Agora, in ancient Greece, the square where the business and political life of a city was centered, similar to the Roman forum. The name in Greek means “marketplace.” It was an open area with statues, altars, trees, and fountains, surrounded by markets, public buildings, and temples. Extensive archeological work has been done in the Agora in Athens, a six-acre (2.4-hectare) square north of the Acropolis.