Agora: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Giuseppe Silvi
(Agora)
 
imported>Todd Coles
No edit summary
(12 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{otheruses}}
{{subpages}}


[[Image:THES-Agora East stoa.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Stoa]] of the ancient '''''agora''''' de [[Thessaloniki]]]]
An '''agora''' ({{polytonic|ἀγορά}}), meaning "marketplace" in English, was a place in an [[ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] [[polis]] or city-state that played the role of both [[market]] and also a [[forum]] for citizens. The agora was already a part of a [[city]] by the time of [[Homer]] (circa [[8th century BC]]). The agora developed with the establishment of city-states after the [[Mycenae]]an civilization fell.


[[Image:TyreAlMinaAgora.jpg|right|thumb|180px|[[Rome|Roman]] '''''agora''''' of [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]] ([[Archaeology|archeological]] sources of [[Al Mina]])]]
The most famous agora was the one in [[Athens]]. The [[Agora Open Air Museum of Izmir]] is one of the best preserved agorae in the world. An agora is often surrounded by [[colonnade]]s.


An '''agora''' (αγορά), translatable as [[marketplace]], was an essential part of an [[ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] [[polis]] or city-state. An agora acted as a marketplace and a [[Roman Forum|forum]] to the citizens of the polis. The agora arose along with the poleis after the fall of [[Mycenae]]an civilization, and were well established as a part of a city by the time of [[Homer]] (probably the [[8th century BC]]).
The word [[agoraphobia]], derives from ''agora'', and denotes a fear of public spaces, such as the marketplace.  
 
The most well-known agora is the [[Ancient Agora of Athens]]. The [[Agora Open Air Museum of Izmir]] is one of the best preserved agoras in the world.
 
The word [[agoraphobia]], the fear of critical public situations, derives from ''agora'' in its meaning as a marketplace.


Agora also means a place of assembly in any Ancient Greek state. It is sometimes used in modern language to refer to a ''crossroads'', either metaphorically (the point or concept which links, or ''is the crossroads of'' multiple related concepts), or literally, a point at which many physical roads or paths meet.
Agora also means a place of assembly in any Ancient Greek state. It is sometimes used in modern language to refer to a ''crossroads'', either metaphorically (the point or concept which links, or ''is the crossroads of'' multiple related concepts), or literally, a point at which many physical roads or paths meet.
==See also==
*[[Agoranomos]]
==External links==
*[http://www.agathe.gr Official homepage of the excavations at the Athenian Agora]
*[http://www.athensinfoguide.com/photoalbum/ancientagora/ancientagoraindex.htm Photos of the Athenian Agora]
*[http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3137A2395174CFB32E1C312D1DD2E9EA986 Official homepage of Izmir Agora Museum]
{{Ancient-Greece-stub}}
[[Category:Ancient Greece]]

Revision as of 20:57, 22 February 2009

This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

An agora (ἀγορά), meaning "marketplace" in English, was a place in an ancient Greek polis or city-state that played the role of both market and also a forum for citizens. The agora was already a part of a city by the time of Homer (circa 8th century BC). The agora developed with the establishment of city-states after the Mycenaean civilization fell.

The most famous agora was the one in Athens. The Agora Open Air Museum of Izmir is one of the best preserved agorae in the world. An agora is often surrounded by colonnades.

The word agoraphobia, derives from agora, and denotes a fear of public spaces, such as the marketplace.

Agora also means a place of assembly in any Ancient Greek state. It is sometimes used in modern language to refer to a crossroads, either metaphorically (the point or concept which links, or is the crossroads of multiple related concepts), or literally, a point at which many physical roads or paths meet.