A monumental discovery sheds light on the Hellenistic roots and Roman evolution of the “City of the Mother Goddess”

İzmir, Türkiye — In a discovery that illuminates the deep Hellenistic cultural heritage of western Anatolia, archaeologists have unearthed an 1,800-year-old agora in the ancient Greek city of Metropolis (Μητρόπολις). Located in the Torbalı district near İzmir, Metropolis was originally founded in the 3rd century B.C. as a Greek acropolis before flourishing under Roman rule.

Known as the “City of the Mother Goddess,” Metropolis held religious and cultural significance in the ancient Greek world, dedicated to deities connected with fertility and nature. The newly uncovered agora — the beating heart of ancient Greek civic life — offers rare insight into how Greek urban spaces evolved during the Roman period.

“This may be the most important commercial center we have found in Metropolis so far. It is a very large complex planned in the Roman expansion area on the southern slopes of the city,” said Burak Arslan, deputy head of excavations from Ege University.

A living city through Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine eras

Founded in the Hellenistic era, Metropolis showcased Greek architectural planning, with its acropolis, sanctuaries, and agora forming the core of civic and religious life. The city expanded toward the plains during the Roman Imperial period, maintaining uninterrupted settlement until the 14th century A.D.

Since 1989, excavations led by Professor Serdar Aybek from Dokuz Eylül University have revealed temples, theatres, baths, and other monumental structures. The agora, unearthed this year, dates back to the 2nd century A.D., illustrating how Greek spaces of communal gathering were adapted for Roman commercial activity without losing their cultural essence.

Doric architecture, mosaics, and ancient shops

The agora features Doric colonnaded porticoes — a hallmark of Greek architectural style — framing its commercial and social spaces. Archaeologists uncovered mosaic pavements in the northern portico and are now excavating the western side, which provided access to a series of shops. These would have served as meeting points for citizens, traders, and travelers, blending everyday life with cultural exchange.

“People accessed the shops behind through these porticoes. They were able to meet their daily needs there,” Arslan explained. “The building likely continued to function as an agora until the 5th or 6th century A.D.”

Echoes of a disaster

Excavation evidence suggests the agora ceased to function after a major earthquake, based on the direction of collapsed columns. The disaster froze the structure in time, allowing today’s archaeologists to piece together its final moments.