South Stoa I, Athens

The South Stoa I of Athens was a two-aisled stoa located on the south side of the Agora, in Athens, Greece, between the Aiakeion and the Southeast Fountain House [1]. It probably served as the headquarters and dining rooms for various boards of Athenian officials [1]. It was built at the end of the 5th century BC and remained in use until the mid-second century BC, when it was replaced by South Stoa II [1]. The stoa stretched along most of the southern edge of the Classical Agora, facing north onto it [1]. The Stoa was 80.45 metres long east-west and 14.89 metres north-south [1]. It consisted of a two-aisled colonnade facing north and a set of fifteen rooms running along the back wall [1]. This became a common design for stoas, but South Stoa I appears to have been the earliest example [1]. The first traces were identified and excavated in 1936 under the direction of Eugene Vanderpool [1].