ATHENS ANCIENT AGORA

On our first day in Athens, we did a walking tour of the old town. While the Acropolis loomed above, our focus was on the ancient agora. We climbed up Muses Hill to get a stunning overview of Athens.

The expansive plateau of the ancient agora served as a gathering place for the citizens of ancient Athens to socialize and discuss contemporary issues. The term "agora" comes from the greek verb meaning "to congregate". This ancient city, with its court of law, gymnasium, temples, and "stoas," significantly contributed to humanity by fostering the ideals of citizenship, political awareness, and the foundations of democracy.

The Ancient Agora was a vibrant hub where prominent thinkers like Sophocles, Socrates, and Protagoras, among others, would convene. It was a place where ordinary citizens could engage with peers, express their concerns, and agree on solutions and actions. It embodied the principles of freedom, justice, equality, and social conscience that many in the Western world value today.

Today, this same Athenian agora offers a tranquil escape from the bustling city, featuring shady trees and a vast archaeological area leading to numerous winding paths and significant ruins. The difference in the ruins of Athens vs the ruins of Egypt was striking in that Egyptian ruins are largely intact as it lacks the seismic activity and harsh weather that has tumbled the many columns which supported the temples, altars, and other shrines of Greece.

Among the agora’s numerous temples is the Temple of Hephaestus (circa 460-415 BC) which stands as one of the best-preserved of its kind in Greece. Dedicated to Hephaistos, the patron of metalworkers, and Athena Ergane, the patroness of potters and crafts, it was constructed around the same time as the Parthenon.

The Stoa of Attalos (159-138 BC) was a meeting, walking, and business area for Athenians. It was a Hellenistic version of a mall, featuring 42 shop spaces across two levels. The stoa was destroyed in AD 267 by the invading Herulians. Its restoration occurred between 1953 and 1956 by the American chool of Classical Studies, with financial support from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. During excavations, over 160,000 items dating from Neolithic times to the 19th century were discovered.

The Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles built in the 11^th century and modified over the years, the Church of the Holy Apostles was restored to its original form between 1954 and 1956. It is the only structure in the Ancient Agora, besides the Temple of Hephaestus, to remain intact since its inception.