Description

The center of political and commercial interaction in the Ancient Greek polis was the agora The word essentially means a gathering place or an open space and in all Greek city states the agora was central to all aspects of daily life and commerce As the agora developed as a civic space particularly from the 6th century BCE onward in Athens the architectural splendor of the buildings associated with it became an ever more obvious demonstration of the power and glory of Athenian democracy In its earliest forms an agora in maritime cities was invariably situated near the sea while in inland urban centers it was usually located at the foot of the hill that normally provided the citys ultimate defense The agora was always the oldest part of any city and as such and as well as being the commercial hub of the area also became the center of the religious and political life of the polis In Homers time an agora might have seats for the comfort of the citizens that had assembled to consult with one another The citys oldest sanctuaries were always located either in or very close to the agora itself and the first festive games were held in its open space