Stoa Amphiaraion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stoa Amphiaraion (also known as the Enkoimeterion) is located on the east side of the Sanctuary of Amphiaraios, southeast of the Theater. It was built circa 360 BCE. The two-aisled stoa opens towards the southeast with an outer Doric colonnade of forty-one columns and an inner Ionic colonnade of seventeen columns. Before its destruction, two small rooms was separated from the rest of the stoa by two columns with a screen between them, with a bench running the length of the back wall.

Pilgrims would migrate to the stoa and sleep there, awaiting an oracle's advice. It is a possibility that the rooms may have served shelter for female pilgrims. A level area in front of the stoa may have been used as a track.

It is also probable that this stoa replaced an existing one, located farther southwest on the terrace where the later row of dedications stood.