While strolling along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, one of the busiest pedestrian streets in Athens, towards the south of the Acropolis rock, one can hardly notice that beneath one’s feet lie the ruins of the residence of the philosopher Proclus. The majestic late Roman house is located at the intersection of Dionysiou Areopagitou and Parthenon streets, northeast of the Holy Church of Saint Sophia of Acropolis, and was discovered during the opening of the road in the middle of the 20th century. As its larger, southern part extended beneath the modern urban fabric, only its northern part was partially excavated. Later, when the road was pedestrianised, the ground plan of its foundations was indicated, slightly protruding above the ground surface and visible to passersby.
This is a mansion from the early 5th century CE that served as the residence and school of Proclus, the head of the Neoplatonic School of Athens between the years 437-485 CE. In its northern part, there was a large room, measuring 6.40 by 9.60 metres, with a semicircular apse with seven niches, whose floor was covered by mosaics. Around this spacious hall there were smaller spaces and rooms, and in one of them a marble burial pedestal of the 4th century BCE was found; it had been reused by the occupants as an altar. Sculptures from the classical and Hellenistic periods were also discovered in this room and, based on the findings, it was identified as a sanctuary dedicated to Cybele. In another area, an inscription of possibly philosophical content was found, while in the westernmost room, the remains of a pig sacrifice were discovered. The animal had been buried with the ritual knife in its neck, and vessels and a lamp were found around it.
The luxurious, spacious building appears to have functioned as an educational institution but also accommodated residential purposes. The large apsidal hall and the rooms could have hosted groups of people for the teaching of philosophy, for private religious ceremonies, and for symposia. Archaeological findings, along with the reports of Marinus of Neapolis, student and biographer of Proclus, led researchers to the conclusion that this building is associated with the Neoplatonist philosopher Proclus.
Proclus of Lycia (412-485 CE) was one of the last great thinkers of ancient Greek philosophy, having studied at the Neoplatonic School of Athens founded by Plutarch. After Plutarch’s death, Proclus took over the direction of the school for nearly 50 years. Despite the prevalence of Christianity, Athens maintained its pagan and educational character in the 5th century, as the tradition of science and philosophy remained robust. The philosophical schools of the time provided high-quality education until 529 CE when Emperor Justinian banned their operation.
