View from Tholos (lower left), across the E side of the Metroon, toward N ...

Overall view from NE, Athens, Metroon

General view: Hephaisteion at top; Metroon lower right; steps of Propylon ...

West end of Metroon and E part of New Bouleuterion, from N, Athens

Altar in large N room, from NW, Athens, Metroon

View from N section of Metroon toward NW and monumental stairway to Temple...

Context: Athens
Type: Metroon
Summary: Chambered building, with front colonnade; on the west side of the Agora, north of the Tholos.
Date: ca. 150 BC - 125 BC
Region: Attica
Period: Hellenistic

Plan:

Four chambered building. Outer front colonnade of 14 Ionic columns linking the 4 chambers and opening to the Agora on the east. Southernmost chamber and the 2nd chamber from the south were equal in size. Second chamber from the south is believed to have been the Temple of the Mother of the Gods (Metroon) with a pronaos distyle in antis. Next chamber was slightly larger than the previous 2. Largest and northernmost chamber had a square inner colonnade of 12 columns with 2 others in antis at the entrance.

History:

Built over earlier Bouleuterion and earlier limestone foundations of Temple of the Mother of the Gods. The distinct units of the later Metroon would have accommodated the Sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods, a council house and state record storage. building including a temple

Other Bibliography:

Travlos 1971, 352-356; Agora XIV, 30-31, 36-38; Camp 1986, 91-95