Ruin-ing-Talk: The Ancient Forum of Thessaloniki
ALL PHOTOS ARE TAKEN BY ME.
On the 2nd week of August, my husband and I went to one of the Ancient ruins around the city. A fanatic of ancient sites, I love sharing the infos, just like it is best to share the most-delicious peaches in the world to my old friends in Philippines, (it’s not like I have traveled to alot of places, haha, but, yes I found it in Thessaloniki, ^^).
I will be taking some lines or paragraphs from the brochure that was given to us at the site, because I myself can’t recall what’s in there.
For a start, you enter the site for F.R.e.E.
That day, the ground was a bit moist from last night’s rain. There was a person painting varnish on the entrance fence where an excavated area has been opened. We were met by a foreign site personnel who handed us the brochure.
Imagine this is Summer in Greece and in the news there were almost 3 million tourist in the Northern region. Thanks to the Balkan countries who do not have good beaches or no beaches at all because they come here, hehe. But amazingly, they weren’t that many that day. They’re mostly at the beach resorts. There are foreign faces roaming around the ruin set. The foreign-guide had to remind most of the site visitors not to go on “that” and “not here sir”, and “please go this way”. I did not hear any Greek language from them. Well this project is basically co-financed by the EU and the 2nd & 3rd CSF.That’s why the personnel from that site are mostly foreigners.
What is this ancient site about?
It is an ancient agora, the administrative centre of Roman Thessalonike, covered an area about 2 hectares in the heart of the city. Construction began at the end of the 2nd AD on the site of an existing agora of the Early Imperial period.
The agora complex was discovered in 1962 during excavations on the site which the Hebrard plan, after the fire of 1917, had designated for the new law courts. In 1966, under extreme pressure, the then inspector of antiquities, Fotis Petsas, restored the only intact column found there, and this initiative determined the agora’s fate, because in 1969 the area was declared an archaeological site and its name was changed from Dikastirion (Law-courts) Square to Archaias Agoras (ancient Agora) Square.
A part of a hellenistic bath has been excavated.
It was abandoned during the 5th century, transferring the city’s administrative functions to Galerius’s palace complex and the buildings in the agora were plundered of their stone or converted into rain-water cisterns.
The complex was organised around a rectangular paved area. Three sides were lined with 2-storey porticoes with a double row of Corinthian columns giving access to public spaces.
The south portico rested on a double, vaulted structure, part of which was underground (cryptoporticus).
Further south, along the entire length of the cryptoporticus, was a row of shops facing onto the ancient commercial street along what is now Philippou street.
Market Streets: (they closed the alley area so we cannot go down to see what’s in there)
Mini theater: Odeion
Entrance:
A view of the small theater from outside the site:
A view of the surrounding areas from the mini-theater (from the toppest):
Outside the wall of the mini-theater:
In 1996-97 the cryptoporticus and the odeion began to be used as venues for cultural events. At thesame time following archaeological investigations and development work, two underground spaces were opened along Olymbou Street, where the portable finds from the agora can be classified and occasional exhibitions held. There found too are refreshment rooms, lavatories, and two underground rooms have been opened.
If you have added me as FS friend, you will see more photos from the ruins that I took even days after the 1st visit. I will be putting them up in due time.
More personal pics of mine and hubby:
This blogpost is on prior editing because I’m in a hurry to publish it. Ill pick up more details Sis Ceres!
