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The greatest position that any citizen in the, male
or female, city could occupy was that of "Prytan."
This person maintained the eternal flame from the
city fireplace that was the symbol of the city and
the place from which everyone lit their fireplaces
at home. The lucky person performed his duty in the
name of the goddess Hespian. All expenses were met
by the Prytan himself. The operating of the Temple
to Artemis was outside this temple system. The
Prytaneion was a large, covered room with a large
portcullis. At the front were eight large Doric
columns which completed the temple appearance. The
eternal flame of Hestia burned for centuries. The
figure of Artemis that is in the museum was found
here intact. Among the pieces found scattered around
the site was a list of the "Union of Curates". At
first only six, the number of curates increased to
nine, these were a class of priests at the Temple to
Artemis.
The Praytaneion was first built in the 3rd century BC and brought to its
final state at the time of Augustos. There were
two-figured pedestals on either side of the road
leading to the Square of Domitian |
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