Roman Agora of Athens
The Roman Agora of Athens, a Roman market of the 1st century BC with the monumental Gate of Athena Archegetis, near Monastiraki.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Roman Agora demonstrates the two-way relationship between Rome and Athens: the Romans conquered the city, but were charmed by the spirit of ancient Greece and took care to beautify it. The project was funded by Augustus and built between 19 and 11 BC, mainly for commercial purposes. It had a large rectangular courtyard surrounded by colonnades, shops and warehouses.
In the time of Hadrian the courtyard was paved with large marble slabs, some of which had already been used and bore texts of Marcus Aurelius. On the west side the monumental Gate of Athena Archegetis survives, with four Doric columns and a pediment of Pentelic marble. The second gateway does not lie on the same line, but is placed diagonally to the east.
The agora almost completely disappeared beneath the city’s buildings, and the only visible part was the gate, which many believed to be a temple. The British architects Stuart and Revett gave the correct interpretation on the basis of inscriptions on the taxation of olive oil merchants. To uncover it, houses were demolished, and today only about half of its original size is visible, while the rest remains buried.
Highlights
- Gate of Athena Archegetis with four Doric columns
- Large courtyard with colonnades, shops and warehouses
- Marble paving slabs from the time of Hadrian
- Roman work in the heart of the modern city
Permanent exhibition
- Ρωμαϊκή Αγορά – Tour of the courtyard, the colonnades and the Gate of Athena Archegetis.
- Operated by
- Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Πόλης Αθηνών
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5 |
Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.
Tickets are also available from the online shop tickets.hh.gr.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The site is described as accessible.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Μοναστηράκι · 2-min walk
Metro Lines 1 and 3, station “Monastiraki” (about 2 minutes on foot); buses 025 and 026, stop “Monastiraki”.
By car, the site is about 9 minutes from Syntagma Square.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
On site there is a WC.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
