DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0121
CHAP. V.]
THE AGORA.
105
could however be expected here, as the Metroon and Temple of Hermes had practically
disappeared in the time of Pausanias, Zeus Lykaios never had a temple proper, and one could
hardly hope to find anything left of the Phigaleian statue of Apollo or the stele of Polybios.
There are however remains of two structures in the interior of the Agora. One of these is a
much ruined altar of conglomerate uprights on a flat course, 13 feet 10 inches square, not
oblong as was the triglyph altar to the south of the river. One may hazard the opinion that
this was part of the Hieron of Zeus, though no proof can be adduced beyond the fact that
the position is suitable. The other is a fragmentary foundation a little to the south-west of
the above, perhaps the north end of a building, of which even the foundations have disappeared
in the direction of the river. Now divided by about 10 yards are two pieces of foundation,
8 feet 2 inches by 16 feet and 7 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 10 inches. From the latter a
foundation wall runs eastwards in the shape of an arc, but breaks off without reaching the
easternmost foundation. There can be little doubt that this segment was completed, and it
remains to inquire what this semicircular foundation was. One would naturally at first suggest
a semicircular exedra such as that erected by Herodes Atticus at Olympia, and the fact that the
exedrae in the Stoa of Philip are oblong is of course no argument against this. In this case the
purpose of the structure was probably the same—viz. to serve as an ornamental front and
head of the subterranean water-courses from the hills. This would then have been the source
of supply of water to the Temenos of Zeus Soter by the tile gutter. There must anyhow
have been some means always of carrying off the water on such a site and protecting the
foundations of the building from being undermined. One other possibility is worth mentioning.
The only remaining building of the Agora mentioned by Pausanias which could have stood
here is the Bouleuterion. This Curtius represented on his plan as a simple rectangle, writing
long before the excavation of Olympia. Now may this foundation be all that is left of the
apsidal termination of a council-hall, such as we find in the complex structure at Olympia ? In
this case the building would have lain north and south, while at Olympia the council-halls lie
east and west: but there is no reason to suppose that this was as essential for a council-
chamber as a temple. Even the later of the two parallel halls at Olympia must have
been considerably earlier than this; but our knowledge of Greek secular buildings is not sufficient
to say that this style of building was impossible at a date which would suit Megalopolis. Both
these theories however have little to support them.
It will be seen from this brief account that the site is only important from an
architectural and historical point of view, the works of art having all perished. But it is no
small gain to have had an opportunity of testing the value of Pausanias’ descriptions in a new
and important field : and the result of what has been done is to establish the substantial accuracy
of that author in one more instance. His historical knowledge may be sometimes faulty : but
his merits from the point of view of topography and excavation are such that they are ever
more appreciated by those whose privilege it is to carry on researches on classic soil, while his
defects are sometimes exaggerated by those who sit and write essays about him at home.
G. C. Richards.
e E
THE AGORA.
105
could however be expected here, as the Metroon and Temple of Hermes had practically
disappeared in the time of Pausanias, Zeus Lykaios never had a temple proper, and one could
hardly hope to find anything left of the Phigaleian statue of Apollo or the stele of Polybios.
There are however remains of two structures in the interior of the Agora. One of these is a
much ruined altar of conglomerate uprights on a flat course, 13 feet 10 inches square, not
oblong as was the triglyph altar to the south of the river. One may hazard the opinion that
this was part of the Hieron of Zeus, though no proof can be adduced beyond the fact that
the position is suitable. The other is a fragmentary foundation a little to the south-west of
the above, perhaps the north end of a building, of which even the foundations have disappeared
in the direction of the river. Now divided by about 10 yards are two pieces of foundation,
8 feet 2 inches by 16 feet and 7 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 10 inches. From the latter a
foundation wall runs eastwards in the shape of an arc, but breaks off without reaching the
easternmost foundation. There can be little doubt that this segment was completed, and it
remains to inquire what this semicircular foundation was. One would naturally at first suggest
a semicircular exedra such as that erected by Herodes Atticus at Olympia, and the fact that the
exedrae in the Stoa of Philip are oblong is of course no argument against this. In this case the
purpose of the structure was probably the same—viz. to serve as an ornamental front and
head of the subterranean water-courses from the hills. This would then have been the source
of supply of water to the Temenos of Zeus Soter by the tile gutter. There must anyhow
have been some means always of carrying off the water on such a site and protecting the
foundations of the building from being undermined. One other possibility is worth mentioning.
The only remaining building of the Agora mentioned by Pausanias which could have stood
here is the Bouleuterion. This Curtius represented on his plan as a simple rectangle, writing
long before the excavation of Olympia. Now may this foundation be all that is left of the
apsidal termination of a council-hall, such as we find in the complex structure at Olympia ? In
this case the building would have lain north and south, while at Olympia the council-halls lie
east and west: but there is no reason to suppose that this was as essential for a council-
chamber as a temple. Even the later of the two parallel halls at Olympia must have
been considerably earlier than this; but our knowledge of Greek secular buildings is not sufficient
to say that this style of building was impossible at a date which would suit Megalopolis. Both
these theories however have little to support them.
It will be seen from this brief account that the site is only important from an
architectural and historical point of view, the works of art having all perished. But it is no
small gain to have had an opportunity of testing the value of Pausanias’ descriptions in a new
and important field : and the result of what has been done is to establish the substantial accuracy
of that author in one more instance. His historical knowledge may be sometimes faulty : but
his merits from the point of view of topography and excavation are such that they are ever
more appreciated by those whose privilege it is to carry on researches on classic soil, while his
defects are sometimes exaggerated by those who sit and write essays about him at home.
G. C. Richards.
e E