ATHENS-PLAKA - 2011

Plaka, Aiolos Hotel, Aiolou 3-5 and Adrianou 64. Dimitris Sourlas (Α’ ΕΠΚΑ) reports on the discovery of sections of Hadrian’s Library and the Late Roman Wall. Hotel Aiolos lies on the NE corner of the Roman Agora and the SE corner of Hadrian’s Library (Fig 1). Excavations were conducted in its NE and S basements.

NE basement: Large sections of the south and east walls of Hadrian’s Library were found. The walls were constructed with aktite stone and many of the iron clamps are well preserved (Fig 2). Part of the earthen floor of the Library was also dug. A stretch of the Late Roman wall was found and two fragments from marble columns came out of its fill (Fig. 3). A 4^th c. B.C. well constructed from semicircular tiles was also excavated (Fig 4). At a later date the well appears to have been enclosed by walls. It was in use until at least the 9^th c. A.D.

A large structure was revealed consisting of brick walls and many pillars, and containing a niche (Fig. 5). The structure is identified as the basement of a bath complex. It also contained a circular cistern or tile-built pithos, filled with sherds from cook pots and few glazed pottery sherds dating to the Byzantine and Late Byzantine periods. The bath complex is dated to the 4^th-6^th c. A.D. A drain and a road were also excavated. Finally, one of the gates of the Late Roman Wall was identified (Figs. 6, 7). It is a large structure constructed with marble spolia and 7 monolithic marble bases (Figs. 8, 9, 10). The latter bases for bronze statues bear inscriptions and are dated to late Imperial times. One of these mentions Lucius Egnatius Victor Lollians. The terminus post quem for the gate is 244-247 B.C.

S basement: another part of the Late Roman wall was dug (Fig. 11).