Ýzmir Agora
Etymologically,
agora means Public Square and shopping district. Agora,
which has commercial, judicial and political functions,
is a place where the art activities increases, the background
of philosophy is laid out and where the stoas, monuments,
altars and statues exist.
Agora
located in Namazgah district of Ýzmir remained from Rome
Period (AD 2nd century) and it was built according to Hippodamos
city plan, in three floors, close to the centrum. Ýzmir
agora is the one which is the biggest and best protected
of the Ion agoras.
Most
part of Ýzmir agora was found with the digs carried out
by Rudolf Naumann, Professor F. Miltner and Selahattin Kantar,
the director of Ýzmir Ephesus museums between the years
1932 - 1941 and it was figured out that it is a three -
floor compound structure in rectangular form with stairs
in the front, built on columns and arches around a large
courtyard (120 x 180 m) in the middle of the building.
Recent
digs in agora begun on August 5th, 1996 with the approval
of Ministry of Culture and cooperation of Ýzmir Governor
Office and the Directorate of Archaeology Museum.
At
south east side of the agora, the area agora covered increased
to 16.590 m2 after the surrounding wall of Misak-ý Milli
Primary School, which was burnt in 1980s, was jointed to
agora. The agora studies are being carried out with the
sponsorship of Ýzmir Municipality as digging, restoration,
archaeological cleaning and environmental arrangement at
five places such as agora area, northern gate basilica bottom,
stoa and ancient shopping centre.
At
the above-mentioned studies, the most important work has
been carried out by finding the northern gate of agora.
It was figured out that the Goddess Vesta embossments found
in these digs were the continuation of embossments of Zeus
altar extracted during the first digs. Beside God Hermes,
Dionysos, Eros, Herakles statues; many man-woman-animal
statues, heads, embossments, figurines and monuments made
of marble, stone, bone, glass, metal and cooked soil were
found. The inscriptions found here give us information about
the people who aided to Ýzmir during Ýzmir earthquake in
AD 178. · Return to General Directorate of Monuments and
Museums · Return to Ýzmir Province
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