The marketplace - Ancient Agora, Greece

Ancient Agoras, up in the hill is the Parthenon

During our visit in Athens we were amazed by the city and we tried to imagine what it was like in the days of Paul. So we looked up scripture and we explored ancient Greece!One of our trips was the Acropolis but Paul did not go directly to the high priest of the days, he went to the marketplace or what is known as Thessaloniki, the Ancient Agora.On the hill of this picture you can see the Athenian Acropolis. The building on top is the Parthenon, the temple was build to honor of their goddess Athena and was a multitasking goddess today we call that kind of woman a working woman. Athena was the goddess of war, civilization, wisdom, strength, strategy, crafts, justice and skill in Greek mythology. A huge statue was build on the hill so that the people could see her from anywhere in the city.

the ancient marketplace Agora

Scripture

Acts 17:16-18

replica of the Ancient Agora

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

idol

History

The Agora was the heart of ancient Athens, the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social activity, the religious and cultural center, and the seat of justice. The site was occupied without interruption in all periods of the city's history. It was used as a residential and burial area as early as the Late Neolithic period (3000 B.C.). Early in the 6th century, in the time of Solon, the Agora became a public area. After a series of repairs and remodeling, it reached its final rectangular form in the 2nd century B.C. Extensive building activity occurred after the serious damage made by the Persians in 480/79 B.C., by the Romans in 89 B.C. and by the Herulae in A.D. 267 while, after the Slavic invasion in A.D. 580, It was gradually abandoned. From the Byzantine period until after 1834, when Athens became the capital of the independent Greek state, the Agora was again developed as a residential area.