Inside the agora, to the north and northeast of the front of the theater, was a cultic compound that included two temples that were first constructed in the first half of the 1st century CE and their facades were renovated in the first half of the 2nd century CE, when the civic center of the city was given a new monumental appearance. The first temple (2.22), located north of the theater’s post sceanium wall, was a long building constructed on top of a podium whose walls were adorned with lower and upper profiles incorporating lion heads and a staircase that led to it from the north.

 

The front of the temple was decorated with four columns (tetrastyle pronaos) that bore Corinthian capitals and on the back side, beyond the cella, was a water installation. At the beginning of the Byzantine period the building was dismantled and its parts were put to secondary use in other buildings; hence, other than its plan, very little is known about its architectural elements. Next to it an inscription dated to the 1st century CE was found. It mentioned Cassiodorus, who built the temple. He was a priest of God and Emperor and was also the director of the gymnasium and agoronomus. The inscription does not note the name of the god in whose honor the temple was erected.

 

East of this temple was another cultic complex (2.23) that included a square central monument surrounded by columns and in its interior was a circular area with a bema on its southwestern side where a stature most likely stood. A staircase built over a vault ascended to the building from the north. Evidence of a cult and numerous and diverse finds that included offerings and figurines were found inside the vault. Next to the main building were two terraced nymphaea, built one above the other, with a covered stoa between them leading to the vault. The upper nymphaeum was circular and in front of it were inscriptions and altars. The bottom nymphaeum was rectangular and in its front wall were fountains in the shape of lions’ and lioness’ heads. Against the back of the temple were rooms decorated with a colorful fresco and a plaza was uncovered at the front of it that contained a built altar. A rich find of inscriptions on marble slabs and altars that was found inside the temple indicate that the cultic compound was most likely dedicated to Demeter and Kore, whose cult appears on the city’s coins. A paved road extended from this cultic compound along the eastern edge of the agora.