2,000-Year-Old Greek Lecture Hall Unearthed in Agrigento, Sicily!
A team of international archaeologists has made an extraordinary discovery in Agrigento, Sicily: a remarkably well-preserved ancient Greek lecture hall. This exciting find was uncovered during excavations between February and April 2025, led by Prof. Dr. Monika Trümper and Dr. Thomas Lappi from the Free University of Berlin, in collaboration with the Politecnico di Bari and the Parco Archeologico Valle dei Templi di Agrigento. The project received funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Agrigento, known in antiquity as Akragas, was founded around 580 BCE by settlers from Gela and Rhodes. Over time, it grew to become the largest Greek colony in Sicily, renowned for its impressive monumental architecture, including the famous Valley of the Temples. This latest discovery highlights Agrigento’s importance not just as a centre of religious and civic life, but also as a hub for education and intellectual activity.
Photo Credit: Thomas Lappi – Monika Trümper / Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Classical Archaeology
A Revolutionary Find in Greek Education
At the heart of the discovery is a roofed, semicircular auditorium, essentially a covered lecture hall or classroom. This structure, which dates back to the 2nd century BCE, is made up of eight stepped tiers of seating, designed to accommodate around 200 people. The fact that this lecture hall predates similar structures by around 300 years makes it a groundbreaking find. Comparable examples, such as the gymnasium auditorium at Pergamon in modern-day Turkey, only appeared in the 1st century CE.
This lecture hall was part of a much larger gymnasium complex, which also included a 200-metre-long racetrack, a swimming pool, and a palaestra—an open-air courtyard for athletic training—spread across two terraces. Adjacent to the auditorium, archaeologists uncovered a rectangular hall measuring 11 by 23 metres, with benches lining the walls. It is believed that this space was used for intellectual training, public performances, and educational competitions.
Insights into Ancient Akragas
Among the many fascinating artefacts uncovered, two limestone blocks inscribed with Ancient Greek text were found in the orchestra area of the auditorium. These inscriptions, highlighted with red pigment, mention the gymnasiarchos—the director of the gymnasium—and record a renovation of the apodyterion, or changing rooms. The renovation was privately funded by a local resident, who dedicated the work to Hermes and Heracles, two key patrons of Greek gymnasiums.
Written records of daily life in Agrigento are scarce, as the city was inhabited for over a thousand years. Therefore, these inscriptions offer valuable insights into the social structure of the city during the transitional period between Greek independence and Roman rule.
Photo Credit: Berthold Werner
The Importance of the Agrigento Discovery
While gymnasiums were common throughout the Greek world, the Agrigento complex stands out due to its size, state of preservation, and architectural innovation. The site was first excavated in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until recent years that advanced geophysical surveys and renewed research revealed the full extent of the gymnasium complex. The project, which began in 2020, has already uncovered the palaestra, additional rooms, and even stamped roof tiles bearing the Greek abbreviation “ΓΥΜ,” confirming the site’s function.
Looking ahead, the archaeological team plans to continue their work in 2026, with plans to uncover even more areas dedicated to education and athletics. They hope to find further inscriptions that could shed new light on the cultural and organisational practices of ancient Akragas, enhancing our understanding of this fascinating city’s legacy.
This discovery not only deepens our knowledge of the educational systems of ancient Greece but also underscores the cultural significance of Agrigento as a major centre of learning and intellectual life in the ancient world.