On Day 1 before visiting Acropolis Museum and on day 2 before visiting Acropolis, we have visited The Ancient Agora and then Roman agora as well as Kerameikos Archological site.
Agoras played a crucial role in ancient Athens as bustling marketplaces and social gathering spaces. They were the epicenter of economic, political, and cultural activities. Agoras were not only places for trade, but also served as meeting points for citizens to discuss and debate various topics, including politics, philosophy, and social issues. Additionally, agoras were home to important civic buildings, such as the Bouleuterion (council chamber) and the Stoa (covered walkway), where governmental and judicial matters were conducted. Overall, agoras were vital in promoting civic engagement and fostering a sense of community among the citizens of ancient Athens.
The Ancient Agora (Αρχαία Αγορά Αθηνών) archeological site

The Ancient Agora of Athens was the center of urban life in Classical Athens. Built around 500 BCE, the Agora was a vast marketplace and public meeting ground for the citizens of Athens. It was here that the legendary Pericles gave his influential speeches, and the city’s most important meetings and civic gatherings were held. In addition to the marketplace, the Agora featured the Temple of Hephaestus, the Stoa of Attalus, the Bouleuterion (council house), and other government and religious buildings. By the 4th century BCE, the Agora was filled with statues, monuments, and other works of art. It was sacked by the Roman general Sulla in 86 BCE and subsequently went into decline.
Odeon of Agrippa (Ωδείο του Αγρίππα) in Ancient Agora
Odeon of Agrippa (Ωδείο του Αγρίππα) was originally built in 15 BC by Marcus Agrippa, the son-in-law of the Roman Emperor Augustus. It was one of the largest public entertainment buildings of its kind, with seating capacity for up to 3,000 spectators. Agrippa built it in the area now known as the Upper Agora at Athens. It served primarily as a venue for musical entertainment and competitions but also hosted lectures, theatrical performances, gladiator fights, and other events.


After its destruction in the 2nd century BC by a fire, the Odeon was rebuilt by Hadrian in the late 1st century AD and given its modern facades. This version of the Odeon had a horseshoe-shaped auditorium enclosed by a semi-circular portico featuring Ionic columns. It was one of the most impressive buildings in the area, with additional features such as an orchestra room and a freestanding altar for sacrifices and offerings.
Throughout its history, the Odeon of Agrippa served not only as an entertainment venue but also as a place of worship for Greek gods such as Apollo, Dionysus, and Zeus. In addition, it was used as a lecture hall by famous scholars such as Aristotle and Plato.

The Triton statue is one of four pedestals located outside of the Odeon of Agrippa, which represented an auditorium in Ancient Rome built in 15 BC and destroyed by the Heruli in 267 AD. The fishtailed merman statue was carved between 150 – 175 AD. The ruins of the Odeon of Agrippa can be found in the centre of the Ancient Agora and are marked by a stone wall.

The statue of Socrates and Confucius in the ancient agora in Athens is a symbol of the cultural exchange and mutual influence between Ancient Greece and Ancient China, which was unveiled in 2021 to commemorate 50 year lasting China-Greece diplomatic relations
Socrates was an influential philosopher in Ancient Greece who lived from 469 to 399 BCE. He is considered one of the founders of Western philosophy and is renowned for his Socratic method of questioning and his teachings on ethics and virtue. Socrates emphasized the importance of self-knowledge, critical thinking, and questioning assumptions. He was known for challenging the established beliefs and social norms of Athenian society, which ultimately led to his trial and execution.
Confucius, on the other hand, was a Chinese philosopher who lived from 551 to 479 BCE. He is the most famous thinker in Chinese history and his teachings have had a profound influence on Chinese culture and society. Confucius emphasised the importance of morality, social harmony, and filial piety.
The statue of Socrates and Confucius in the ancient agora in Athens represents the cultural exchange and intellectual connections between Ancient Greece and Ancient China. It symbolises the shared values of critical thinking, self-improvement, and moral principles that both philosophers advocated and location chosen as Ancient Agora, which was a central gathering place for social, political, and commercial activities in Ancient Greece.

Hadrian, who later became the Roman emperor, spent a significant amount of time in Athens before his rise to power. He had a deep love for Greek culture and was admired by the Athenian elite, who named him archon eponymus. As emperor, Hadrian continued to prioritize Greece, spending much of his reign touring the provinces and sponsoring the completion of the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens. He also established the Panhellenion, a federation of Greek cities, with Athens as its center. Hadrian’s portraits reflect his love for Greek ideals, deviating from the traditional veristic style of Roman portraiture and showcasing youthful athleticism and beauty akin to Greek idealism. He also adopted distinct Greek features, such as long curly hair and a tight beard, becoming the first emperor to do so.
The Temple of Hephaestus (Ναός του Ηφαίστου) in Ancient Agora
The Temple of Hephaestus is a Doric temple located in the Agora of Athens, Greece. It is dedicated to the Greek god of fire and metalworking, Hephaestus. It is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple, and one of the few surviving examples of a Doric Temple of the 5th-century BC.
The temple was built in 449 BCE, and was designed by the architect Ictinus. It was built with poros limestone and is believed to have been Byzantine in the 7th and 8th centuries. The statue is of the god Hephaestus himself, the only statue inside the cella. It remains one of the most visited ruins in Athens, and is still used regularly for religious ceremonies.
The temple was used as a Christian church up until the 19th century, when it was abandoned. In 1952, it began its restoration project, and since then has been open to the public, who can still marvel at the amazing architecture and artifacts.



Altar of Aphrodite Urania (Βωμός Αφροδίτης Ουρανίας) in Ancient Agora
The cult of Aphrodite Urania, the celestial form of the goddess Aphrodite, began in Athens in the 4th century BCE, when the first temple to her was constructed on the Acropolis. This original temple was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC, however the tradition of the cult was continued and in the following centuries, new temples to the deity were constructed, most prominently on the Areopagus Hill in the Agora district of Athens was constructed in early 5th century BC. The cult of Aphrodite Urania was particularly favoured by the wealthy and powerful families of Athens and became an important part of religious life in the city. Within the temple complex, sacred rites involving the goddess, her consorts, and a flock of sacred white birds were held. There were also statues of Aphrodite Urania and her consorts adorning the site. By the 2nd century CE, the cult of the goddess had waned in popularity, and the temple was abandoned and eventually destroyed.
Unfortunately, due to misguiding of one of the workers we didn’t see it. It is inside of Agora, just behind other ruins and there was no obvious path to it.
Stoa of Attalos (Στοά Αττάλου) in Ancient Agora






The Stoa of Attalos is an ancient covered walkway in the Agora of Athens, Greece, originally built by King Attalos II of Pergamon. It was reconstructed from 1952 to 1956 by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and currently houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora. It is 115 by 20 metres (377 by 66 ft) and is made of Pentelic marble and limestone. It is two stories high and was built in a combination of architectural orders. The Doric order was used for the exterior colonnade on the ground floor and Ionic for the interior colonnade, while the first floor was Ionic on the exterior colonnade and Pergamene on the interior. It had 42 closed rooms at the rear on the ground floor which served as shops. The spacious colonnades were used as a covered promenade. It was funded by Attalos II as a gift to the city of Athens, and was in frequent use until its woodwork was burned by the Heruli in AD 267. Its ruins became part of a fortification wall, which made it visible in modern times. It was reconstructed by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens in 1952-1956 and was dedicated in 1956. Its second story was refurbished and reopened in 2012.The Stoa is now used as a museum to house archaeological finds and also hosted the signing of the 2003 Treaty of Accession of 10 countries to the European Union.
Roman Forum of Athens aka Roman Agora (Ρωμαϊκή Αγορά Αθηνών)
The Roman Agora was constructed by the Romans during their rule over Greece, around the 1st century BC. The purpose of the Roman Agora was to serve as a marketplace and a social gathering place for the people of Athens.


The Roman Agora was built adjacent to the more famous Ancient Agora, which was the main marketplace during the Classical period. The Roman Agora was built as a way to expand and modernise the commercial activities in Athens. Also, it had several notable structures, including the Tower of the Winds. This impressive tower acted as a clock, weather vane, and water clock, and still stands to this day, making it one of the most well-preserved ancient buildings in Athens. Furthermore, the Roman Agora was also home to a number of temples and religious buildings, including the Temple of Zeus and the Gate of Athena Archegetis. These structures were important for the religious practices and rituals of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Over time, the Roman Agora fell into disuse and was eventually abandoned. It was later rediscovered and excavated by archaeologists in the 19th century, revealing the rich history and architectural beauty of the site.




Hadrian’s Library, also known as the Library of Hadrian, is an ancient Roman structur in the Roman agora or marketplace. It was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD and served as a center for knowledge and learning.
The library was constructed in 132 AD during Hadrian’s visit to Athens. It was not only a library but also a cultural complex that included reading rooms, lecture halls, and gardens. The structure covered an area of approximately 9,000 square meters and was built on the site previously occupied by a residential district and the Gymnasium of Ptolemy.
The architectural style of Hadrian’s Library was a fusion of Roman and Greek elements. It featured a rectangular shape with a colonnaded courtyard surrounded by a two-story portico. The facade of the library was adorned with Corinthian columns and statues, including those of Greek philosophers and poets.
The library housed a vast collection of manuscripts and scrolls, making it one of the largest libraries of the ancient world. Scholars and students from different parts of the Roman Empire flocked to the library to access its extensive collection. The interior of the library had reading niches and shelves where the scrolls were stored. In addition to its function as a library, it also served as a cultural and educational centre.
Unfortunately, over time, the library fell into disrepair. The decline of the Roman Empire and invasions by various tribes led to the abandonment and destruction of the library. It was eventually transformed into a Christian church in the 7th century AD, and later used as a residential area during the Ottoman period.




In the early 5th century, the Ancient Agora of Athens was renowned for its grandeur and lavish ornamentation. The buildings within the Athenian Agora were adorned with marble decorations and housed famous pieces of artwork, many of them crafted from marble. Excavations of the agora revealed that it served as a significant hub for the production of marble sculptures, attracting generations of skilled marble-workers. These artisans created a diverse range of marble sculptures, including statues, reliefs, and utilitarian objects such as weights, sundials, furniture parts, and kitchen utensils. The remains of numerous marble-working establishments were discovered during the excavations, along with various unfinished sculptures and utilitarian items.

Tower of the Winds (Ωρολόγιο Ανδρονίκου Κυρρήστου) in Roman Agora
Tower of the Winds (Ωρολόγιο Ανδρονίκου Κυρρήστου) is an octagonal marble clock tower built during the 1st century BC. Its purpose was to act as a time-telling device, using sundials and wind vanes, as well as a water clock. It stands at an impressive eight metres tall and it has become a lasting symbol of the ancient world. The tower is a significant monument, representing the power of Athenian knowledge and technology at the time. It has inspired many works of architecture both modern and ancient, and is even featured on the Greek 100 Euro note.

Archaeological Site of Kerameikos (Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος Κεραμεικού)
Kerameikos is an ancient site in Athens, Greece, located on the western bank of the Eridanos River. The site was first settled in the Early Neolithic Period in the 5th millennium BC, and it served as an important cemetery for several centuries. The city of Athens was established in the 7th century BC on the east bank of the Eridanos, near the Acropolis. During this period, Kerameikos became a walled settlement and was part of an extensive trading network between Athens and its coastal colonies.
In 490 BC, Kerameikos was the site of the Battle of Marathon. During this attack, the Persians were defeated by a small force of Athenian hoplites. In 420 BC, during the Peloponnesian War, the Spartans destroyed Kerameikos, burning most of its buildings and looting the cemetery.
Around 396-395 BC, a large defensive wall was built around Kerameikos. This wall enclosed the whole site, which included an Agora, temples, and various other monuments. Many of these monuments have been unearthed by archaeologists including the Dipylon Gate, a monumental gateway to the city, and the Lion Gate, decorated with two terracotta lions.

In Roman times, Kerameikos was known as one of the most important cemeteries in Athens and the site contains over 30,000 tombs. Many of these tombs have been excavated and found to contain interesting artefacts such as vases, inscriptions, figurines, and pottery.

The “Sacred Gate Kouros” served as a grave marker for a young Athenian aristocrat. It was placed near the “Sacred Gate,” which was the entrance to the cemetery of Kerameikos in ancient Athens. The Kouros, a type of ancient Greek statue representing a standing nude male youth, was commonly used as a funerary monument during this time.
The statue itself is a representation of a young man with a serene expression and a slight smile. It stands at around 2.14 meters tall and is made of marble. The Kouros was part of a larger monument that included a tall rectangular pillar, which has since been lost.


The “Sacred Gate Sphinx” in Kerameikos signified the entrance to the sacred area of the cemetery. In ancient Athens, Kerameikos was a prominent burial ground and also served as a place for public gatherings and religious ceremonies. The Sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human or animal, was often associated with mystery, guardianship, and protection. The presence of the Sacred Gate Sphinx at the entrance of Kerameikos conveyed the sacred nature of the site and its role as a resting place for the deceased.

The Grave Relief of Demetria and Pamphile is an ancient Greek funerary sculpture that was created during the Hellenistic period. It is believed to have been made in the 3rd century BC (325-310 BC) and was found in the region of Thessaloniki, Greece.
The relief depicts two women, Demetria and Pamphile, who are believed to be sisters or close relatives. They are shown seated side by side on a couch, with their feet resting on a footstool. Both women are elegantly dressed in flowing garments and wear intricate jewelry, showcasing their status and wealth.
Demetria is depicted on the left side of the relief, holding a small round object, possibly a mirror or a perfume flask. Pamphile is shown on the right side, holding a scroll or a book, suggesting her education and intellectual pursuits. Both women have serene expressions on their faces, reflecting their peacefulness in death.

A marble loutrophoros (in greel “carrying water for a bath”) is a Greek vessel used for carrying water in funerary and bridal rituals. The name comes from Greek words meaning “bath” and “to carry.” In ancient Athens, these vessels were buried with those who died while engaged. Some loutrophoros were bottomless, potentially used for grave rituals and allowing offerings to reach the deceased. Loutrophoros can also be featured as a motif on Greek tombstones, either in relief or as a stone vessel.


The Bull from the Grave of Dionysios of Kollytos is a magnificent ancient Greek funerary sculpture that was discovered in the Ancient Cemetery of Kerameikos in Athens. It dates back to the 4th century BC (480 – 330 BCE) and is considered one of the finest examples of ancient Greek art.
The sculpture depicts a life-sized bull, standing on its four legs with its head turned to the side. It is made of Pentelic marble and showcases an incredible level of detail and naturalism. The sculptor skillfully captured the muscularity and power of the animal, as well as its serene and dignified expression.
The bull is adorned with a decorative collar, featuring intricate patterns and motifs. This collar is believed to represent the honour and status of the deceased individual, Dionysios of Kollytos, for whom the sculpture was made. The fact that the bull is depicted in a calm and placid manner suggests that it was intended to symbolise the peaceful afterlife and the deceased’s transition into the realm of the dead.

A concrete replica of the marble bull that was originally located in the tomb enclosure of Dionysios, son of Alphinos, from the deme of Kollytos, can be found at the Kerameikos cemetery.
The visitors in Kerameikos can explore the remains of ancient structures, such as the Dipylon Gate, which served as the principal entrance to Athens. Other ruins include sections of the city walls, public buildings, and tombs.

