Athens - The Library of Pantainos

Leaving the Stoa of Attalos through the doorwayMenander head of the school, dedicated the outer
at its southwest corner, we ascend a few steps,porches, the peristyle, the library with its books
cross the street that led eastward from theand all the furnishings of the building from his own
ancient Agora to the Market of Caesar andresources along with his children Flavius Menander
Augustus (the Roman Agora) and immediatelyand Flavia Secundilla". The date is about AD 100.
find ourselves in the Library of Pantainos. ThePantainos the founder came of a well-to-do and
main room of the Library faced on the east sidescholarly Athenian family. His building is a good
of a central colonnaded court which was closedexample of a small public library of the imperial
on the south side by a wall, on the west andperiod.
north sides by rooms that looked outward andStreet between the Classical and the Roman
were rented as shops.Agora Recent excavations have brought to light
Many of the stones from the Library werethe eastward continuation of the marble-paved
re-used in the fortification wall of the 3rd centurystreet that led from the ancient Agora to the
after Christ, a well preserved section of which stillMarket of Caesar and Augustus. On its south side,
overlies the west porch of the Library.which alone has been exposed thus far, the
Incorporated in the east face of this fortification isstreet was bordered by an Ionic colonnade;
the marble lintel from the main entrance to thebehind this were rooms suitable for public offices
Library; it is inscibed as follows: "To Athena Poliasor small sanctuaries. Between the columns of the
and to the Emperor Caesar Augustus Nervacolonnade are traces of pedestals for numerous
Trajan Germanicus and to the city of thestatues. According to an inscription on the epistyle
Athenians, the priest of the Muses who lovethis "Broadway" was paid for by the people of
wisdom, T. Flavius Pantainos, son of FlaviusAthens out of their regular revenues.