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The Roman Agora is an important archaeological site in Athens, Greece. It sits between Plaka and Monastiraki.
Visiting the Roman Agora
As with some other archaeological sites in Athens, the Roman Agora is easily seen from outside the fence, but there are a few interesting structures inside the complex worth getting closer to. The ticket booth is across the street from the archaeological site to the north. From April 1 through October 31, admission is at the full rate of €8, and from November 1 through March 31, admission is at a 50% reduced rate of €4 (as of July 2024). Upon presentation of a passport or valid travel document: all visitors up to the age of 5 and EU citizens from age 6-25 are admitted free of charge; and EU seniors over age 65 and non-EU citizens from age 6-25 are admitted at the 50% reduced rate (summer months only). Visit the official website for more info.
You can also visit on a €30 combo ticket that allows access to several other archaeological sites in Athens, including the Acropolis (as of July 2024), but it’s only worth buying during the summer months.
History of the Roman Agora
The Roman Agora, also known as the Roman Forum, was built between 19 and 11 BC as an extension of the original ancient Greek Agora. It was funded by Roman Emperor Augustus to complete a promise made by Julius Caesar in 51 BC. Eucles of Marathon was responsible for overseeing its construction. The city’s commercial activities shifted to the Roman Agora when there wasn’t enough space in the original Agora.
The Roman Agora was expanded in the 2nd century under Roman Emperor Hadrian. It’s unknown when it was destroyed, but the area was occupied by houses, workshops, and churches during the Byzantine period. The Ottomans built a mosque there in the 15th century, and the area was in continuous use until the 19th century.
The first excavations at the Roman Agora took place between 1837 and 1845 and continued into the 20th century. Several modern buildings, including the Church of Prophet Elijah, were demolished. It has not been fully excavated.
Gate of Athena Archegetis
The Gate of Athena Archegetis was the main entrance to the Roman Agora. It was built in 11 BC and stands on four Doric columns made of Pentelic marble. A church built into the south side of the gate was demolished in 1843.
The inscription on the gate reads:
The People of Athens from the donations offered by Gaius Julius Caesar the God and the Reverend Emperor son of God To Athena Archegetis, on behalf of the soldiers of Eucles from Marathon, who curated it on behalf of his father Herod and who was also an ambassador under the archon Nikias, son of Sarapion, from the demos of Athmonon
Courtyard
The Roman Agora was a rectangular building measuring 111 x 104 meters with an open courtyard in the center. The courtyard was surrounded on all four sides by an Ionic portico with shops, storerooms, and offices at the back.
The southern portico contains the remains of a fountain, fountain-house, and an office. There are also several fragments kept there, including a sarcophagus.
The northeast corner of the porticoes can be seen across the street in another lot to the north from outside the archaeological site. The northern side of the Roman Agora and the southern side of Hadrian’s Library were separated by a street ten meters wide.
East Propylon
The East Propylon was one of the entrances to the Roman Agora. It consisted of Ionic columns made of gray Hymettian marble.
Tower of the Winds
Just behind the East Propylon is the most important structure in the Roman Forum, the Tower of the Winds. It contained a combination of sundials, a water clock, and weathervane.
History
The Tower of the Winds was designed by ancient Greek astronomer Andronicus of Cyrrhus. It was probably built in the late 2nd century BC although some sources date it at around 50 BC. In any case, it’s considered the oldest meteorological station in the world.
During the early Christian period, the tower was used as a bell tower for a church, and was later used as a church itself. Byzantine frescoes depicting an angel and a saint on horseback are still visible on the north and northwestern walls. They date to the 13th or 14th century.
By the Ottoman period, the first level of the Tower of the Winds was buried. From 1751 to 1821, or possibly earlier, it was used as a tekke by Mevlevi dervishes to perform their religious rituals. A mihrab on the southeast corner and faded Islamic calligraphy still survive. The Tower of the Winds was excavated in the late 19th century by the Archaeological Society of Athens.
Architecture
The Tower of the Winds is an octagonal building standing 13.85 meters high and about 8 meters in diameter. It was made entirely of Pentelic marble except for the foundation. The tower has doors on the north and west sides and rests on a base with three steps.
The roof consists of 24 marble slabs and a circular marble keystone. A Corinthian capital sat on top of the keystone and probably served as the base of a bronze weathervane. The interior of the roof panels were painted blue. It’s one of the few ancient Greek structures with its roof still intact.
Figures of the Eight Winds
At the top of each side are friezes representing the eight winds. The tower’s function as a dervish tekke likely saved them from removal by 19th century archaeologists and antiquities dealers.
Water Clock
Inside the building was a hydraulic mechanism that powered a water clock. It functioned on water pressure coming from a cylindrical space situated on the south side of the tower. The holes used for mounting the mechanism are visible on the floor. This water clock replaced an older, simpler water clock located at the ancient Greek Agora.
Agoronomeion
Just south of the Tower of the Winds is the so-called Agoronomeion. It was a public building with a function that has not yet been determined. Some scholars believe it was used as an office for market officials. An inscription on the building states it was dedicated to Athena Archegetis and the divine Augustus in the 1st century.
Public Latrines
North of the Tower of the Winds are the public latrines, or Vespasianae. It was a rectangular building with a bench containing round holes on all four sides. It was topped by a roof except for the center section which was used for lighting and ventilation. Running water flushed away waste through a canal leading to the city’s main drainage system.
Fethiye Mosque
Finally, on the north side of the Roman Agora is the Fethiye Mosque (Φετιχιέ τζαμί / Fethiye Camii). It can also be seen from the street outside the site.
History
The Fethiye Mosque was built between 1668 and 1670 and was commonly known as the Wheatmarket Mosque (Τζαμί του Σταροπάζαρου / Buğdaypazarı Camii).
During the brief Venetian occupation of Athens from October 1687 to May 1688, the Fethiye Mosque was converted to a Catholic church dedicated to Dionysius the Aeropagite. The Ottomans abandoned the building in 1821 during the Greek War of Independence, and in 1824 it was converted to a school by the Philomuse Society (Φιλόμουσος Εταιρεία). The minaret was torn down around the same time.
The mosque was used as a barracks starting in 1834 and later a military prison. From the 1880s to 1935, it was a military bakery. It was slated for demolition in 1935 but was saved with the intervention of the Turkish government. Starting in 1963, the mosque was used to store archaeological finds from the Agora and Acropolis. It was restored between 2011 and 2017 and is occasionally open to the public for cultural exhibitions.
Architecture
The Fethiye Mosque consists of a rectangular prayer hall topped by a dome resting on four pillars. The main dome is supported by half domes on four sides. In front is a porch with five arches each topped by a small dome.
Byzantine Basilica
The mosque sits on the site of an 8th or 9th century Byzantine basilica. The basilica was converted to a mosque between 1456 and 1458 to honor Sultan Mehmed II’s visit to Athens in 1458. The foundations of the basilica, which was demolished to make way for the current structure, can be seen on the north side of the mosque.
