The Roman Agora in Athens, Greece

On August 18, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Greece1 Comment

One of the sites that is included when you buy the multi-ticket for the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, is the Roman Agora. There is also the Ancient Agora, also known as the Agora of Athens, but the Roman Agora is smaller, yet still interesting. An agora is an open space that is used for markets and public gatherings. The Roman Agora was originally built in the 1st century BC and contains several interesting structures.

Tower of the Winds Surrounded by Ancient Columns

One of the most interesting structures on the site is the Tower of the Winds, which is an ancient clock tower. There is a sun dial, wind vane, and water clock that have been excavated by archeologists and the structure is quite fascinating. It is unclear if the tower was built prior to the agora or was added afterwards. On the inside of the tower, you can see where the water entered, having traveled down from the Acropolis, making its way to the center of the tower to be used as a water clock. Wooden beams support the marble roof, which is adorned with classical figures on the exterior.

Another interesting feature of the Roman Agora is the Gate of Athena Archegetis. It is the first ruin that you see as you enter the complex and makes for a dramatic entranceway. The grounds of the agora have a variety of ancient columns and even pottery scattered along the walkways. The site itself is not very large and everything can be seen in about 30 minutes. There are a few outdoor restaurants that line the gates surrounding the Roman Agora and we stopped to have a refreshing drink and a few appetizers.

We truly enjoyed visiting the Roman Agora and it was very interesting. If we hadn’t bought the bundled ticket, we probably wouldn’t have paid the entrance fee to visit the site. You can see much of it just by walking around the gates and looking at the ruins, but it was definitely worth it to see inside of the Tower of the Winds. We highly recommend buying the multi-ticket when visiting the Acropolis, which gives you access to the Ancient Agora, the Acropolis, the Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, and more.

The Agora of Athens

On June 16, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Greece13 Comments

Obviously the highlight of any visit to Athens, Greece, probably starts with the Acropolis, but there is so much more to see in this wonderful city. For us, our second favorite location was the Agora of Athens with the Temple of Hephaestus. The agora was a gathering place for the people of ancient Greece and contains many different structures. It is truly a fascinating place to walk and imagine yourself discussing philosophy or the benefits of a democratic society. When you go to the Acropolis, you can buy a bundled ticket that includes other attractions, including the agora, which makes it well worth the extra money as it will save you money in the long run.

The Temple of Hephaestus, which sits high upon a hill looking over the agora, is one of the best preserved ancient temples in all of Greece. One of the reasons that it is so well preserved is that it had been in continual use for more than two thousand years, even serving as a Greek Orthodox church until the early 1800’s. Hephaestus was the god of metal working, craftsmanship, and fire, perhaps a fitting choice for it to have remained in almost its original condition.

There are so many fascinating ruins to see as you walk through the agora including several statues such as the remaining torso of a statue of Roman Emperor Hadrian. The ancient roads can still be detected as you walk among the ancient ruins. There is also the Museum of the Agora on the grounds, which displays some interesting pieces that have been unearthed during the excavation of the site.

Some people may feel that they have had their fill of ancient ruins and temples after visiting the Acropolis, but we feel that it is well worth taking the time to visit the other sights that Athens has to offer. At least during our visit, there were less tourists at places like the agora and it made walking among those ruins that much more enjoyable. We found the Agora of Athens to be an almost magical place with so much history and so many artifacts that it can a little overwhelming.

Making Sense of a Complex World

On June 13, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge3 Comments

Since the beginning of mankind, we have all struggled to make sense of the world around us. It is in our human nature to try and make order out of the chaos that is our world. It is as true today as it was during the dawn of time, although the source of the chaos might be different. In the beginning, it was the struggle to make sense of the natural world, such as the rotation of the heavens and the changing of the seasons. Today’s world is as complex and seemingly uncontrollable as at any time during our history, but that doesn’t stop our rational minds from trying to preserve a sense of normalcy in our daily lives. This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge is about Order. From the ancient Pueblo people who created Mesa Verde here in western United States, to the ancestors of the Incas in South America, to the middle ages of Europe, there are plenty of examples of people trying to make sense of and create order out of our complex and ever changing world.

The ancient Pueblo people built kivas and painted stories of their creation as they believed that they came from the center of the earth. They held rituals and celebrated around a ceremonial hole in the kiva that symbolized their access to the world of their ancestors.

In the middle ages, we were able to create more sophisticated devices to measure time and understand the movements of the heavens. The astronomical clock in Prague is an excellent example of man trying to gain control and predictability over their natural world.

Standing on an Astronomical Observatory in Incallajta

Long before there were clocks and timepieces, the ancient people of South America had been observing the movements of the starts and had created calendars that predicted the seasons and the days of the year.