Smyrna Agora Ancient City

Agora of new Smyrna, moved to Kadifekale by Alexander the Great, welcomes visitors with its great magnificence and beauty as well as its commercial life Assistant Professor Dr. AKIN ERSOY / Ancient City of Smyrna Excavation Chairman Archaeologist ÇAĞDAŞ YILMAZ / Member of Ancient City of Smyrna Excavation Team Smyrna, was moved from its location in Bayraklı to Kadifekale stretching across its north and west slopes (Çankaya-Basmane axis on one side and Kemeraltı-Bahribaba axis on the other), by Antigonos Monophtalmos and Lysimakhos during the Hellenistic period just after Alexander the Great at the end of the 4th century B.C. and in the first half of the 3rd century B.C. In this sense, the Kadifekale-Varyant-Kemeraltı-Çankaya-Basmane circle forms the historical city centre of modern İzmir. There are today only a couple of ruins at certain points left standing relating to ancient Smyrna. The most important of these points is Smyrna Agora, known as Agora Ruins. After İzmir Metropolitan Municipality made expropriation and demolitions in the region, archaeological studies in a section of the city centre were also carried out as well as the agora of the ancient city. Archaeological excavation works at Smyrna Agora, which started in 1932 for the first time, have continued to date at intervals. Subject to these works, the most data relating to the ancient city has been uncovered in this area. Ceramic findings uncovered during drilling excavations in the courtyard region of the Smyrna Agora show that activities in the agora region start as from the initial foundation stage of the city. Even though these findings cannot be supported with architectural findings today, the majority of ceramic findings in question indicate that Smyrna Agora was one of the first urban projects of ancient Smyrna. Drillings performed at courtyard showed that area on which the agora was constructed is sloping from south and east to the north and west side. It is observed that the slope is at least 3 m in every 50 m, whereas level of slope is at least on hills of Kadifekale facing the sea where the agora was constructed. Although current data fails to sufficiently explain how such a construction was built on this slopped area during the end of 4th century and 3rdcentury B.C., it is understood that courtyard area of agora was converted to a terrace having an approximate elevation of 14 m as of sea level during latest 2nd century B.C. and basements were constructed under Basilica on northern side and under West Porch on western side in order to support this terrace. In this design of Agora, Basilica and West Porch’s basement walls looking over courtyard serve also as terrace wall. Windows opening to the courtyard above terrace walls were used to provide lighting and air-conditioning of basements. Designs of agoras during Hellenistic and Roman periods consisted surrounding of courtyard area with stoas all around especially in cities planned on the basis of grid. Hellenistic walls at basements prove that Smyrna Agora was surrounded by at least two stoas on west and north sides. It is observed that these stoas consist of single floor on basement and two galleries exist on both floors. We have not yet had any architectural finding showing that courtyard area of the agora was surrounded with stoas on south and east sides. However, when agora plans of the period are examined, it is thought that stoas were available on these directions, but it is anticipated that contrary to the stoas on other two directions, they had probably no basements. As for Roman era, it is seen that stoas were expanded by making new additions and in parallel to the increasing and improving requirements of the period as can be understood from current West Porch and Basilica structures surrounding the courtyard. Two-storey West Stoa was converted to a three-storey and three-gallery porch, whereas North Stoa was turned to a three-storey and three-gallery Basilica structure having four galleries on basement and three galleries on ground floor and 1st floor where middle gallery was larger.