Some cities like Cyrene and Tarentum would lay their oikestes to rest and establish their cults at these locations. Pausanias’ description of this type of location at Elis depicts its “archaic” style which contrasts with the more modern “ionic” style in its portico placement. In a literary ekphrasis, two gold bars are laid before elders who take up staves to speak while sitting on the stone circle, which characterizes these locations. In one city, distances were measured in relation to this location’s Altar of the (*) Twelve Gods. The Stoa of Attalos is located within this type of location where the Hephaesteion sits below the Acropolis. The Roman forum derived from these locations where free Athenians acted as jurors. For 10 points, markets characterized what social and political center of the polis? ■END■
ANSWER: agora [or agorá; prompt on forum and markets; prompt on public square or town square or public spaces] (Cyrene buried Battas in their agora, legend has it that Phalanthes’s ashes were scattered at Tarentum; the literary ekphrasis is from the Illiad.)
<KT, Ancient History>
= Average correct buzz position