Poikil was a bronze Hermes called

Agoraios , of the Market, and near i t a gate surmounted by a trophy.

The Hermes Agoraios was a very well known statue referred to often

by ancient writers as archaic in style and so much admired that artists

were a lways making casts from it and that in consequence i t was




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g e n e r a l l y c o v e r e d w i t h p i t c h . T h e G a t e w h i c h P a u s a n i a s s a w h a s n o t

b e e n i d e n t i f i e d .

A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t m o n u m e n t o n th e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e A g o r a is t h e

P e r b o l o s o f t h e T w e l v e G o d s / ^ w h o s e s o u t h w e s t c o r n e r w a s d i s -

c o v e r e d i n 1 9 3 4 a b o u t 4 0 m . e a s t o f t h e S t o a o f Z e u s . I t i s a n e n c l o s u r e

w i t h e n t r a n c e s o n t h e e a s t a n d w e s t s i d e s w i t h i n w h i c h s t o o d t h e a l t a r

d e d i c a t e d b y P e i s i st r a to s t h e Y o u n g e r i n t h e l a s t q u a r t e r o f t h e s i x t h

c e n t u r y

B C

I t w a s a p l a c e o f a s y l u m a n d a l s o t h e c e n t r a l m i l e s t o n e

f r o m w h i c h d i s ta n c e s w e r e m e a s u r e d .

A g o o d p a r t o f t h e p e r b o l o s h a s b e e n c u t a w a y b y t h e e le c t r ic r a i l w a y ,

b u t i n v e s t i g a t i o n s b e n e a t h t h e t r a c k s m a d e i t p o s s i b l e t o e s t i m a t e i t s

s i z e. I t w a s a r e c t a n g l e 9 - 8 5 m . b y 9 - 3 5 m . s u r r o u n d e d b y a p a r a p e t

w i t h e i g h t a l t e r n a t i n g p o s t s a n d u p r i g h t s l a b s t o a s i d e a n d i t r e m a i n e d

e s s e n t i a l l y t h e s a m e f o r c e n t u r i e s . I n i t s e a r l i e s t f o r m i t h a d a f l o o r o f

e a r t h a n d p o s t s r e s t i n g o n a p o r o s f o u n d a t i o n . I t w a s d e s t r o y e d b y t h e

P e r s i a n s a n d r e b u i l t s o m e f ifty y e a r s l a t e r w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f a c o u r s e

o f l i m e s t o n e , n e w p o s ts a n d a flo or p a v e d w i t h p o r o s b l o c k s . T h e

a r r a n g e m e n t w i t h p o s t s f i n d s a p a r a l l e l i n t h e l o n g n a r r o w b a s e f o r t h e

s ta t u es o f t h e E p o n y m o u s H e r o e s o p p o s i t e t h e M e t r o o n , w h i c h h o w -

e v e r h a d r a i l s i n p l a c e o f s l a b s . S e v e r a l r e - u s e d f r a g m e n t s o f p o r o s , t w o

w i t h t r a c e s o f r e d p a i n t o n t h e m , p r o b a b l y b e l o n g to t h e o r i g i n a l a l t a r .

P a u s a n i a s do e s n o t m e n t i o n t h e A l t a r o f t h e T w e l v e G o d s b u t h e

d o e s s p e a k o f t h e A l t a r o f P i t y j u s t a f t e r h e h a s d e s c r i b e d t h e s t a t u e s i n

f r o n t o f th e S t o a P o i k i l a n d t h is l e d W i l a m o w i t z t o s u g g e s t t h a t t h e t w o

a l t a r s w e r e i d e n t i c a l . A l l t h e r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e A l t a r o f P i t y p o s t - d a t e

t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y w h e n t h e d e d i c a t i o n s t o t h e T w e l v e G o d s c e a s e a n d

i t m a y w e l l b e t h a t t h e o l d n a m e w a s r e p l a c e d b y t h e n e w o n e . M a n y

f a m o u s H e l l e n i s t i c a n d R o m a n a l ta r s , s u c h as t h e A r a P a c i s , h a d

t h e i r p r i n c i p a l d e c o r a t i o n o n t h e e n c l o s u r e r a t h e r t h a n t h e a l t a r i t s e l f

a n d t h e s l a b s m a y h a v e b e e n a d o r n e d f irst w i t h r e l i e fs r e p r e s e n t i n g

t h e T w e l v e G o d s a n d l a t e r b y s c e n e s a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e m e s o f P i t y .

A b a s e o f P e n t e l i c m a r b l e , in th e t o p s u r f a c e o f w h i c h a r e d o w e l

c u t t i n g s f o r a b r o n z e s t a t u e w i t h t h e r i g h t f o o t s l i g h t l y a d v a n c e d , s t o o d

in situj u s t w e s t o f t h e e n c l o s u r e . O n t h e s m o o t h b a n d a t t h e t o p o f t h e

f r o n t f a c e is t h e i n s c r i p t i o n L e a g r o s , so n o f G l a u k o n , d e d i c a t e d t o t h e

T w e l v e G o d s . T h e l e t t e r s a r e fir m ly c u t i n t h e s t y l e o f t h e e a r l y f if th

c e n t u r y , a n d L e a g r o s is p r o b a b l y t o b e i d e n t i f ie d w i t h t h e p o p u l a r

y o u t h m e n t i o n e d i n t h e k los i n s c ri p ti o n s w h o b e c a m e a g e n e r a l a n d

d i e d i n T h r a c e i n 4 6 4 b . c . i ^

A r o u n d m a r b l e b a s e w i t h fig ur es o f t h e T w e l v e G o d s in l o w r e l i e f ,

f o u n d i n 1 8 7 7 n e a r t h e c h u r c h o f S t . P h i l i p ac r o s s t h e r a i l w a y a n d n o w

i n t h e N a t i o n a l M u s e u m , m a y h a v e b e e n a s s o c ia t e d w i t h t h e S a n c t u -

a r y , t h o u g h i ts r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l p r o p o r t i o n s ( 0 -8 3 m . in d i a m e t e r a n d

0 - 4 4 m . i n h e i g h t ) a r e m o r e a p p r o p r i a t e f o r a p r i v a t e d e d i c a t i o n t h a n

a n o f f i c ia l m o n u m e n t ,



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