Ancient Agora

North-west side

The Altar of the Twelve Gods

This rectangular altar, enclosed in a peribolos wall (a wall that enclosed sacred areas), is near the north end of the Agora.

It was identified by an inscribed marble statue base found on the west side of the peribolos wall. The original altar was built in 522/21 BC by Peisistratos and it was rebuilt in 425 BC to repair damage suffered in the Persian invasion of 480/79 BC. The altar was used as the central point for measuring road distances. From the 5th century BC, the altar became associated with the Goddess of Pity, probably because the enclosed area served as a place of asylum. A round marble altar of the 4th century BC may also have been in the sanctuary.

A low poros wall (peribolos) enclosed the altar. The wall consisted of poros slabs and posts. There were two entrances located in the middle of the east and west sides. Trees or shrubs were planted within the enclosure, around the altar. There were also a few stone water basins.

The north and south sides of the original enclosure measured 9.35 m (30.6 ft) and the east and west sides 9.86 m (32.35 ft). When the enclosure was restored around 425 BC, its north and south sides were shortened to 9.05 m (29.69 ft). Only one of the corners is visible today. The rest of the structure has been excavated but has since been covered by railway tracks. As the Altar of the Twelve Gods was almost in the middle of the Agora, it was considered to be the city centre.

Temple of Ares

The foundations of the Temple and altar of Ares are situated in the middle of the Agora’s open square, north of the Odeion of Agrippa. The marble Doric temple was built ca. 430 BC. It was modeled on the architectural type of the Temple of Hephaestus (Hephaisteion).

The temple was originally founded elsewhere, possibly at Acharnai on the slopes of Mount Parnis, but was dismantled and transferred in about 15 BC to the Agora where it was set up on new foundations.

Together with the south-east and south-west temples, it belongs to the distinctive building program during the reign of Augustus when many fine examples of Classical architecture were transferred to the Agora, mostly for the purpose of serving imperial cults.

Temple of Apollo Patroos

The temple, dedicated to Apollo, was erected between 340 and 320 BC. It was a small temple built according to the Ionic order and its name Patroos, which means Father, refers to the god Apollo, who was worshipped as the founder of the Ionian nation. The cult statue of the god stood inside the cella and it was sculptured by Euphranor.

Under this temple are the remains of a smaller, apsidal Temple of Apollo (6th century BC). The earlier temple was probably destroyed by the Persians in 480/79 BC.

The temple contained a pronaos (the inner area of the portico), a cella (the inner chamber of a temple and an adyton (inner sanctuary) to the north. According to Pausanias there were three statues of Apollo inside the temple. The cult statue of the god was a work by the sculptor Euphranor. It is identified with the statue of Apollo Kitharodos found in the area and exhibited in the Ancient Agora Museum.  The statue of Apollo Alexikakos was made by the sculptor Kalamis and another one by Leochares.

In front of the adyton of the temple are the remains of a small temple (5,20 m by 3,65 m – 17 ft by 11.97 ft) which has been dated to the mid-4th century BC and identified as the Temple of Zeus Phratrios and Athena Pharatria, both protectors of the Athenian phratries (brotherhoods).

The Arsenal

The arsenal is situated at the feet of the Agoraios Kolonos hill, to the northeast of the Hephaisteion. The foundations of the large rectangular building (17,6 m by 44,4 m – 57.74 ft by 145.66 ft) have been preserved and dated to the beginning of the 3rd century BC.

Its interior was divided in three naves with two rows of eight pillars that supported the walls and the wooden roof of the building. It was used as a space for the safekeeping of weapons and other military material. It is also possible that the oil destined for the winners of the Panathinaic Games was kept here.

The statue of Hadrian

A slightly larger than life-size statue of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) sited in the eastern portion of the Ancient Agora faces the government buildings to the west. Hadrian was a great lover of Greek culture and rebuilt and added many structures to Athens.

This statue was originally placed in the Stoa of Zeus. The chest piece that he wears is called a cuirass. Note the children Romulus and Remus that are sucking the wolf. Romulus and Remus are legendary twins who, after being abandoned, were suckled by a wolf and in adulthood founded the city of Rome. Thus the wolf and twins evokes the memory of (the founding of) Rome.

The goddess of Athens - Athena - stands upon the wolf, indicating how Hadrian viewed Greek culture as being supported by Rome.