Basileios Stoa ( ), also
Basilike Stoa ( ), both meaning Royal
Stoa was a stoa constructed in
Ancient
Athens
in the 5th century
BC. It was located in the northwest corner (known
as "the Herms" because of the great number of Herms set up there) of the Athenian
Agora
. The Royal Stoa was the headquarters of King
Archon and of the Areios Pagos
council (in charge of religious affairs and
crime). A statue of
Themis
(representing Justice) stands in front of the building. Copies of
the city laws were kept in this Stoa. The front of the building was
where
Socrates met
Euthyphro and had the conversation, which
Plato recreated in his
Euthyphro. It was also
where Socrates was formally charged with
impiety by
Meletus. It has
been thought that the votes for the political practice of
ostracism that took place in Athens during the 5th
century BC may have taken place in front of the Royal Stoa.