Nympaeum

Nympaeum

View looking down at the Nymphaeum that was constructed at the north end of the Upper Agora—probably during the reign of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelus (r. 161–180).  It is 92 ft. [28 m.] long and about 30 ft. [9 m.] high.  It was fed by water from the Hellenistic Fountain House and the basin contains 21,400 gal. [81 cubic meters] of water.  Its overflow was in turn sent south down to the Nymphaeum in the Lower Agora.

The basin area and the rear wall were found basically intact.  The façade, with its columns and entablature, are in the main reconstructed from material found in the vicinity of the nymphaeum (anastylosis).  On each end there are two significant protrusions (with four columns each) and in-between them four protrusions with two columns each.

In the lower right portion of the image the pavement of the Upper Agora is visible.