GREECE PELOPONNESE ARGOLIS ARGOS AGORA

Across the street from the theatre and the thermae are the remains of the ancient Argive agora. Its building programme was started in the 5th century BC and completed by the end of the 4th century BC. During Roman times, many of the existing buildings were altered in shape and function, mostly into shops and fountains, but the traveller Pausanias still saw 18 temples here in the 2nd century AD. Today, the site is not attracting many visitors.

Above: Remains of the heroon of the 4th century AD, characterized by eight limestone landmarks placed there in secondary use. An inscription refers to heroes that campaigned under the leadership of the Argive king Adrastos against Thebes. Behind that is the tholos of the first century AD that was raised over the underground crypt of an earlier building. Built entirely of marble, it was converted into a Nymphaion at the end of the second century AD, to which the inscription (below) refers.

Above left: Part of the drain of the agora. The late archaic open drain pipe for diverting the rainwater was replace by a closed circuit in the 4th century BC. - Above right and below: In 450-425 BC a large oblong building was erected, framed by three galleries surrounding an internal columned courtyard of 59 x 11 m. In the first century AD, a palaestra was installed here. The public character of this area, but also of the entire agora, was suppressed in the 4th century AD, when private residences and workshops were built.