Lecture 20: The architectural development of the Athenian Agora in the sixth and fifth centuries BC

Map of Athens.

In the early sixth century BC an area of flat land to the north-west of the Akropolis was set aside as a public space. This space was to develop during the sixth and fifth centuries as the Agora, or civic centre, of Athens serving administrative, political, judicial, commercial, social and religious purposes.

Modern day view over the Agora towards the Akropolis.

Since the early twentieth century, the Agora has been subject to intensive excavation by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. In addition to the excavations, we are assisted in our understanding of the ancient Agora by Pausanias (Book 1) though he, of course, was writing about the Agora more than 500 years after the period with which we are concerned.

Plan of the Agora, ca 500 BC.

The earliest architectural development of the Agora took place along the west and south sides of the square. Under Peisistratid rule (566-510 BC) building in the area of the Agora was, however, limited since greater focus was accorded to construction on and to the south of the Akropolis. Nevertheless, a large structure located at the south west corner of the Agora may originally have been the dwelling place of the tyrants, though it seems subsequently to have become the Prytanikon/Prytaneion - the public dining hall of the Athenian Boule (Council). The Peisistratids were also responsible for erecting the Enneakrounos, or Nine-Spouted Fountain house, a facility much appreciated by the populace and one which seems to be represented on many late black-figure vases. Though we cannot securely identify it as the Enneakrounos, certainly the excavated South East Fountain House was built ca 530-520 BC. 

Restored drawing of the Altar of the Twelve Gods.

In 522/1 BC the Altar of the Twelve Gods was erected by Peisistratos' grandson and namesake. The open-air altar, surrounded by a low perimeter wall, was famous as a place of refuge and also for marking the spot from which all distances were measured in Attica. Note that the altar stands within the Agora square, unlike the other surrounding buildings which were not allowed to encroach on the open public space. Since the Agora square possessed a quasi-religious nature, only sacred buildings were permitted within its boundaries and, for the same reason, entry to the square was not permitted to certain categories of the population such as draft-dodgers or traitors. The boundaries of the Agora square were therefore clearly marked by horoi (singular horos), or boundary stones.

The Peisistratids also encouraged the development of a "national" festival for Athens, the Panathenaia. In the early days of its history many of the festival's competitive events took place in the Agora square itself. The route of the Panathenaic procession also led across the Agora, as it made its way from the Dipylon Gate in the Kerameikos to the Akropolis.

The Tyrannicides, copy in Naples, National Museum of a lost work of 477/6 BC by Kritios and Nesiotes.

Following the downfall of the Peisistratids and the introduction of Kleisthenes' democratic reforms of 508/7 BC, the late sixth and early fifth centuries witnessed increased constructional activity in the civic centre of the city. In addition statues of the tyrant-slayers Harmodios and Aristogeiton, were set up in the Agora sometime after 510 BC. Though the originals were removed by the Persians in 480 BC, they were subsequently replaced in 477/6 BC by a group fashioned by Kritios and Nesiotes. With respect to buildings the Heliaia, or principal law court, was now erected as a square open-air enclosure, while the Old Bouleuterion was constructed to accommodate the 500 member Boule, or Council, created by Kleisthenes.

Restored drawing of the Stoa Basileios.

Like the Old Bouleuterion, the Stoa Basileios or Royal Stoa, was now also erected on the west side of the Agora - an area apparently developing as the administrative/political heart of the city. Though debate exists concerning the stoa's construction date, it would appear to have been first built in the sixth century, damaged by the Persians in 480 BC and subsequently rebuilt. With eight external Doric columns and two (later four) internal Doric columns, the stoa was limestone built. Here the Archon Basileios and his assistants met to exercise their jurisdiction over religious matters and laws, including murder. Here, for example, in 399 BC Socrates answered an indictment for impiety, importing new gods and corrupting the Athenian youth.

Evidence of a statue base has been found in front of the stoa, probably to support the figure of Themis, goddess of laws and oaths, while a large stone block immediately in front of the stoa to the north constitutes the spot where the magistrates swore their oaths of office. Furthermore, towards the end of the fifth century BC, the Athenian law code inscribed on stone was set up along the back wall of the stoa and in two projecting wings which were now added to the building. By 400 BC the stoa thus displayed an official copy of the Athenian constitution for all its citizens to consult.

By the early fifth century BC it is clear that due to the growing population and citizen body and to the increasingly more sophisticated organisation of the city, public spaces and buildings are gaining an increasing specificity of function. Thus the Ekklesia, or Assembly of male citizens, which had previously met in the Agora now transferred its deliberations to the Pnyx, while theatrical gatherings also moved from the Agora to the south east slopes of the Akropolis, where the monumental stone Theatre of Dionysos would later be constructed.

Plan of the Agora, ca 400 BC.

Though the Persian sack of Athens caused considerable damage to the Agora, most of the civic buildings were afterwards repaired or rebuilt. Subsequently, during the time of Kimon the development of the Agora continued with the erection of the Tholos and Stoa Poikile.

Restored drawing of the Tholos.

During the decade 470-460 BC, the Tholos was constructed as the new headquarters for the Prytaneis, or executive committee of the Athenian Boule (Council). Here the fifty-man Prytaneis dined, with one-third of their number also sleeping in the Tholos at night to provide cover in case of emergencies. Measuring almost 18.5 metres in diameter, the Tholos contained six columns to hold up the roof which may have been supplied with an oculus.

Restored view of the Stoa Poikile.

Constructed somewhere between 475-460 BC the Stoa Poikile, or Painted Stoa, provided a public meeting place for the Athenian populace. Currently under excavation, it possessed an external Doric and an internal Ionic colonnade. Thanks to Pausanias (I.15.1) we also know that it was hung with paintings depicting scenes of the Athenians battling the Amazons, Trojans, Spartans and Persians: it was from these paintings by artists such as Polygnotos, Mikon and Panainos that the stoa received its name. It also contained dedications of bronze shields, taken in battle by the Athenians from their enemies.

Ground Plan of the building identified as the State Prison.

In the mid-fifth century a long narrow building was erected just beyond the Agora on its south west side. The structure comprised two rows of rooms leading to a courtyard on the south, with a block of four rooms slightly offset to the north. This unusual ground plan together with the discovery of several small terracotta bottles probably used as containers for drugs (in this case most likely hemlock), suggest that the building may be identified as the state prison.

The Hephaisteion, or Temple of Athena and Hephaistos.

After a peace was concluded with Persia (Peace of Kallias) ca 449 BC, the Athenians under Perikles began to rebuild the sanctuaries destroyed by the enemy and also undertook to erect new ones. One of these was the Temple of Athena and Hephaistos, perched atop the west side of the Agora. The building project probably continued to ca 420 BC. The structure remains today the best preserved temple in mainland Greece. [For a more detailed account of the Hephaisteion see Lecture 25.]

Since the Periklean period saw most attention focussed on the rebuilding and elaboration of the Akropolis monuments, little further constructional activity took place in the Agora, though the Strategeion was built as the headquarters for the Athenian generals. By contrast the last thirty years of the fifth century saw an increase in the number of projects being undertaken in the Agora, with several civic structures being erected during the Peloponnesian War period.

Restored drawing of the Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios.

Constructed between 430-420 BC, the marble Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios (Freedom) possessed an external Doric facade with two projecting wings, and an inner Ionic colonnade. It was topped with Nike akroteria. In part a religious structure, with a round pedestal base in front of the building probably supporting the cult statue, it was unusual in its use of the stoa instead of the more canonical temple form. In addition to its sacred function, it was used as a public meeting place and was probably also where the judicial archons dined and deliberated together. In the fourth century it was decorated by Euphranor with paintings of the Twelve Gods; Theseus, Democracy and the People, and a battle scene. It was also adorned with the shields of those who died fighting for Athens.

Also constructed in the late fifth century were South Stoa I, the New Bouleuterion and the Mint. South Stoa I, apparently Doric, was unusually constructed of limestone and mud-brick, probably due to financial constraints imposed by the Peloponnesian War. Behind the outer and inner colonnades lay fifteen small rooms, each with an off-centre doorway, indicating their use as dinning rooms: these it would seem functioned both as offices and dining places for city officials. On construction of the New Bouleuterion (or Council Chamber) the Old Bouleuterion became a repository for public records.

Restored drawing of the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes.

The last major monument of the Athenian Agora which should be mentioned is that of the Eponymous Heroes. the surviving monument dates to ca 330 BC, but Aristophanes makes mention of it already in the late fifth century when it was probably located elsewhere in the Agora. Taking the form of a long pedestal base, the monument was topped with statues of the ten heroes after whom the Athenian tribes were named. At each end stood a tripod. Around the statue base ran stone fence posts linked by wooden lengths. Here, under the statue of the relevant tribal hero, were hung public notices for each tribe concerning such matters as military service, court hearings and proposed legislation.

Note that an excellent website created by the excavators of the Athenian Agora can be found at http://www.agathe.gr.