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Ancient Agora |
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| At the foot of the
Acropolis, near the Theseion metro station and bordering on the
streets where the Sunday bazaar takes place, is the archaeological site
of the ancient Agora.
Since Agora means 'market' in Greek,
the ancient and the modern use of the place are not far apart. This is was where Athenians gathered on a daily basis not only to buy and sell their goods, but also to learn the news, to criticise the government, to exchange views or just gossip. The history of this area goes back to Neolithic times and the site includes monuments of different periods. From the Classical to the 11th century AD represented by the church of the Ayioi Apostoloi.
EPONYMOUS HEROES MONUMENTThe statues of the ten heroes after
whom the 10 tribes of Attica were named (4th century BC) were placed
here. It was a highly frequented place. POIKILE STOAIt is believed that it owes its name to the murals that decorated its walls. (Poikile: diverse, so presumably the murals were of diverse colours and themes). Here Zenon expounded his Stoic philosophy, which got its name from the Poikile Stoa (460 BC). ROMAN AGORAThe Roman Agora was a single
architectural complex consisting of a vast rectangular court surrounded
by colonnades.
VASILEIOS STOASituated at the foot of the Theseion and built in 460 BC iwas the seat of the Archon Vasileus and of the Areios Pagos council
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