The State Agora
(Upper Agora)
The
first agora was built in the 6th century B.C. in Hellenistic
style which is buried approximately 2m below the
present Agora today. The information
about this one was obtained from drillings. The
present one was also built during the
Hellenistic ages (approximately 1st century
B.C.) together with the square shaped temple.
The temple was demolished totally during the
following ages and never being built again.
The place mainly consisted of a large open space (160m x 56m) on the right hand side of the museum entrance. It was located next to a marble road on the mountain side. This large space was surrounded by the Varius Bath, the Basilica, the Odeion, the Prytaneion, Pollio Fountain, Gaius Laecanius Fountain and the Domitian Temple. The temple in the middle was suggested to be Isis temple but recent findings suggest that it was most likely Augustus temple. About 3m below the surface a road surrounding the Panayir mountain was found alongside the tombs. One of these tombs are on display in the Ephesus museum today. The north and eastern stoas remained in good shape till today. The final renovations were done by Emperor Theodusius between 379-395 A.D. |