The Roman forum of Athens or the Roman Agora of Athens was built around 100 metres east of the classical Greek agora by Eucles of Marathon between 27 BCE and 17 BCE (or possibly in 10 BCE according to some sources). The funds for the construction were donated by emperor Augustus, in fulfilment of a promise originally made by Julius Caesar in 51 BCE.

Although the Roman Agora, also known as the Market of Caesar and Augustus, has not today been fully excavated, but is known to have been an open space surrounded by a peristyle. To its south was a fountain. To its west, behind a marble colonnade, were shops and an Ionic propylaeum (entrance), the Gate of Athena Archegetis. To its east was a Doric gate, the East Propylon, next to the Tower of the Winds and public toilets. An inscription records the existence of an Agoranomion (an office for market officials), while another, set on the propylaeum of Athena Archegetis records a decree of the age of Hadrian regarding the tax obligations of oil merchants.

circa 50 BCE

Tower of the Winds
The Tower of the Winds, also known as the Horologion of Andronikos Cyrrhestes, is an extraordinary monument that reflects both the scientific knowledge and architectural ingenuity of ancient Greece. Built in the late 2nd century BCE, likely between 100 and 50 BCE, this octagonal structure stands within the Roman Agora in Athens and was designed by the Greek astronomer and engineer Andronikos of Cyrrhus. Its multifaceted purpose—acting as a sundial, water clock, and weather vane—makes it a unique fusion of practical utility and artistic representation.

The Tower of the Winds was constructed during the Hellenistic period, but it became more integral to the city during Roman rule, when Athens continued to be a cultural hub for the Roman elite. The Roman Empire admired and adopted much of Greek art, science, and philosophy, and the tower exemplified the cross-cultural exchange between Greek and Roman knowledge. Under Roman patronage, the Tower of the Winds was incorporated into the Roman Forum of Athens, further solidifying its importance as a civic structure.

Its creation aligns with the height of Hellenistic scientific advancements, particularly in astronomy and meteorology. In fact, the tower was likely used by scholars and citizens of Athens to determine time, direction, and even weather conditions—an indication of how advanced Greek science had become.

The Tower of the Winds featured several advanced scientific instruments of the time that showcased the ingenuity of Hellenistic engineering. On each of its eight faces, sundials were engraved, carefully aligned to track the position of the sun throughout the day. Each face was oriented toward a cardinal direction, allowing sunlight to fall on the correct sundial depending on the time of day. This clever design ensured the structure could measure time accurately from dawn to dusk, offering an early form of timekeeping for the people of Athens.

Inside the tower, there was a hydraulic clock, or clepsydra, which was powered by water flowing down from the nearby Acropolis. This water clock allowed for consistent time measurement, even when the sun was obscured by clouds or at night, when sundials were ineffective. Water clocks were a significant technological innovation in the ancient world, used to track time more reliably than earlier methods, and the presence of one inside the Tower of the Winds exemplified the advanced nature of Hellenistic science.

Crowning the tower was a bronze weather vane in the shape of Triton, a sea god from Greek mythology, which would rotate according to the wind direction. The addition of this vane made the Tower of the Winds a functioning meteorological station—an early precursor to modern weather forecasting. This vane, combined with the tower's ability to track both time and wind, provided a comprehensive means of understanding natural forces.

Architecturally, the Tower of the Winds is a stunning example of Corinthian-style classical architecture, standing about 12 meters (24 feet) tall and constructed from Pentelic marble. Its distinctive octagonal shape was deliberately chosen to represent the eight winds, with each of the eight sides corresponding to a different cardinal or intercardinal direction. The tower's exterior features exquisitely carved relief sculptures of personified winds, each depicted as a male deity. These deities represented the characteristics of the winds they embodied. For instance, Boreas, the north wind, was shown blowing fiercely to symbolize the cold weather he brought, while Zephyrus, the west wind, was depicted as gentler, symbolizing the mild breezes of spring.

The figures on the Tower of the Winds are dynamic and detailed, reflecting the artistic skills of ancient Greek sculptors. Each wind god is engaged in an action that conveys the unique nature of the wind they personify. Boreas, for example, is depicted with puffed cheeks as he fiercely blows cold air, while Apeliotes, the east wind, is shown gently holding fruit to represent the rain and fertility he brings. This combination of artistic craftsmanship and scientific functionality makes the Tower of the Winds a truly unique monument, embodying the Greeks’ deep understanding of both nature and art.

circa 19-11 BCE

Forum Square
The Forum Square refers to the central, open-air space within the Roman Agora of Athens, which served as the heart of civic and commercial activities during the Roman period. Built between 19 BCE and 11 BCE under the reign of Emperor Augustus, this square replaced the older Classical Greek Agora as the main marketplace and meeting area for Athenian life.

The Forum Square was a large, rectangular open space surrounded by colonnaded peristyle, shops, and a number of public buildings. It functioned as a bustling marketplace where merchants traded goods, artisans sold their wares, and citizens gathered for social and political activities. This square was a significant shift from the older Greek Agora, symbolizing the Roman influence over the city of Athens, which had become a key intellectual and cultural center in the Roman Empire.

circa 19-11 BCE

Eastern Propylon
The eastern Propylon, also called the Doric gate (because of the column style), of the was the eastern entrance of the Roman forum or Agora in Athens. Built in 19-11 BCE with the rest of the forum complex, it consisted of Ionic columns made of gray Hymettian marble.

circa 19-11 BCE

Gate of Athena Archegetis
The Gate of Athena Archegetis, located on the western side of the Roman Agora in Athens, is regarded as the second most significant structure on the site, following the Tower of the Winds. Erected in 11 BCE through contributions from Julius Caesar and Augustus, this gate was composed of a Pentelic marble architrave supported by four Doric columns and a base.

A dedicatory inscription offers an insight into the time and circumstances of the monument's construction:

O ΔΗΜOΣ ΑΠO ΤΩΝ ΔOΘΕΙΣΩΝ ΔΩΡΕΩΝ ΥΠO ΓΑΙOΥ ΙOΥΛΙOΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡOΣ ΘΕOΥ/ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤOΚΡΑΤOΡOΣ ΘΕOΥ ΥΙOΥ ΣΕΒΑΣΤOΥ/ ΑΘΗΝΑ ΑΡΧΗΓΕΤΙΔΙ ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓOΥΝΤOΣ ΕΠΙ ΤOΥΣ OΠΛΙΤΑΣ ΕΥΚΛΕOΥΣ ΜΑΡΑΘΩΝΙOΥ/ ΤOΥ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΔΕΞΑΜΕΝOΥ ΤΗΝ ΕΠΙΜΕΛΕΙΑΝ ΥΠΕΡ ΤOΥ ΠΑΤΡOΣ ΗΡΩΔOΥ ΤOΥ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΕΥΣΑΝΤOΣ/ ΕΠΙ ΑΡΧOΝΤOΣ ΝΙΚΙOΥ ΤOΥ ΣΑΡΑΠΙΩΝOΣ ΑΘΜOΝΕΩΣ (IG II3 4 12)

The text translates to: The People of Athens from the donations offered by Gaius Julius Caesar the God and the Reverend Emperor son of God to Athena Archegetis, on behalf of the soldiers of Eukles from Marathon, who curated it on behalf of his father Herod and who was also an ambassador under the archon Nicias, son of Sarapion, from the demos of Athmonon It was a monument dedicated by the Athenians to their patroness Athena Archegetis.

circa 135 CE

Hadrian's Library
The Library of Hadrian, constructed in 132 CE by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, was a grand structure situated in the heart of Athens, symbolizing the emperor's deep admiration for Greek culture. Located on the northern side of the Roman Agora, the library was designed to serve as a significant cultural and intellectual hub, reflecting the Roman desire to connect with Athens' scholarly legacy. Its architectural grandeur included a rectangular courtyard surrounded by a colonnade, with a large central pool and lush gardens that created an atmosphere conducive to study and reflection. Inside, the library housed papyrus scrolls and provided spaces for reading, lectures, and philosophical discussions.

Far more than just a repository of books, Hadrian's Library was a center for learning and public life, emphasizing the Roman effort to bolster education and culture in Athens. It featured lecture halls, reading rooms, and spaces for literary pursuits, making it a focal point for scholars, philosophers, and visitors alike. The library stood as a testament to Hadrian's ambition to fuse Roman imperial influence with the rich cultural traditions of Greece, solidifying the city’s role as a beacon of knowledge within the Roman Empire. Despite its later destruction and partial restoration, the remains of the library continue to showcase the intellectual and architectural fusion of two great civilizations.

circa 1456 CE

Fethiye Mosque
The Athenian Fethiye Mosque (literally meaning the mosque of the conquest) was built in the area of the Roman Forum of Athens around the end of the seventeenth century CE, according to recent archival and archaeological research. Its name and the date were associated at first with the visit of Mehmed II the Conqueror in Athens, in 1458 CE, right after its conquest by the Ottomans. However, field research in the ruins of the Christian basilica of the early and mid Byzantine period, remains of which are visible to the north and to the east of the mosque, has led to the conclusion that the basilica was still functioning as a church after the Ottoman conquest until it was ultimately converted into a mosque, before the construction of the existing building. The construction of the new mosque during the seventeenth century CE and its name are seemingly associated with the conquest of Candia (Heraklion) by the Ottomans in 1669 CE, which led to the termination of the Ottoman-Venetian war of Crete. During the Ottoman rule, Fethiye mosque was referred to as the "mosque at the wheat market", since trade of wheat was taking place in this area.

The Fethiye mosque is divided into a large square prayer hall and a portico (rivaq). In the interior of the building, high on the center of its eat wall, the upper part of its original mihrab (prayer miche) painted decoration is still partially preserved. The existing niche is the result of restoration works carried out during the 1930s CE. At the center of the hall there are four marble columns, on the capitals of which rest four arches that support the central dome; four half domes abut the external perimeter of the dome and four smaller domes crown the four corners and four columns in between that support a row of five arches; it is roofed by five small domes, while tow more mihrabs adorn the facade, placed north and south of the doorway. Inscriptions written in Arabic on the marble door frame of the mosque evoke wishes of devoted Muslims. The lower part of the minaret is visible to the south-west of the mosque building.

After the beginning of the Greek war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, in 1821 CE, the mosque was used as a military prison of the Athenian garrison, as barracks and as a school for the mutual instruction method. Before 1890 CE it was converted into a flour storeroom with ovens for the military bakery attached to the external walls. This use was maintained until 1935 CE, when the external additions were demolished. At the same time consolidation and restoration works took place on the building; it was later used as an archaeological storeroom until 2010 CE, and it finally opened to the public after the completion of an extensive restoration project in 2016 CE. These restorations were carried out by the Directorate for the Restoration of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine monuments, the Ministry of Culture and Sports.