PELLA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

This site of around 15 ha (Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος της Πέλλας/Archaiologikos Choros tis Pellas) presents a small part of the remains of the ancient city of Pella (400 ha), excavated since the 1960s. Founded by King Archelaos around 400 B.C., the Macedonian capital was constantly enlarged, but hardly altered by the Romans. The vast Hippodamean layout (right-angled streets), designed around 380 B.C. on the model of Olynth (Chalkidiki), can be seen here, with houses generally ranging in size from 200 to 500 m². To the right of the entrance, the so-called "House of Dionysus" was the largest, with a floor area of 3,160 m². Built around 325-300 BC, it retains its two peristyle courtyards, with some of the columns raised or reconstructed, which served the banqueting rooms from which the superb mosaics of Dionysus on the Panther and the Lion Hunt originate. All the mosaics are now on display in the museum, while some copies can be seen in situ. To the south, the ancient baths and their latrines are under cover. To the north-west is Pella's second-largest dwelling (2,350 sq. m.), known as "Helen's". Also built around 325-300 BC, it is organized around a single large courtyard and a well. It contains the largest Hellenistic mosaic in Greece, theAbduction of Helen, as well as the Lion Hunt.

Huge agora. To the north of the site, the agora covers more than 6 hectares. This vast marketplace (260 x 238 m) was built during the reign of Cassander, shortly after the death of Alexander. It still contains the foundations of some forty stores and workshops lined up around the central courtyard (200 x 182 m). The site also preserves traces of two sanctuaries. To the south-west, beyond the archaeologists' quarters, the temple of Darrhon was undoubtedly the most important, but it has almost disappeared. It was dedicated to the god of medicine of the Peonians, a people of today's North Macedonia subjugated by Alexander, whose cult was adopted here and associated with a health center. To the north of the agora, the sanctuary of Aphrodite and Cybele is better preserved. Like much of the city, it was destroyed by an earthquake in the ^1st century AD. At the site or museum reception desk, ask about visits to other remains, some of which are open to the public, such as the Palace of Philip II (north of the museum) or the "Tomb of the Philosophers" (in the village).