Peribolos

In ancient Greek and Roman architecture, a peribolos was a court enclosed by a wall,^[1] especially one surrounding a sacred area such as a temple, shrine, or altar. This area, however, is not a necessary element to these structures since those built earlier only included markers (e.g. horoi or boundary stones) to indicate imaginary boundaries.^[2] Excavations reveal that there are sanctuaries that included a peribolos later in its history, signifying a change in religious mentality.^[2] During the Roman times, there were pereboloi used as meeting places to conduct business (e.g. shipping).^[3]

Sanctuary of Poseidon, Kalaureia

Peribolos walls (which may also be referred to as temenos walls) were sometimes composed of stone posts and slabs supported by porous sills.

Famous examples included:

• the peribolos wall and gate in the Sanctuary of Zeus (Altis), north of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Greece;
• the peribolos enclosing the Altar of the Twelve Gods near the north end of the Athens ancient Agora; and
• the terrace created by retaining and peribolos walls around the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia (Marmaria), southeast of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, Greece.

See also

• Sacellum