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C H A P T E R V i l i

The Agora Central Part The Tem ple of Ares the Odeion

H IS co m pl e te s the s u rv e y o f the bu i l d in g s w hich s u rro u n de d

the A g o r a in the t im e o f Pau s an ias . Pro b abl y the re w e re n o

form al southern and eastern bou nda ries before the Hel lenist ic

period and the whole area was open beyond the l ine of the western

buildings . They faced one of the oldest s treets bordered on the opposite

s ide by the bases of m an y statues. Oth er mo num ents wer e plac ed in

di f f e re n t par ts o f w ha t pro ba bl y w as an o pe n s qu are . T h e m an y

resem blances in m ethod s of constru ction betw een the H el lenist ic

M e tro o n an d the Sto a o f A t ta l o s in dicate that the y w e re pra ct ica l l y

co n te m po ra ry a n d pe rha ps par t o f a p l an o f re co n s tru ct io n o f the A g o r a

in which the South Stoa was also included.^

Later a large port ion of the eastern part , north of the Middle Stoa,

w as o ccu p ie d by the Od e io n , w h i l e the T e m pl e o f A re s o ccu pie d the

ground farther to the northwest , but there s t i l l was ample room for

m an y m o n u m e n ts o f a m o de rate s iz e, s o m e o f w h ich are k n o w n f ro m

literary sources but cannot be exact ly placed, others are actual remains

f o u n d du r in g the e xcav at io n s bu t f o r w hich the re i s in ade qu ate

in f o rm at io n f o r ide n t i f i cat io n .

A cco rdin g to Pau s an ias the T e m pl e o f A re s w as n e ar the s ta tu e o f

D e m o s the n e s w hich w e k n o w f ro m o the r s o u rce s w as n e ar the A l tar

o f the T w e l v e G o ds . A m o n g the s ta tu e s n e ar i t w as that o f P in dar

already noted in front of the Stoa Basi le ios , and not far away was the

g ro u p o f H a rm o dio s an d A r is to g e i to n w hich , acco rdin g to A rr ian ,

stood opposite the Metroon.2

T h e f o u n da t io n s o f the T e m pl e o f A re s w e re ide n t i fie d in 19 3 7 a

l i t t le northwest of the Od eio n in a rec tan gu lar pit some 2-60 m. belo w

the present level of the Agora.^ Five courses of squared poros blocks

had once been spread f lat over the entire surface . Many of them were

in p l ace , o the rs w e re re co v e re d f ro m m e diae v a l o r m o de rn bu i l d in g s

in the v icinity. They had evidently been re-used and had come for the

m o s t par t fro m a fi fth ce n tu ry bu i l d in g w h ich , ju dg in g f ro m the

masons letters on the blocks and from the structural methods em-

ployed, was careful ly rebuil t in i ts present posit ion in early Roman

times. Numerous fragments of the f loor, epistyle , tr ig lyphs, metopes ,

cornic e , s ima, etc. , of a m ar ble te mp le of suitable dimensions and

date w hich w e re f o u n d in an d n e ar the f o u n dat io n s , in the Val e r ian

wal l and e lsewhere had evidently been used to reconstruct the bui lding

in as nearly its original form as possible.

Brought to you by | Universidad de Costa Rica

Authenticated | 10 248 254 158

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7 2 T H E A N C I E N T C I T Y O F A T H E N S

T he te m pl e re s te d o n a s te ppe d p l at f o rm an d m e as u re d 15 88 m . by

34 718 . o n the s ty l o bate . I t w as he xa s ty l e pe r ipte ra l w i t h th ir te e n

co l u m n s o n the l o n g s ide s . T he ir l o w e r diam e te r can be e s t im ate d at

c 8 m . an d pre s u m a bl y the he ig h t w as 5 I o r 6 d iam e te rs , the

u s u al ra t io in o the r co n te m po rary te m pl e s . T he rak in g an d l a te ra l

s imas are suf f iciently wel l preserved to show prof i les s tr ik ingly s imilar

to those of the Heph aiste io n. T h e f lanking s ima ha d a row of l ions

heads and there is a cutt ing for the base of an akroterion on the lower

right corner of a piece of f aade s im a.

T he p l an o f the ce l l a can n o t be de te rm in e d be cau s e the f o u n dat io n s

are sol id and g ive no indicat ion of the posit ion of the wal ls , but because

of other close af f init ies w ith the Hep hais te ion the restoration fol lows

its plan. There seems l i t t le or no doubt that the same architect was

Fig. II. The Temple of Ares, Restored Plan

re s po n s ib l e f o r bo th bu i l d in g s , an d the te m pl e s a t So u n io n an d

Rham n o u s hav e a l s o be e n at t r ibu te d to h im . T he s e qu e n ce o f the

bu i l d in g s an d re l a t iv e date s are g iv e n by Pro fe s so r D in s m o o r as

f o l l o w s : H e phais te io n , 4 4 9 -4 4 4 B C ; S o u n i o n , 4 4 4 - 4 4 0 B C ; A re s ,

4 4 0 - 4 3 6 B C ; R h a m n o u s , 4 3 6 - 4 3 2 B C

It is ev ident that this was a f i f th century bui lding careful ly taken

to p ie ce s an d re -e re cte d in e ar l y Ro m an t im e s . T he co n s tru ct io n o f the

R o m a n A g o r a b e g u n u n d e r J u h u s C a e s a r a nd c a r ri e d o n b y A u g u s t u s

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

the G re e k A g o ra , an d an y o l de r bu i l d in g s in the w ay o f pro po s e d

im pro v e m e n ts had n e ce s s ar i l y to be re m o v e d.

A g o o d p ar t o f w ha t had be e n an o pe n s pace in G re e k t im e s w as n o w

o ccu pie d by the Ode io n an d o n e o f the bu i l d in g s re m o v e d to m ak e

ro o m f o r i t m ay hav e b e e n the T e m pl e o f A re s . I t s o ld s ite can o n l y be

c o n j e c t u r e d .




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A G O R A : C E N T R E 7 3

On the axis of the Temple at a distance of 10 m. from the eastern

front is a rectangular foundation of large re-used blocks of poros

measuring 6-30 m. by 8-95 m. overall , c lear ly to be identi f ied as the

Altar of Ares. The way the blocks are laid shows that the eastern three-

f i f ths of the foundation supported the altar and the remaining part was

occupied by steps which did not extend across the whole width of the

monument. A large battered orthostate of Pentelic marble and some

fragments o f r i chly carved mouldings may have come f rom the super-

structure.

A bearded male head and two f ragmentary female heads of Pente l i c

marble and parts of two female torsos, all in high relief and of f i fth-

century style, found here may probably be associated with the Altar

since their scale two-thirds li fe size) is un suitab le for the Te m pl e. T h e y

perhaps belonged to a parapet surrounding the Altar .

Foundation pits for two large monuments south of the Temple of

Ares and a terrace along i ts northern f lank probably were for some of

the monuments referred to by Pausanias as near the temple.

Near the northeast corner of the temple terrace the Panathenaic

W ay bordered by a stone w ate r channel) bends sl ightly to avo id a

large early f i fth-century monument-base of poros on its western side.

A similar base found on the opposite s ide had been moved there in the

ear ly Ro m an p er i o d .

T h e bu i lding of the Odeion^ mad e a vast di f feren ce in the ap pea r-

ance of the central part of the Agora, formerly an open space in which

stood the old Orchestra or dancing place, possibly some small ish

bui ldings and many statues.

This change took place in the Augustan period and seems to have

been part of an ambitious plan for the transfer of the market-place

farther east and the c lear ing away of the obstructions so that the

southern p art of the A go ra m ight be rebui lt largely on the l ines ado pted

in the Roman Fora where the great co lonnaded bui ld ings on three

sides were grouped with a dominating structure in the centre of the

fourth side, dividing that part of the Forum into smaller areas to r ight

and le f t . The ar rangement was secured by p lac ing the Odeion in an

axial posit ion midway between the Stoa of Attalos on the east and the

Metroon on the west in front of the centre of the Middle Stoa which

closed off the southern side of the Agora.

The exist ing remains of the Odeion have made i t possible to restore

its form as originally built in the late f irst century B C and aga i n when

it was remodelled in the second century A D In spite of the devastation

in later times and the use of the site for other buildings, the Odeion

was too large and the foundations too deep to be entirely swept away

and considerable parts of them, especially at the south-eastern corner

and northern front, st i l l remained

in situ

A great many archi tectura l

fragments were bui lt into the large bui lding that later covered the si te,




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

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

i n t e r v a l s h a s m a n y p a r a l l e l s i n A s i a M i n o r a s w e l l a s i n t h e r e c o n -

s t r u c t e d w e s t e r n e n d o f t h e E r e c h t h e i o n .

T h e p l a n o f t h e O d e i o n s h o w s a c o m p l e t e b r e a k w i t h G r e e k t r a d i t io n .

T h e o r t h o d o x c o v e r e d m u s i c - h a l l o r a u d i t o r i u m s u c h a s t h e O d e i o n o f

P e r i k l e s o r t h e T e l e s t e r i o n a t E l e u s i s , w a s r e c t a n g u l a r i n p l a n a n d t h e

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

g r e a t l y w i t h t h e s p e c t a t o r s v i e w . T h e s e m i c i r c u l a r t h e a t r e w a s o u t - o f -

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

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

t h e e x a m p l e o f t h e r o o f e d t h e a t r e a t P o m p e i i b u i l t a h a l f - c e n t u r y

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

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

a n d E a s t B a s i l i c a s a t C o r i n t h . T h e e x t e n s i v e u se o f b a l c o n i e s p r e v a i l e d

p a r t i c u l a r l y i n S o u t h e r n I t a l y .

T h e e n g i n e e r i n g s k i ll r e q u i r e d t o r o o f t h e l a r g e s p a n o f t h e a u d i -

t o r i u m i s m o r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f R o m a n s t h a n G r e e k s , b u t e v e n s o , t h e

a l t e r a t i o n s m a d e i n t h e S e c o n d P e r i o d m a y h a v e b e e n n e c e s s i t a t e d b y

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

s i z e b y m o v i n g it s s o u t h w a l l 7 - 6 6 m . f a r t h e r t o t h e n o r t h , t h e r e b y

r e d u c i n g it s s e a t i n g c a p a c i t y t o 5 0 0 , a n d t h e b u i l d i n g w a s r e - r o o f e d ,

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

d e m o l i t i o n o f t h e N o r t h P o r c h a n d t h e u t i l i z a t i o n o f t h e sc en a s a l o n g

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

w i t h c o l o s s a l fig ur es i n h i g h r e l i e f a n d i t w a s r e a c h e d b y s e v e n flig hts

o f m a r b l e s t ep s s e p a r a t e d b y e i g h t l o n g p e d e s t a l s ( e x t e n d i n g 2 -4 0 m .

f r o m t h e f a a d e s i n t e n d e d t o h o l d s e a t e d s t a tu e s .

T h e s q u a r e p i e r s w i t h t h e i r c o l o s s a l f ig ure s p o p u l a r l y c a l l e d t h e

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

m a d e f o r t h e O d e i o n o f t h e S e c o n d P e r i o d a n d r e - u s e d i n t h e l a r g e

G y m n a s i u m t h a t l a t e r o c c u p i e d t h e s i t e . T h e m o n s t e r s a r e o f t w o k i n d s :

b e a r d e d T r i t o n s o f h e a v y b u i l d w i t h f ish y e x t re m i t i e s a n d u n b e a r d e d

G i a n t s o f s l i g h t e r p r o p o r t i o n s w h o s e le g s e n d i n s n a k e s . T w o T r i t o n s a n d

o n e G i a n t , a r e r e a s o n a b l y c o m p l e t e a n d t h e f r a g m e n t s o f o t h e r s g i v e

e v i d e n c e f o r a m i n i m u m o f fiv e fig ur es o f w h o m t h r e e l o o k e d t o w a r d

t h e i r r i g h t a n d t w o t o w a r d t h e i r l e f t . A t l e a s t s i x s y m m e t r i c a l l y a r r a n g e d

fig ur es m a y s a f e l y b e i n f e r r e d , p r o b a b l y g r o u p e d w i t h a p a i r t o e a c h

d o o r w a y .

T w o o f t h o s e n o w s t a n d i n g h a v e p e d e s t a ls i - g i m . h i g h c o m p o s e d

o f t w o b l o c k s o f P e n t e l i c m a r b l e o b v i o u s l y p u t to g e t h e r f r o m e a r l i e r

m a t e r i a l s , s i n c e t h e l o w e r h a l v e s a r e ca o - o i m . w i d e r i n b o t h d i r e c -

t io n s . T h e p e d e s ta l s h a v e b a s e a n d c r o w n m o u l d i n g s a n d p a n e l l e d

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

a s e r p e n t . T h e t e c h n i q u e o f t h e c a r v i n g o n t h e u p p e r h a l f i s t h e s a m e

as th at of the coloss a l f igures, bu t on th e lo w er h al f i t i s infe r ior , a nd




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though the continuity of the design is preserved the work has evidently

been done at a later time.

T h e cla ssic isin g style of the figures has often been rem ark ed , but the

most recent study of them has pointed out the derivation of the human

parts of the Tritons and Giants from the pediments of the Parthenon;

Triton from the Poseidon of the west pediment and Giant perhaps less

directly from the Hephaistos of the east pediment.

Pausanias's two references to the building as the Odeion show that

it sti l l retained its original form at the middle of the second century

A.D. but from later l iterary references we learn that after its remodel-

l ing it was no longer a concert hall but a lecture hall for the Sophists.

The Antonine period was one of great activity in the Univers it ies and

the leading Sophist of the day was Herodes Atticus whose Odeion on

the South Slope of the Acropolis was built within a decade of the

remodel l ing of the older Odeion, which it replaced by something far

more splendid for a concert hall .

The rebuil t Odeion was destroyed by f ire within a century and much

of its stonework was util ised in walls or towers or served as a quarry,

and at about A.D. 400 a large complex of bui ldings with gymnasium

and cloistered courts and a bath was built on the site.

We may now turn to smal ler monuments in the Agora, beginning

with some of the statues described by Pausanias in the course of his

tour.

The f irst was the group of the Eponymoi or heroes who gave their

names to the Attic tribes. The ten heroes, many of them ancient kings

of Athens, were chosen by Kleisthenes at the time of his democratic

reforms in 508 -50 7 B.C.;form erly there had been but four tr ibes . The se

statues stood in a conspicuous place and were well known landmarks

beside which the laws prepared in the Ecclesia, the l ists of those drawn

for military service and other public notices were posted. They were in

front of the Bouleuterion according to Aristotle, and farther up

than the Tho los according to Pau san ias . ' As no cuttings for statue

bases have been found in the rock above the Tho los , far th er u p

may refer to a position along the road, and it is very probable that

the statues stood on the long platform known as the P er ip h ra gm a

described below.

Next came the statue of the hero Amphiaraos, not a native Athenian

but one of the many to whom the city offered a hospitable welcome.

He was best known as the brave prophet-hero who with his four-horse

chariot and his charioteer Baton, was swallowed up by earth at the

place on the cl i f fs of Parns know n ever s ince as H a r m a , the chariot,

and who was made immortal by the gods. His sanctuary at Oropos

bears all the characteristics of a healing god, a temple, a series of altars

dedicated chiefly to deities connected with Asklepios, a fountain and

a great stoa where the affl icted could await revelations through dreams.




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7 8 T H E A N C I E N T C I T Y O F A T H E N S

No thin g f u r the r i s k n o w n o f th is s ta tu e , bu t the g ro u p, Eire n e

(Pe ace ) carry in g the bo y P l o u to s (W e al th) , a w o rk o f Ke phis o do to s

the f a the r o f Praxi te l e s w hich Pau s an ias n e xt m e n t io n s i s f am o u s

thro u g h s e v e ra l re pl icas . T he o r ig in a l g ro u p by Ke phis o do to s w as

pro babl y de dicate d s o o n a f te r the e s tabl i s hm e n t o f the cu l t o f Pe ace ,

a f te r the bat t l e o f L e u k tra in 3 74 B C A m a r b l e g r o u p o f t h e V i r g i n

an d C h i l d s a id by the Je s u i t pr ie s t Ba bin in a l e t te r w r i t te n in 16 72

to hav e be e n f o u n d in the chu rch o f St . D io n ys io s the A re o pag i te an d

pro m pt l y de s tro ye d by the archbis ho p as a re l i c o f pag an is m , w as

pr o b ab l y a co py o f the Eire n e an d P l o u to s .

T he g o dde s s i s drape d in a he av y ch i to n w i th o v e r f o l d , s he s tan ds

with her raised r ight hand holding a sceptre that rests on the ground,

an d w i th the ch i l d he l d in he r l e f t arm . H e r he ad i s in c l in e d do w n w ard

to w ards h im an d he re ache s u p w i th h is r ig ht han d to to u ch he r ch in

and holds in his le f t hand the cornucopia, symbol of weal th.

N e x t w e re the bro n z e s ta tu es o f the s ta te s m e n L yk o u rg o s an d Ka l l ias ,

the form er an ou tstan din g f igure o f the fou rth centu ry, dist inguished

for his an ti-M ac ed on ian foreig n po l icy, his f inancial ab i l i ty a nd

in te g r i ty an d h is g e n e ro s i ty to the c i ty , w he re m an y pu bl ic w o rk s w e re

associated with his name. The decree of Stratokles dated 17 years af ter

h is de ath co m m e m o rate s m an y o f h is be n e f act io n s an d pro v ide s f o r

the e re ct io n o f a bro n z e s ta tu e o f h im in the Ke ram e ik o s . T w o co n -

s ide rabl e f rag m e n ts o f the de cre e are e xtan t .

K al l i as , of course , is

be s t k n o w n as hav in g n e g o t ia te d the Pe ace that be ars h is n am e in

449 B.c.

The statue of Demosthenes, whose tragic end g ives r ise to Pausanias 's

m e l an cho l y re f l e ct io n s o n the in g rat i tu de o f the de m o s to w ards the ir

statesmen, stood som ewh ere n ear the others . Plu tar ch te lls us that not

long af ter his death the people of Athens set up a bronze statue in his

ho n o u r , o n the pe de s ta l o f w h ich w as in s cr ibe d the f am o u s e p ig ram

s aid to hav e be e n the l as t th in g co m po s e d by D e m o s the n e s :

H ad bu t thy po w e r , D e m o s the n e s , be e n e qu al to thy w i l l .

V a i n h a d b e e n M a c e d o n i a n a r m s , a n d G r e e k s w e r e f r e e m e n s t i l l .

T h e s ta tu e o f D e m o s the n e s by P o l ye u k te s is f am i l iar f ro m m an y

versions, either of the whole standing f igure or of the bust.

In some copies the orator holds a scrol l in his lowered hands, in

others the hands are fo lded together, and this vers ion must be closer to

the orig inal , s ince Plutarch te l ls an anecdote of a soldier who hid some

money in the hands of the s tatue.

N ot far f ro m the Tem p le o f Ares , says Pausania s , are the statues of

the tyran n ic ide s H arm o dio s an d A r is to g e i to n w ho s e de e ds are re -

counted by others . There was indeed no need for Pausanias to te l l a

story that was one of the most famous and famil iar tales of patr iot ic

acts . T he he ro e s had be e n co m m e m o rate d in pro s e an d s o n g f o r s e v e ra l




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c e n t u r i e s b e f o r e h i s d a y , e v e r s i n c e t h e t i m e w h e n H i p p i a s a n d H i p -

p a r c h o s w e r e m a r s h a l h n g t h e P a n a t h e n a i c P r o c es s io n a n d H i p p i a s

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

a n c es tr a l t y r a n n y . T h e s o ng o r S k o l i o n k n o w n as H a r m o d i o s

t h a t b e g i n s

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

S o H a r m o d i o s a n d A r i s to g e i t o n d i d

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

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

A r i s t o p h a n e s a n d o t h e r s .

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

t h e e x p u l s i o n o f H i p p i a s a n d w a s c a r r i e d o f f b y X e r x e s a n d t h a t a f te r

t h e P e r s i a n W a r a n e w g r o u p w a s m a d e b y K r i t i a s a n d N e s i o t e s i n

4 7 7 B . c . t o r e p l a c e i t . T h e o r i g i n a l s ta t u e s w e r e r e t u r n e d t o A t h e n s b y

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

m a r k e t - p l a c e a t l e a s t u n t i l t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y

A D

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

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

g r o u p .

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

o f t h e w e l l k n o w n st a tu e s i n t h e N a p l e s M u s e u m w e r e i n c o r r e c t , t h e

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

k n o w t o h a v e b e e n b e a r d e d . T h e d i s c o v e r y o f a b e a r d e d a r c h a i c h e a d

i n t h e m a g a z i n e s o f t h e V a t i c a n a n d i ts i d e n t i f i c a t i o n as A r i s t o g e i t o n

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

o f a c a s t o f t h e V a t i c a n h e a d , a n d t h e n e w g r o u p i n g o f t h e f ig ur es s i d e

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

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

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

H a r m o d i o s h a d f a r e d b e t t e r t h a n A r i s t o g e i t o n , a s h e h a d k e p t h i s

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

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

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

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

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

T h i s a t t i t u d e g i v e s m o r e f r e e d o m a n d s w i n g t o t h e f ig ure , w h i l e

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

A n t e n o r , a n d i t s e e m s l e g i t i m a t e t o r e c o g n i s e in e a c h o f t h e se v a r i a t i o n s

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

fig ure s a r e a c o p y o f t h e g r o u p o f K r i t i a s a n d N e s i o t e s . E v e r y o n e

a g r e e s t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l s o f b o t h g r o u p s m u s t h a v e b e e n i n b r o n z e , a n d

i t is e a s y t o s ee h o w g r e a t l y t h e e f f e c t w o u l d b e i m p r o v e d b y t h e

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

c o p i e s .




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8 o T H E A N C I E N T C I T Y O F A T H E N S

T w o f rag m e n ts o f a s ta tu e -bas e w i th par t o f an e pig ram w ith the

n am e o f H arm o dio s in s cr ibe d o n i t w e re f o u n d in 19 3 6 n e ar the

O d e i o n , a n d t h o u g h n o t a c t u a l l y in situ (they came from a f i l l ) are not

l ike ly to have been moved far f rom their orig inal posit ion. As the

epigram was already famil iar f rom l i terary sources , i t is poss ible to

re s to re the appro xim ate w i dth o f the bas e as 1-3 8 m . , w hic h w o u l d

al low ample room for two f igures s ide by s ide . The forms of the le tters ,

especial ly the theta with a smal l c ircle instead of a dot in the centre ,

c h a r a c t er i s ti c a ls o o f t h e M a r a t h o n e p i g r a m , t h e H e k a t o m p e d o n

in s cr ipt io n an d the L e ag ro s bas e , m ak e i t pro babl e that th is bas e

be l o n g e d to the s ta tu e s m ade by Kr i t ias an d Ne s io te s .

T h e g ro u p s to o d n o t f ar f ro m the T e m pl e o f A re s , o ppo s i te the

M e tro o n an d w as al s o n e ar the O rc h e s tr a . T h e fir st tw o o f thes e

l an dm ark s hav e a l re ady be e n ide n t i f ie d , bu t o f the Orche s tra , de s cr ibe d

as a consp icuou s plac e inten ded for pu bl ic fest ivals , w e are less

ce r ta in . Pro b ab l y i t w as o r ig in a l l y a c i rcu l ar da n c in g p l ace w i th , w e

are told, wooden scaf foldings for seats of the spectators and even a

poplar tree from which the enterpris ing could see over the spectators '

he ads . L ate r im pro v e m e n ts in the A g o ra m ay hav e re pl ace d i t by

s o m e thin g o f a m o re pe rm a n e n t n atu re .

T w o m o n u m e n ts o ppo s i te the M e tro o n m u s t , to ju dg e f ro m the ir

s iz e an d po s i t io n , hav e be e n o f im po rtan ce .

T he f i rs t i s a l o n g n arro w re ctan g u l ar f o u n dat io n o f l im e s to n e ,

orig in al ly 18-40 m . by 3-68 m ., wit h a row o f cutt ings for post-holes

(with parts of two marble posts s t i l l in situ , for a fence of f ifteen by four

po s ts w i th thre e ho r iz o n ta l w o o d e n ra i ls to ppe d by a s to n e c o pin g

enclosing the interior . Within the enclosure f ive blocks of a s ingle long

row suitable to hold statues is preserved. At a later t ime the length of

the monument was increased at the southern end to a total of 21 m.i^

It has been identi f ied as the s i te of the Statues of the Eponymous Heroes

an d the addi t io n w as do u bt l e s s m ade at the t im e w he n a n e w tr ibe

w i t h a n e w s t a t u e o f H a d r i a n w a s a d d e d a b o u t

A D

25.

T h e s e co n d is a re cta n g u l ar p l a t f o rm 8-3 5 m . b y 4 -24 7 m . app ro a che d

by f o u r m ar bl e s teps re s t in g o n a e u thyn te r ia o f po ro s an d f o u n da t io n s

o f co n g l o m e rate , o n w hich s to o d an a l tar , o n e l arg e co rn e r o r tho s tate

o f w hich has be e n f o u n d. T he bas e has a to ro s w i th g u i l l o che s u r-

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

a n e g g - a n d - d a r t a b o v e a b e a d - a n d - r e e l. T h e w o r k m a n s h i p is o f th e

f o u rth ce n tu ry bu t the s t ru ctu re has e v ide n t l y be e n m o v e d an d

rebu il t . Letter s m ad e by the mason s show tha t this took pla ce in the

first century B.c.

In the an g l e be tw e e n the Ode io n an d the Middl e Sto a are the s can ty

f o u n d at io n s o f a te m pl e m e as u r in g 11-50 by 20-50 m . w i t h a po rch

f ac in g w e s t to w ards the T ho l o s . Se v e ra l f rag m e n ts o f f l u te d Io n ic

co l u m n s o f Pe n te l ic m arbl e m ay hav e co m e f ro m the po rch . T he




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A G O R A : C E N T R E 8 I

method of construction and the associated pottery suggest a date in

the f irs t century

A D

. T he p robabiUty t ha t th is la rge temp le was

connec ted with an im per ia l cul t is s t rengthen ed by the ear l ie r d is -

covery here of a s ta tue-base dedica ted by the Cou nci l of the Areo pagus

in hon ou r of Livia Boula ia .

A somewhat la te r narrow colonnade se t aga ins t the te r race of the

Middle Stoa bordered the prec inc t on the south and a wal l running

from the nor th-eas t corner of the Tholos prec inc t to the Odeion c losed

i t on the nor th .

To recapi tula te br ie f ly the resul ts of the recent excava t ions : they

have identif ied the public buildings along the west s ide of the Agora

and hav e shown where its o ther bou ndar ies were have ma de the

am azin g discoveries of the Tem ple of Ares an d the O deio n w ithin i ts

borders hav e shown wh ere the pr inc ip a l roads and dra ins ran hav e

c leared many smal le r monuments and s ta tue bases and de te rmined the

pos i t ion of m an y works famous in ant iq ui ty .

T h e pot te ry and other smal l objec ts fou nd has ma de i t poss ible to

da te th e bui ldings accura te ly and to t race the gro wth of the c i ty f ro m

cen tury to century in de ta i l and i t seems no exaggera t ion to say th a t

the much discussed topography of the Agora has now been es tabl ished

on a sound bas is of contemporary evidence .


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