The Late Roman Agora (after 267 AD)
After the invasion of the Heruli the city was completely destroyed. All the buildings in the Agora were burned to ground except the Temple of Hephaestus which suffered minor damages. The city wall was destroyed and Athens became a very small town. For this reason, a new, small wall was constructed in 280 AD, north of the Acropolis, the Postherulian Wall.
Aerial view of the Agora in around 500 AD. In the middle is the huge building complex, possibly a gymnasium. Down right is the Temple of Hephaestus converted into a church of St. George. On the left are the remains of the Stoa of Attalos as a part of the Postherulian Wall.
In the Agora, the central and Southern space was occupied by a huge building complex, probably a gymnasium or a palace, constructed in around 400 AD. The Tholos was repaired and in the place of the Metroon was built a Basilica (probably a jewish synagogue). In the eastern part, the east wall of the ruined Stoa of Attalus was incorporated into the new Wall. In the western part, the Temple of Hephaestus, was converted in the middle of the the 5th century into a church dedicated to St. George.
The entrance of the Gymnasium where the statues of giants and tritons stood, once a part of the late phase of the Agrippa's Odeion.
The complex from the Southeast. On the top is a square building, probably a house.
The monumental entrance of the gymnasium with the giant sculptures.
The western side of the Agora. From left to right: The Tholos after the repairs, a Basilica in the place of the Metroon and the Temple of Hephaestus as a christian church.
The Temple of Hephaestus after the conversion into a church of St. George. The christian addition is obvious between the columns.
The temple of Hephaestus after its conversion into a christian church dedicated to St. George. The ancient roof was destroyed during the invasion of 267. A new one was constructed over the cella when the conversion took place.
View from the west. In the foreground is the building complex and in the background is the Postherulian Wall with the gate.
The ruins of the Stoa of Attalos as a part of the Postherulian Wall.
The wall in the place where once stood the Stoa of Attalos. In the place of the gate was located the road between the Stoa and the Library of Pantainos.
