In the center of Athens, tucked amidst tavernas and the metro line, lies a sprawling archaeological site—the Athenian Agora—once the center of political and economic life in the city. It was here that the ancient democracy held trials, passed legislation, and, at times, decided whom to ostracize. At one point in time over 500 senators would meet in the Agora on a daily basis.
Excavations at the Agora have been underway for well over 100 years, and they continue today. This means that thousands of years of history have been unearthed, bit by bit, revealing not just magnificent marble monuments, but also the everyday minutiae— the loom weights and ballots of the ancient Athenians. Puzzling all of these pieces together to format a full picture of the ancient Greek democracy, and the times before and after it, is delicate and complicated archaeological work.
We spoke with John Papadopoulos, director of the Agora excavations, about what the site was like in its prime, who frequented it, how ancient democracy functioned,—and what new discoveries are being made today. He also shared why he’s the first excavation director to publish plastic findings.
