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Ancient
Agora Museum (Stoa of Attalos)
The Ancient Agora Museum is
housed in the restored Stoa of Attalos, a monument dated to ca.
150 BC. The museum was restored by the American School of Classical
Studies between 1953 and 1956 to house the finds from the excavations
in the Ancient Agora. In 1957 The Greek state took over the administration
and security arrangements for both the museum and the archaeological
site.
The museum’s special feature
is that its exhibits are directly related to the functions of
Athenian democracy, reflecting the role of the Ancient Agora
at the heart of the City’s public life. Among the objects
associated with Athenian civic life and dating from the 5th to
the 2nd centuries BC are a 5th century clepsydra (water clock)
used to measure the time in the law courts, 5th century ostraca
(inscribed potsherds used in voting to ostracize (expel) famous
politicians such as Themistocles and Aristeides, and 4the century
bronze ballots also used in the courts of law.
Inscriptions
from the 5th to 2nd centuries BC are also exhibited. Among these
are an inscribed stele of 337/336 BC during the period of Phyrichus’ archonship,
when the people of the city voted a new law against tyranny.
On the relief above the decree, democracy is shown crowning the
people. Also important is a marble kleroterion (a lottery device
used to randomly choose citizens for public posts) used by the
Boule (council) during the period of the twelve tribes (3rd-2nd
century BC). The military history of the city is portrayed on
an inscribed bronze shield, a trophy taken by the Athenians after
their victory over the Spartans in the battle of Sphacteria,
in 425 BC.
The Ancient Agora Museum also
houses finds that reveal the commercial life of the city such
as coins from the 6th century BC to 1831 AD , official weights
and measures as well as amphorae dating from the 6th century
BC to Byzantine times. The private life of Athenian citizens
is reflected in grave goods and large amounts of household equipment, mostly
pottery found in hundreds of excavated wells. Among the most
outstanding are:
•
an ivory pyxis (jewelry case) from a Mycenaean tomb (ca. 1400
BC) with a scene of griffins
attacking a deer
• a pair of gold earrings (ca. 850 BC)
• terracotta shoes (ca. 900 BC) from Geometric female
burials
• small terracotta animal toys found in a child’s
grave of the 4th century AD.
Among the objects of private
life are numerous finds from wells, deposits, burials, workshops
and shrines. They include
•
terracotta, bronze, ivory and glass objects from the 6th
century BC to the 3rd century AD
• terracotta lamps from the 7th century BC to the 11th
century AD
•
Byzantine and Ottoman period ceramics (10th/12th to the
17th century)
Important exhibits in the Ancient
Agora Museum include various ceramic containers from the 6th
century AD, in particular an aryballos (a small flask with a
narrow neck) in the form of a kneeling athlete who binds the
victor’s ribbon around his head (ca. 530 BC), a red-figure
kylix (drinking cup) by Gorgos (ca. 500 BC) and a black-figure
krater by Exekias showing a Hermes scene (ca. 530 BC).
Around the peristyle of the
ground- and upper floors one can see statues and architectural
elements from the 6th century BC to the 3rd century AD. Standing
out are:
•
a bronze Nike head, once gilded with inlaid eyes (ca.425 BC)
• a marble statue of a winged Nike, possibly an acroterion
of the Stoa of Eleutherios (ca.
415 BC)
• a Nereid statue that is reminiscent of the style of
the sculptor Timotheos (ca. 400 BC) and
which probably was an acroterion of a temple roof
• a fragment of a victory relief in an equestrian contest
(ca. 360 BC)
• a marble female bust (late 2nd century AD)
• a herm of a sleepy Silenus (late 2nd century AD)
The Ancient Agora Museum has
some outstanding sculptures: the statue of Apollo Patroos, a
colossal cult statue by Euphranor (ca. 330 BC) as well as the
allegorical female figure of monumental dimensions, either Themis
or Democracy, set up in front of the Royal Stoa (ca. 330 BC).
Inscriptions
from the 5th to 2nd centuries BC are also exhibited. Among these
are an inscribed stele of 337/336 BC during the period of Phyrichus’ archonship,
when the people of the city voted a new law against tyranny.
On the relief above the decree, democracy is shown crowning the
people. Also important is a marble kleroterion (a lottery device
used to randomly choose citizens for public posts) used by the
Boule (council) during the period of the twelve tribes (3rd-2nd
century BC). The military history of the city is portrayed on
an inscribed bronze shield, a trophy taken by the Athenians after
their victory over the Spartans in the battle of Sphacteria,
in 425 BC.
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