Stoa Basileios

The Stoa Basil is a building on the Agora of Athens.

Identification

In 1970, during excavations in the northwest corner of the Agora, the remains of the so-called Königsstoa, the Stoa Basil found. Scientists agree that it is at the foundation and the remains of walls around the Stoa Basil. Pausanias 1, 3, 1 handed their location as part of its unique Directions while walking around the Agora; he writes: " To the right is first the " Royal Stoa " the seat of the" King " of the so-called " Royal Office Furthermore, they found two inscriptions of officials who held the office of archon basileus " holds for a year. ". They left the stones during or shortly after their term of office building and thus made ​​a clear identification of the Königsstoa possible.

Dating

When the Stoa Basil was built is unclear. The problem is that the architectural features of the Doric columns of the Doric frieze and to the 6th century BC can close. The foundation of the hall, however, pottery was found, which was prepared earlier in the 5th century BC. It is now expected that the Stoa Basil was first built in the 6th century BC, destroyed in the storm Persians of 480 and was subsequently rebuilt.

Appearance

The external appearance of Königsstoa is dominated by eight Doric columns at the front. The front of the Stoa is oriented east toward Panathenaic road. The sides are closed, so that only the front side is opened to the columns. The roof was supported in the center of the Stoa of four Doric columns. According to Pausanias, " stand [ on the tiled roof of the Stoa ] Statues of baked earth: Theseus, who Skiron crashes into the sea, and Hemera, the Cephalus bears. " These statues were located at the two ends of the roof. The walls of the Stoa are made of massive limestone blocks. One of the exterior walls has been preserved up to three layers of stone high. The tiled roof of the Stoa Basil were made of terracotta. The Stoa was 18 meters long and 7.50 meters wide. While the Stoics Basil BC was still isolated in the 6th century, the south adjacent Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios was built later. Northeast on the other side of the road built by the Athenians the Stoa Poecile. Before the Stoa Basil is a sacrificial stone, had to take on the Archons prior to assuming their oath. In the 3rd century BC, before the Stoa Basileios a statue of Themis, goddess of justice, built. Furthermore, were grown at the two ends of the Stoa wing, possibly to create more space for the placement of tables of the law.

Use

The Government of the ancient Athenian democracy was formed by nine archons: the archon Eponymos, which was the most influential of the Archons and the year of its name. The Archon Basileus, who was responsible for ritual and religious matters, and the Archon Polemarchus, who was the commander of the armed forces. The remaining six archons were the so-called Thesmotheten. Their task was to document court decisions and make them available to the public.

After the reforms of 487/486 BC, the lot decided who was for a year Archon. This reform had moved large parts of the power to the strategists who were still elected. Responsible for religious affairs Archon Basileus had his seat, in the Stoa Basil. His task was the organization of religious festivals such as torch relays and Lenaea. From the Archon Basileus each the best comedies and tragedies were honored. It may seem funny from today's perspective, that a high religious official is responsible for the theater, in ancient times the drama was, however, considered sacred.

Furthermore, it fell within its competence, processes religious offenses (such impiety ) or criminal acts to conduct ( such as murder ). It was therefore the responsibility of the Archon Basileus, to conduct the preliminary investigation in the Asebieklage, the accusation of impiety against Socrates in 399 BC. This event represents as one of the most events in the Stoa Basil. At the end of the processes Socrates was sentenced to death by hemlock.

Another feature of the Stoa Basil was that in her the tablets of the law were after Solon had written the new constitution. Later new laws in the Stoa Basil were set so that the public had access to them. This is also the reason why the small hall was later enlarged by two lateral wings. The mentioned above, located in front of the Stoa 0.95 × 2.95 meters wide, unworked limestone was probably a Oathstone where officials exchanged their oath. The civil servants were required to take an oath before entering and swear that they act in the interests of the state and the laws are observed. With this oath they swore at the same time to build a golden statue, they should transgress the law. Since the stone, also called Lithos, probably older than the Stoics themselves, some scientists believe that he is the reason why the Stoa was built on the site.

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