2,700-Year-Old Portico Unearthed in Ancient Greek City

Archaeologists uncovered a 2,700-year-old portico this summer at the site of the ancient city of Argilos in northern Greece.

In ancient times, a portico acted as a long, open structure housing shops and delineating public squares from the actual city. The one recently unearthed once contained seven rooms. So far, five have been excavated, each measuring 5 meters wide and 7.5 meters deep.

"Porticos are well known from the Hellenistic period, from the 3rd to 1st century BC, but earlier examples are extremely rare," Jacques Perreault, a professor at the University of Montreal's Center of Classical Studies and the lead excavator on the dig, said in a statement. "The one from Argilos is the oldest example to date from northern Greece and is truly unique."

Situated on the edge of the Aegean Sea, Argilos was one of the richest cities in the region during its peak in the 5th century BC. Because of its well-to-do status, it's possible the city built the portico, Perreault explains. However, if this were the case, the architect overseeing the project would have ensured that every stone used was the same size and that all the rooms were identical, whereas the remains reveal the opposite.

"The construction techniques and the stones used are different for one room to another, hinting that several masons were used for each room," Perreault said. "This indicates that the shop owners themselves were probably responsible for building the rooms, that 'private enterprise' and not the city was the source of this [portico]."

During the Iron Age, northern Greece thrived due to its strategic location for trade in precious metals resulting from its ports and nearby mines. Then, in 357 BC, Philip II of Macedon conquered the region and deported the citizens of Argilos. As a result, the Greek city was essentially frozen in time, offering archaeologists a rare look into the buildings and the activities carried out within them.

At this point, the excavation is far from over, with the portico itself not fully unearthed. According to the researchers, a three-meter deep geophysical survey suggests the structure continues, with more discoveries awaiting discovery.