3. AGORA-STOA
The agora was the centre of civic life in the ancient city, where all the basic functions were performed. It occupies the eastern section of the settlement and was incorporated into the urban plan during the Hellenistic period. It is an open, rectangular plaza, delineated partly by a series of structures erected to serve the political, economic, religious and functional requirements of the city.
On its northern side, it is enclosed by a long, covered walkway with an open façade and a closed rear. This was the double-colonnaded stoa, 76m long and 13m wide, the largest to have been discovered throughout the settlements of Thesprotia. It provided a spacious covered area where locals could find shelter from both the rain and the sun. In addition to being an ideal spot for strolls and leisure, it served as a space for civic gatherings or commercial exchanges.
A two-chambered structure on the stoa’s western section was likely used for religious purposes. In all likelihood, it was connected with the worship of Apollo Agyieus, the patron deity of travellers, public spaces and the thresholds of houses, as indicated by the stone base that was uncovered during excavations in the eastern chamber and is believed to have supported a devotional column or obelisk. This column would usually be placed next to the entrance to a home or at a crossroads and indicated the worship of the deity. The cult of Apollo Agyieus was a Corinthian influence, introduced to Thesprotia by Corinthian settlers in north-western Greece.
In line with the agora’s central role in the city’s social life and its function as a central gathering place for hundreds of individuals, a row of pedestals spanning the façade of the stoa was discovered. These pedestals supported dedicatory offerings and honorary statues erected by the citizens to commemorate prominent individuals who had benefited the city, as well as groups of family sculptures created on commission. Research has brought to light the pedestals of at least twelve such dedicatory monuments.
The sculpture-adorned space of the agora, the heart of Gitana’s commercial area, hosted the local citizenry, people from the surrounding farmlands, civil servants tasked with overseeing and regulating commerce, priests and travellers, who all came together here to purchase or sell items, learn the latest news, honour Apollo Agyieus and discuss the various issues concerning the city. Vendors, itinerant merchants and farmers would peddle their wares in the open space in the middle of the agora, while the various professionals and artisans held shops that lined the southern side.
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