Kos Ancient Agora

Location: Town

The Ancient Agora is an imposing excavation area where a number of temples, baths, and houses with remnants of mosaics have been brought to light. In ancient cities, the Agora (the marketplace) was not only the commercial but also the social center of the town; the Agora of Kos, in particular, was constructed in the 4th century BC and is one of the largest that have been excavated in Greece so far.

The Agora belongs to the wider archaeological zone of the port, and the part that is visible today covers an overall surface of 12,464 square meters. It was made up of three main arcades which formed a spacious outdoor courtyard; the northern arcade connected the Agora with the city walls, while the other two, the eastern and the western ones, housed a variety of workshops and commercial establishments. The southern side was occupied by a large building, estimated to have been around 300 meters long.

To the east of the Agora lie the remnants of the ancient town, built according to the Hippodamian plan, with wide streets and carefully designed housing blocks (insulae). However, it is remarkable that the greatest part of the ancient Agora still lies buried beneath the modern town.

As the island was often hit by tremendous earthquakes, various construction phases can be discerned among the ancient ruins. The earliest buildings were mostly made of limestone, while the ones that succeeded them in the 2nd century BC were monumental marble edifices that gave the city a majestic aspect. During the Roman times, the Agora and the housing blocks were reconstructed, while thermae and a theater were also added. The final blow was dealt by the earthquake of 469 AD, which marked the end of the ancient city of Kos and the beginning of the early Christian times.

Excavations began in 1933, after the town was leveled by an earthquake, and they were conducted by the Italian Archaeological School. Restoration works were also carried out as soon as the excavations were over, so visitors can see the remnants of two sanctuaries dedicated to Aphrodite and Hercules, as well as parts of the walls and the Hellenistic housing blocks.

One way of accessing the Agora is through the so-called street of the bars, the hub of the town’s nightlife, so the late evening is a great time for a visit.