State Agora

The State Agora of Ephesus was renewed many times over its history. The area was used as a public square from the Hellenistic period onwards, and the remains of the first agora were found during excavations about 2 metres below the present Agora. The existing structure was built in the Roman period, in the 1st century BC, together with a square temple. This temple was destroyed in the reign of Augustus and, because of its connections with Egypt, was never rebuilt. The Agora was rebuilt under Caracalla (AD 211–217) and finally by Emperor Theodosius (AD 379–395).

The Agora served as a public space and as a meeting place for state assemblies. It was surrounded on three sides by stoas, which offered shelter from sun and rain. The water reservoir at the corner was fed by the Pollio Aqueduct, whose remains can be seen 5 kilometres away. At the centre of the Agora stood a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, which served as a chamber where decisions were put to the vote. The temple's pink granite columns are still standing and bear witness to the ties between Ephesus and Egypt.

Excavations have uncovered numerous graves and archaic terracotta sarcophagi dating from the 7th and 6th centuries BC. A road running around Mount Panayır (Mount Pion) was also discovered about 3 metres below the surface. These finds suggest that the north-eastern part of the State Agora served as the necropolis of Ephesus in the Archaic period. One of these graves is now on display in the Ephesus Museum.