THE GREEK

AGORA

BY
S.VIKASINI
S.KOMAL
SHRAVANTHI

THE AGORA
Agora is a central public space/market space in ancient
Greek city-states. The literal meaning of the word is
"gathering place" or "assembly".
➢ As a social entity the Greek agora was a venue
where a community of citizens could assemble.
➢ It was the political heart of a city. Here, people
could discuss affairs of the state within civic
structures, such as a
○ bouleuterion (senate house) or
○ Ekklesiasterion (meeting venue of the popular
assembly).
➢ Law codes and public decrees were put on display
and judicial proceedings were held in courthouses.
➢ A large urban temple might be near by, a heroon
might honor a legendary city founder or lawgiver,
and religious festivals with athletic and dramatic
events took place throughout the year.
➢ The agora was a vital center for trade and
commerce.
➢ Open space and commercial buildings, especially
stoas, provided retail space for sellers and workers
of various trades.
➢ These are the basic components typically associated with the Greek agora.
➢ None of these components as a whole were necessarily specific to any one agora in particular,
nor did they appear in every Greek city throughout every period.
➢ While it is true that certain trends can be identified over time, the agora was inherently
heterogeneous and evolved under different circumstances unique to a particular city.
➢ Elements that characterized certain agoras might have been radically different elsewhere.
➢ This is because, like all spatial and visual elements within an urban context, the Greek agora
responded and interacted with a unique ensemble of sociopolitical, religious and economic
needs.
➢ The factors that contributed to its structure and mechanics were distinctive, and its
organization and use never reappeared exactly the same way in another urban setting.
 The agora was located either in the middle
of the city or near the harbour.

LOCATION The general trend was to isolate the agora

from the rest of the town.

The Greek agora was a complex social and

physical entity.
THE ANCIENT AGORA OF ATHENS

● The Ancient Agora of classic athens is the

best-known example of an ancient Greek
agora.
● It was laid out in 6th century BC and
located to the northwest of the
Acropolis.
● It is bounded on the south by the hill of
the Areopagus and on the west by the
hill known as the Agoraios Kolonos, also
called Market Hill.
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES OF THE CLASSIC AGORA
1. Peristyle Court 16. Altar of the Twelve Gods
2. Mint 17. Stoa Basileios (Royal stoa)
3. Enneakrounos 18. Temple of Aphrodite Urania
4. South Stoa I and South Stoa II 19. Stoa of Hermes
5. Aiakeion 20. Stoa Poikile
6. Strategeion
7. Agoraios Kolonos
8. Tholos
9. Agora stone
10. Monument of the Eponymous Heroes
11. Metroon (Old Bouleuterion)
12. New Bouleuterion
13. Temple of Hephaestus (Hephaestion)
14. Temple of Apollo Patroos
15. Stoa of Zeus
 Historical urban development and
formation of the Athenian Agora
HISTORY
The land occupied by the Agora had a
symbolic meaning since prehistoric times
until after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Neolithic - Bronze Age (3200 BC -

1100 BC)
The earliest evidence of occupation of the
area dates from the Neolithic period,
around 3000 BC, corresponding to some
wells in which ceramics had been found.
In the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BC),
the Greek Bronze Age, several burial
chambers were found in the area where
the Agora would later develop, as well as
near the Areopagus hill. At the end of this
period houses began to be built.
Archaic Period (700-480 BC)
These buildings
During the 6th century BC a series of include:
political events demanded the creation of ● Pritanikon
a public space, and for that regard the ● The temples of
Patroos Apollo
state expropriated this area for the ● The altar of the
creation of the Agora (which means twelve gods
"assembly" or "open space"). The houses ● The old
Bouleuterion
located here were demolished and the ● Basileia or
area was the subject of intense landscape Royal stoa
beautification, including the development
of the Panatheaic Way where games
started to be celebrated.
The spatial configuration at this time was
The stoas were simple public
not well defined. The first public buildings buildings, rectangular in shape,
faced west, attached to the Kolonos consisting of a wooden covered
Agoraios Hill but without any particular space and preceded by a
colonnade that provided an
order, and before them stood a large
area for ​protection against the
open plaza. sun.
Classic Period (480-323 BC)
The reconstruction after the Persian defeat led to
the development of many buildings that
consolidated the western and southern edges,
forming a triangular space bounded by the
Panathenaic Way.
The buildings include:
● New Bouleuterion
● Tholos
● Monument to the Eponym heroes

Two stoas were built, one to the west dedicated to

the god Zeus and the other to the south. The most
important building at the time was the temple of
Hephaestus, standing on the hill .
Hellenistic period (323-86 BC)
The Agora achieved a great development,
although the Greeks were dominated by the
Macedonians. Its enclosure becomes
spatially defined due to the construction of
the Stoa of Attalus to the east (that I will
mention in the next post), the consolidation
of the Metroon (150 BC) to the west and a
new stoa to the south, defining a small
internal square. When this space is defined,
the agora becomes monumental. South Square: this oblong courtyard was used as a commercial
market. It was defined by two elongated stoas:
The Middle Stoa, located on the north, 147m long by 17.5
wide (160 BC) and the South Stoa II (ca. 150 BC), which was
located parallel to the Middle Stoa, replacing a former South
Stoa I built in classical times.
The square was flanked on one side by the east building and to
the west by the Aiakeion, a building dating from the
Mycenaean era.
ROMAN TIMES In 267 the Heruli looted and destroyed Athens Agora.
In 86 BC the general Silla took Athens, Although some buildings were rebuilt, Athens suffered new
barbarian attacks at the end of the sixth century, and after
destroying or damaging several buildings
that the area of ​the Agora was abandoned.
in the agora, particularly the South Plaza.
During the reign of Augustus (27 BC-14
AD) the Agora of Athens was rebuilt as a
center of imperial cult. Since then,
business were not allowed anymore in its
precincts and commerce was moved to a
nearby "Roman Agora."
At this time, major facilities continued to
be built and they occupied a prominent
position in the urban space, perhaps to
demonstrate the Roman imperial power. Consisted of buildings
Later, the Romans continued beautifying the agora with such as:
temples and monuments such as the Temple of Ares, a ● Oideion Agrippa
circular Monopteros and a house of a semicircular fountain ● Pantainos Library
● Temple of Ares
called Nympahion in the southeastern corner of the agora.
BYZANTINE PERIOD
In the tenth century the
church of the Holy
Apostles was erected,
which is very well
preserved despite
centuries.
 Late Evidence of early habitation
Neolithic
Era

1600-700 Area used as cemetery. Evidence of

BCE
Mycenaean Tholos Tombs and Iron Age
graves.
6th c. BCE Athenian Agora begins developing as a

TIMELINE OF 520 BCE

public place
Altar of Twelve Gods, NE Fountain
created

AGORA 508-7 BCE Old Bouleuterion built, and Agora

boundaries established
480 BCE The Agora is burned by the Persians
5th-4th c. Rebuilding of the Agora with important
BCE
public and administrative buildings,
450 BCE Temple of Hephaestus built
Late 4th c. Building intensity increases
BCE

150 BCE Stoa of Attalos built

 7th-19th c. Temple of Hephaestus converted to
CE
Byzantine Church
15 BCE Agrippa erects the Odeon in the Agora
7th-10th CE Agora abandoned and buried under
52 CE St. Paul introduced Christianity in mud
Athens
1000 CE Church of Agioi Apostoloi built. Light
2nd c. CE Construction of: Library of Pantainos, construction in area
the Basilica, the Nymphaion, the
1204 CE Area razed by invaders from the
Monopteros
Nafplion area
100 CE Ancient Agora connected to the new
13th-17th c. Agora area abandoned
Roman Agora CE
267 CE Sacked by the Heruls 1826-7 CE Destruction during the Greek
267-400 CE Agora abandoned. Construction of revolution
large houses on the south 1836-1931 The Area is heavily urbanized after the
CE
396 CE Alaric, King of the Visigoths plunders creation of the modern Greek state.
the Agora Limited excavation begins
400 CE 1931 CE Excavations include an area 121,000
Gymnasium built over the ruins in the
center sq. meters and 400 contemporary
buildings removed.
580-590 CE Agora destroyed by Slavic invasions.
1953-6 CE Stoa of Attalos reconstruction
EVOLUTION OVER PERIOD

● The use of the agora varied at different periods.

● Even in classical times the space did not always remain the
place for popular assemblies.
● In Athens the ecclesia, or assembly, was moved to the Pnyx
(a hill to the west of the Acropolis) after 460BC.
● A distinction was maintained between commercial and
ceremonial agoras.
● In the highly developed agora, like that of Athens, each
trade or profession had its own quarter.
● Many cities had officials called agoranomoi to control
the area.
● The agora also served for theatrical and gymnastic
performances until special buildings and spaces were
reserved for these purposes.
THE POST-CLASSICAL AGORA

➢ Excavations have established that agoras became more monumentalized in these

centuries surrounded by ever larger and more splendid stoas.
➢ At the same time agoras became more cluttered with honorific statues and other types of
monuments.
➢ These developments have been pointed to as symptoms of a decline in public life:
○ Stoas cut agoras off from the rest of the city, thereby limiting freedom of
movement and causing public life to stagnate;
○ statues left little room for human activities and
○ made agoras primarily spaces for representations of power.
AGORA- BC AGORA - AD
CITY PLANNING
• The ancient Greek civilization had established principles for planning and designing cities.

• City form were of two types:

• Old cities such as Athens had irregular street plans reflecting their gradual organic development.

• New cities, especially colonial cities established during the Hellenistic period, had a grid-iron street
plan

All major roads were to meet at agora.

Agora being the heart of the city, was to occupy 5% of the city area and comprise temple, the
assembly hall, the council chamber, the council hall.

Being positioned between the main gate and entrance to acropolis , serves as the main focal point.
STREET PATTERNS OF ATHENS- LINKAGE
LINKAGE
FIGURE
GROUND
RELATION

Architectural massing always gave

a sense of human measure.
PLACES

● Site planning and design

was centered on the
appreciation of buildings
from the outside.
● The location of buildings
was therefore such that it
could command a good
view to it.
● Agora started as an open area where the
council of the city met to take decisions. With
time buildings were constructed to define and
enclose the space
● It also transformed into a place for combined
social, commercial and political activities.
● It emerged as the heart of Greek intellectual
life and discourse.
● It was usually located on a flat ground for
ease of communication
● It was placed to be easily accessible from all
directions.
● In many cities, it is also located close to the
Acropolis
VALUES
● A powerfully assertive landscape influenced the urban planning.
● TWO CULTURES WHICH INFLUENCED THE ARCHITECTURAL TECHNIQUES AND
PLANNING
● Mycenaean culture- reflects their warring society.
● Minoan culture -society benefited from trade
● PLANNING HAD TO JUSTIFY
● 1) Hygiene 2)Defense 3) Circulation
● SOCIAL CONSIDERATION
○ Soldiers
○ Craftsmen
○ workers
MATERIALS
1.Stone - most common construction material particulary marble

all types of temple and civic construction

characteristic grey color of the stone of the

area is also what gives most ancient

Greek buildings their characteristics color.

2. Timber- roofing

very scarce commodity and it also had limited length limitation in length meant that the
width of buildings was restricted

3. Clay- housing construction

Clay was made into sun dried blocks for use in construction
STREET PATTERNS OF MESSENE
BOUNDARY
● Agora was a sacred space and therefore perfectly defined by
milestones or horos , with the inscription "I am the limit of the
agora." Its sacred character prevented some people from
entering this space, like children, wicked criminals or outsiders .

CONTEXT
● Agora interacts with two hills that stand in the middle of flat
relief. The closest is the Areopagus.
● The intense relationship between the Agora and the Acropolis
was not just visual, which is in itself quite intense as the
Parthenon is seen at all times from everywhere, but also
functional: the space was crossed diagonally by a road called
Panathenaic Way, which joined the Acropolis to the Dypilon horos
Gate, located on the northwest edge of town.
 STOA
● Stoa is a Greek architectural term that describes a covered walkway or
colonnade that was usually designed for public use.
● Early stoa often employing the Doric order, were of a single level.
● Later Hellenistic and Roman came to be two-story freestanding
structures, which allowed interior space for shops or other rooms and
often incorporated the Ionic order for interior colonnades.
● Greek city planners came to prefer the stoa as a device for framing
the agora (public market place) of a city or town.
● Many cities, particularly Athens and Corinth, came to have elaborate
and famous stoas.South Stoa is the earliest. Athenian agora was
augmented by the famed Stoa of Attalos (c. 159-138 B.C.E.) now acts
as archaeological museum .
● South Stoa shows the continued utility of this building design for
framing civic space.
FOUNTAIN HOUSE
● The fountain house is a public building that provides
access to clean drinking water and at which water jars
and containers could be filled.
● The Southeast Fountain house in the Athenian Agora (c.
530 B.C.E.) provides an example of this tendency to
position fountain houses and their dependable supply
of clean drinking water close to civic spaces like the
agora.
● Gathering water was seen as a woman’s task and, as such, it offered the often
isolated women a chance to socialize with others while collecting water. Fountain
house scenes are common on ceramic water jars, as is the case for a Black-figured
hydria found in an Etruscan tomb in Vulci that is now in the British Museum.
 DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER
● The heart of public life

Agora was easily accessible to

every citizen

The agora of Athens – the hub of

ancient Greek civilization – was the
size of several football fields and
saw heavy traffic every single day
of the week.

People gathered to meet friends

and colleagues, casual business
meeting took place.
● High voter turnouts
1. World's most important ideas were born and perfected within the confines of the Athenian agora (democracy)
● Ultimate brainstorm session
1. Scientific theory also got its start in the agora, where the city's greatest minds regularly met informally to
socialize. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle all frequented the Athenian agora, discussed philosophy and instructed
pupils there.
COMPONENTS OF NEW AGORA
● public gathering and recreation spaces
● hopes and aspirations of the residents
● integrate well with the urban design of their
locale
● natural component designed in a pleasing
manner
● several activities in the same place – from
farmers markets to music, art and cultural
festivals
● religious component implied if not precisely
state Arcadia park and downtown
Kalamazoo, a modern agora.
● Agoras have rediscovered their role as central
public space in urban life and community.
SOURCE
● https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278022149_The_Greek_Agora_in_its_Peloponnesian_Co
ntexts

● http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.com/2011/11/agora-of-athens-urbanism.html
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agora
● https://www.academia.edu/17851885/Looking_at_public_space_-_the_Greek_agora_in_Hellenistic
_and_Roman_times#site

● http://history-world.org/agora.htm
● https://www.livescience.com/4861-greek-agora-changed-world.html
● https://www.slideshare.net/Iyer21/ancient-greek-civilzation-and-architecture
● https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/beginners-guide-greece
/a/introduction-to-greek-architecture
● https://www.slideshare.net/mathewsdijo/greece-37593212