The Roman Agora, built between 19 and 11 BCE under Julius Caesar and Augustus, was the marketplace of Roman Athens. It replaced the older Greek Agora as the main commercial centre of the city, and its broad colonnaded courtyard once held shops, food stalls, and public offices.
Today it is a pleasant ruin a couple of blocks east of Monastiraki, ringed by the surviving column drums of its outer porticoes. The complete Gate of Athena Archegetis at the west end is one of the best-preserved Roman gateways in Greece. Inside the site, the Tower of the Winds (see separate entry) is the standout monument.