Aglaureion, Ancient Greek sanctuary on the Acropolis, Athens, Greece

The Aglaureion is a small ancient Greek sanctuary on the eastern slope of the Acropolis, set in a large natural cave and a cult enclosure beneath one of the Acropolis caverns. An honorary stele found in 1980 still fixed to its base marks the sanctuary's peribolos.

The site saw use during classical times but declined in importance over later periods. A turning point came in 480 BCE when Persian forces used this location to gain access to the Acropolis.

Cult practice at the Aglaureion is documented by an inscription, IG II³ 1, 1002 of 250/49 BCE, honouring the priestess Timokrite and prescribing introductory sacrifices (eisagōgeia) and a night-long vigil (pannychis). Athenian ephebes, the young men in military training, swore their annual oath here, as Demosthenes 19.303 and Parker's discussion record.

The site is accessible from the main Acropolis entrance and sits on a rocky slope with uneven ground. Stable footing and appropriate footwear help you navigate the area safely.

The 1980 excavation of the Peripatos found an honorary stele for Aglauros on the eastern slope, still fixed to its base and dated to the 3rd century BC. It is now in the Acropolis Museum under inventory number Ακρ. 13372. Before this find, scholars had placed the sanctuary on the north slope, near the Mycenaean spring.