Front of the Royal Stoa and courtyard, from SW, Athens, Stoa Basileios (Ro...

Central section of the Royal Stoa, from NE, Athens, Stoa Basileios (Royal ...

Drain and S wing and entrance of the Royal Stoa at right, from N, Athens, ...

Plan showing additional columnar wings, and oath stone in front of east st...

Plan, Athens, Stoa Basileios (Royal Stoa)

Overall view of the stoa (and oath-stone), from S, Athens, Stoa Basileios ...

Context: Athens
Type: Stoa
Summary: Stoa; in the northeast corner of the Agora.
Date: ca. 525 BC
Dimensions:

17.72 m x 7.18 m; Doric outer colonnade column diameter: 0.58 m; intercolumniation: 1.92 m; Doric inner colonnade column diameter: 0.42 m; intercolumniation: 5.76 m (in rebuilding decreased to 3.2 m).
Region: Attica
Period: Archaic

Plan:

Small two-aisled stoa opening east, 8 Doric columns in antis on the east, 4 Doric interior columns.

History:

After construction ca. 525 B.C., much of the stoa was rebuilt in the 5th century, probably to repair damage suffered in the Persian invasion of 480/79 B.C. Ca. 300 B.C., 2 small prostyle wings were added. The stoa is named for the office of the king archon, who was responsible for many of the city's legal and religious matters, and copies of the law codes were displayed in the building. Immediately east of the building is the large, rectangular oath stone, 2.95 m x 0.95 m, where council members took an oath to guard the laws of the city.

Other Bibliography:

Camp 1986, 53-57, 100-105; Travlos 1971, 527; Coulton 1976, 219

See Also: Athens, Agora S 2370