Workers in Athens, Greece, have found a large Roman building complex under a street. This discovery happened during work to improve Vasilissis Olgas Avenue. The ruins are near the Ilissos River and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The site is 68 meters long and 11 meters wide. Archaeologists found a courtyard, walkways with columns, rooms, and a water drainage system. The floors have old tile patterns.
This area was once outside the city walls. It was used for homes and religious buildings. The oldest part found is a trench from the Themistoclean Wall, built in the fourth century BC. Later, the Roman Empire grew, and the city included this area. The main Roman building was constructed in the late third or early fourth century AD. It was rebuilt in the early fifth century.
After the Roman period, during the Byzantine era, the building was used differently. People used lighter materials and built storage areas and large pots. A Greek scholar, Stefanos Koumanoudis, first found parts of this structure in the 1800s. Now, the Greek Ministry of Culture plans to preserve the ruins and make them part of a new public space. They will fix the walls, floors, and water systems. They will also remove newer parts that damage the old structure.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the ruins show how the area changed from ancient times to the Byzantine period. This project is part of a larger plan to connect historical sites in Athens. Mendoni said that protecting these monuments is important for the past and the future. When finished, people will be able to visit the site and see where people lived and built thousands of years ago.