F
acing the Library, on your right is the area that you will view this agora which has four names: Lower, Public, Hellenistic, and Commercial Agora. It is Lower Agora because this one was one of the structures built at the lowest level of the city. It is Commercial Agora because main trading business took place at this place. It is Public Agora because public got together here for discussion of various subject negotiation of the aggreemnts, etc. During the Roman Period, such places were turned into forums where few people got together and chatted over the daily subjects. For this reason, it is thought that St. Paul is thought to have preached Christianity over here and that is why he stayed here for two-ans-a-half to three years in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. It called Hellenistic Agora because this agora was built during the Hellenistic Period (2nd century B.C.) built on an exact square form (each side measures 111 meters/364 feet).
T
his picture on the right shows the entry way from the Harbo(u)r Street to the Lower Agore which was built on a square place, as mentioned above. The shops were lined up side by side on all 4 sides with closed porticoe in front of them. In the north-western corner, there were couple of offices where the officials were trying to help the people in case of misunderstanding during the debates. But, if they could not solve the problem, then the matter was referred to the townhall for final decision.A
part from the corner of the library, if you walk on the Marble Street about 100 meters/320 feet, on your left you will see some steps and a platform. If you go on this platform, you will the same agora from some height similar to the picture at top. Somewhere in the center, there was a device called 'Herologne' which was a device to let the people their time. This device was the combination of Water-Clock and Sun-Dial.I
n the south-east corner of this agora (just next to the Library, you will see three chambers (ancient shop) are still in use. One, which close to the chain and an iron-bar, contains tool collection of chisels, hammers, clamps, etc. Especialy, in the corner on the left, there is a device which looks like a bow and an arrow: Primitive drill. They look new, but majority of them, with the exception of wooden parts, are original. Apart from the tools, there are reconstructed pictures showing how they transported heavy material, a map showing geological formation of the area.T
he second chamber next door, contains a model of St. Mary's Church and a plan of three phases of contruction of St. Mary's Church. Also there is a plan of St. John's Basilica in Selçuk.T
hen the chamber next, next to the Double Gate, was prepared for vision impaired people to go in and feel the statues and the artifacts which are all replicas.
: 21 Sep 2006/08:10 GMT |
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