Parliament (Ancient Agora)
The meetings of the parliament in ancient Athens took place here.
Modern and Contemporary era (1821 - )
Ottoman era (1453- 1821)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
It was built at the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 5th century BC. Over time, the limited space of the building did not serve the needs of the House of Five Hundred, which led to construction of the New Vouleftirion during the last quarter of the 5th century BC.
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
Here was the first building where the members of the parliament of five hundred met. It was built at the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 5th century BC. Due to the inadequate space, however, the New Vouleftirion (new parliament building) needed to be constructed in the following years, during the last quarter of the 5th century BC. The dimensions of the Vouleftirion are 23.3 x 23.8 m. and its foundations consist of large limestone blocks, coming from the Acropolis hill, while its upper part consisted of tufa. The roof was supported by 5 columns. Later, two of them were destroyed with the construction of the Metroon (Hellenistic era) and only remains of the bases of the other three have survived.
What I can't see
It was the first large public building of its time (archaic period). It was built immediately after Cleisthenes’s reforms, because a place where members of parliament could meet was necessary. The seats were probably wooden and ordered in Π shape. With the construction of the New Vouleftirion, the old Vouleftirion was preserved as a sanctuary and as a storage place for state archives. Traces of its walls were found under the later (Hellenistic) Metroon.
Bibliography
Thompson H.A., Wycherley R.E., (1972), The Athenian Agora, results of excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, v.6, The Agora of Athens, the History, shape and uses of an ancient city center, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Princeton, New Jersey
Travlos J., (1980), Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Athens, New York: Hacker Art Book
