What Is Agora?

Originating in Ancient Greece, the term "agora" translates literally to "assembly", or "gathering place". Historically, the agora was a marketplace or central public square, where citizens of ancient Greece would convene for commercial, civic, religious, and social activities. The most famous agora was The Ancient Agora of Athens, which served as the primary social gathering place for ancient Athenians. It was here that you could find members of the Greek democracy discussing the affairs of the state, merchants and artisans selling their wares and services, and perhaps most famously, philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Diogenes, whose works, quotes, and discussions have inspired individuals from around the world for generations after their respective passings. This brings me to why I chose this name for my site.

The agoras of ancient Greece were more than just an early version of the malls, plazas, and marketplaces of today ‐ they were a marketplace of ideas. They served as a sort of ground‐zero for the discussions and ideas of ancient Greek philosophy, government, and socioeconomic policies, as well as a space where citizens could simply hang out and chat. It is this essence which I desired to capture with my website: a place where all types of people could discuss what's on their mind, no matter how serious or trivial the conversation, while maintaining a space which remains free of hate speech, judgement, and discrimination (see my Acceptance page).

With your help, we can make that goal a reality ‐ together.