On the Agora : The Evolution of a Public Space in Hellenistic and Roman Greece (c. 323 BC – 267 AD)

On the Agora is an innovative study of the transformation of the Greeks' most important public space for the period from the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) to the height of the Roman Empire (c. 200 AD). ‎Contents 7 ‎List of Figures 11 ‎Preface and Acknowledgements 14 ‎Introduction 19 ‎1. What Exactly was an Agora? 21 ‎2. An Overview of Modern Agora Scholarship 34 ‎3. Modern Assumptions and Prejudices 44 ‎4. The Evidence 50 ‎5. The Archaeological Evidence 50 ‎6. Literary Sources 56 ‎7. Inscriptions 58 ‎8. Outline of the Book 61 ‎Key to Figures 3a–3c 64 ‎Chapter 1. The Early Hellenistic Period. 323BC–197BC 68 ‎1.1. Introduction to the Period 68 ‎1.2. Pella and the Earliest Peristyle Agora 75 ‎1.3. Agoras in New Hellenistic Cities and the Move toward Multiple Agoras 80 ‎1.4. Stoas and the Increasing Demarcation of Space 87 ‎1.5. Monumental Entrances 105 ‎1.6. Political Buildings on the Agora 106 ‎1.7. Fountain Houses 113 ‎1.8. Space for the Gods 115 ‎1.9. The Agora in Relation to Other Public Spaces—Theatres and Gymnasia 127 ‎1.10. Excursus—the Names Given to Theatre-Like Buildings 131 ‎1.11. The Different Elements Brought Together—the Agora of Kassope in Epiros 134 ‎1.12. Conclusion 137 ‎Chapter 2. The Late Hellenistic Period. 197BC–31BC 140 ‎2.1. Introduction to the Period 140 ‎2.2. Messene and the Division of Commercial and Political Space 148 ‎2.3. Redesigning the Athenian Agora 160 ‎2.4. The Function of the New South Square at Athens 170 ‎2.5. Bemata at Athens and Elsewhere—Roman Influence on Greek Public Space 175 ‎2.6. The Stoa of Attalos—Cutting the Classical Agora in Two 188 ‎2.7. A Commercial Agora in Late Hellenistic Athens 197 ‎2.8. The Separation of Politics and Commerce in Hellenistic Athens—Some Final Considerations 204 ‎2.9. The Redevelopment of the Agora at Thasos 207 ‎2.10. The Prow Monument at Thasos—Statue Base or Speaker’s Platform? 212 ‎2.11. Conclusion 217 ‎Chapter 3. The Early Imperial Period. 31BC–97AD 220 ‎3.1. Introduction to the Period 220 ‎3.2. Roman Cities on Greek Soil 228 ‎3.3. Roman Corinth—the Capital of Achaia 233 ‎3.4. The Earliest Buildings on the Corinthian Forum 240 ‎3.5. Separate Market Buildings: (i) The Roman Agora at Athens 255 ‎3.6. Separate Market Buildings: (ii) the Bigger Picture 271 ‎3.7. Odeia and Theatre-Like Buildings: (i) the Odeion of Agrippa at Athens 276 ‎3.8. Odeia and Theatre-Like Buildings: (ii) Other Greek Cities 282 ‎3.9. Argos—Agora or Sporting Centre? 285 ‎3.10. Temples and Religious Buildings 289 ‎3.11. Political Buildings 305 ‎3.12. The Purported End of the Athenian Bema 310 ‎3.13. Public Squares and Meetings under the Empire—the View from Rome 317 ‎3.14. Bemata on the Forums and Agoras of Greece 326 ‎3.15. The Altar of “Zeus Agoraios” at Athens 335 ‎3.16. Enclosure and Tidying Up 342 ‎3.17. Conclusions 347 ‎Chapter 4. The High Imperial Period. 97AD–267AD 351 ‎4.1. Introduction to the Period 351 ‎4.2. Enclosing Space, Controlling Entrance and Increasing Monumentality 361 ‎4.3. Assessing the Impact of Enclosure 372 ‎4.4. Other Signs of Monumentality 377 ‎4.5. Nymphaea and Other Water Installations 381 ‎4.6. Agoras as Spaces for Culture 388 ‎4.7. Politics and Commerce—the Final Separation of Function? 395 ‎4.8. Conclusion 407 ‎Chapter 5. Conclusion 411 ‎C.1. The Agora as a Museum 414 ‎C.2. Where Now for the Greek Agora? 419 ‎Bibliography 423 ‎General Index 473 ‎Index of Inscriptions 490 ‎Index of Authors 492 On The Agora' Traces The Evolution Of The Main Public Square Of The Greek Polis For The Six Centuries From The Death Of Alexander The Great In 323 Bc To The Height Of The Roman Empire And The Herulian Invasion Of Greece In 267 Ad. Drawing On Literary, Epigraphic And, Especially, Archaeological Evidence, The Book Takes A Comparative Approach To Consider How The Layout And Function Of Agoras In Cities Throughout Greece Changed During Centuries That Witnessed Far Reaching Transformations In Culture, Society And Political Life. The Book Challenges The Popular View Of The Post-classical Agora As Characterised By Decline, Makes Important Arguments About How We Use Evidence To Understand Ancient Public Spaces And Proposes Many New Interpretations Of Individual Sites. Introduction -- The Early Hellenistic Period, 323 Bc-197 Bc -- The Late Hellenistic Period, 197 Bc-31 Bc -- The Early Imperial Period, 31 Bc-97 Ad -- The High Imperial Period, 97 Ad-267 Ad -- Conclusion. By Christopher P. Dickenson. Dissertation. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.