In 1960, when Professor Erim decided to excavate
the theatre, the biggest problems were the houses of the village Geyre, which
were situated right above the theatre. First, the residents of the village moved
to their new houses of the new Geyre village. In 1966, the excavations began.
The lower series of the two-part seat series (lower Kavea) and the ground floor
of the scaffold building were exposed without any damage. In addition, many
statues were found in the stage building.
Zoilos, who changed the destiny of the city Aphrodisias, had also had the
theatre constructed. This information was gathered by an inscription on the
stage building, which was...
In 1979,Professor. Dr. Kenan Erim found a great temple complex, which was devoted 'S the goddess Aphrodite and the family of the first Roman Emperor Julius Claudius. we know based on the inscriptions on this building that it was called Sebasteion. It is the Greek word for the Latin Augustus, which also means "large". There is no other Sebasteion" to the west of Rome that is 50 large and so richly decorated with frescoes. It is on the road, which begins at the North gate and stops at the theatre. The construction of the culture center began at the time of the emperor Tiberius (14-37 AD). During the construction, the culture center was destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt repeatedly.
Tetrastoon And Theatre Bath
Tiberius-Portico And Agora Gate
The earthquakes of the fourth century caused floods in the Agoras of the city.
Because the usage of the northern Agoras caused some problems, the city decided
to construct a new Agora. A new market place surrounded with pillars was set up
in front of the theatre. As a result of an inscription that was found there,
this place was called Tetrastoon, a place of which all four sides were
surrounded with galleries of pillars. A round well was located in the middle of
courtyard of the square building covered with stones. A round sun clock was on
the covering on this stone. The scripts on the covering were referencing places
for vendors who came to this market place. Because the capabilities and
dimensions of the Tetrastoons were not able to cope with the economic potential
of the city, a basilica shaped hall was constructed to the south, between the.
When we look to the north from the theatre, we can see all of the important
structures of Aphrodisias. The wide place that is right below the theatre and
which has a large pool in its middle, calls itself Tiberius-Portico. The name of
this place, which is surrounded with pillars and Porticos, originates from an
inscription on the northern architrave, which means that the building was
devoted to the Emperor Tiberius. A pool is situated in the middle of the
Porticos, 260 m long, 25 m wide and 1.20 m deep. This pool was constructed
during the 2nd century AD, after an earthquake, during which this area was
flooded and the pool was to control potential floods. At the same time this pool
served as a water reservoir for the Hadrian baths. Access water was conducted
into the drainage of the city by the surrounded channel network.
The Hadrian Baths
North Agora
The Roman Emperor Hadrian was on one of his journey through Anatolia in
Aphrodisias as well. To honour his visit, the city councils had constructed
these baths. The bath consists of two separate sections for men and women. In
front of the entrance on the north side, a marble pool with large pillars in its
corners. To the immediate right are parallel to each other: the changing room
(Apoditerium), the cold room (Frigidaire), the lukewarm room (Tepidarium) and
the hot room (Caldarium). The underground heating system consists of branched
pipes and calls itself Hypocaust.
It is situated to the south of the Odeon. This unique building was completely
surrounded with pillars. Some of the pillars with Ionic heads in the western and
astern corners are still there today. These pillars, which seem to be in a race
with the neighbouring Poplar trees toward skies, can very well be observed from
the theatre.
The Agora has a connection with the Odeon on the north side through a small
entrance building. A pool is situated exactly in the middle of the Agora. To the
east is the entrance with its pillars and supports still standing.
The Odeon
Bishop's Palace
The Odeon, which is between the Aphrodite temple and the Agora, was built in the
second Century. In the forth century, the upper part of the present seat row was
destroyed by an earthquake. This earthquake caused several floods in the city.
To protect the foundation from the damages in the Odeon, the lower two series
were dismantled and the water was led there. Together with the upper seat rows,
the Odeon had a capacity for thousand of people. The roof was coated with wood
and bricks. Numerous monuments were situated in the niches of the three-storied
arena. The hall with the Porticos, which led to the north Agora behind the
stage, was decorated with statues as well.
In the antique times, Odeons were used for concerts, dances, pantomimes.
rhetoric, poem and musical productions and for the assemblies of the council.
The building with the high walls to the west of the Odeon was built during the
late Roman times as a house of the province mayor and used as a bishop palace in
later years; it was the grave temple of a famous Aphrodisiac. The blue colour of
the pillars that surround the yard in the middle is very conspicuous. Numerous
large and small areas are in this building with three Apses.
Aphrodite Temple
The Stadium
The most important building of the city Aphrodisias, with no doubt, is the
Aphrodite temple. The first construction of the temple was begun during the
archaic times. After the destruction of their cities by Meder and Babylonier,
the Asyrians coming from Ninova brought the cult of the Asyrian love and beauty
goddess Isthar into this remote region. Illustrations of the Asyrian king Ninos
and his wife, which confirms this thesis, is on one of the frescos found during
the excavations into Aphrodisias. Therefore the roots of the Aphrodite cult also
put in this Mesopotamian culture. The building right next to the sculptor school
with its huge fourteen pillars still standing straight and facing the blue sky,
is the Aphrodite temple, in which one can feel the heart beat of the city.
The Aphrodisias stadium is the largest and the best maintained building of the
city. This stadium which is situated in the north of the city is one of the most
important 'antique buildings of the world. The ellipse shaped building with a
semicircle on both ends had seat series for 30,000 spectators. Because of its
ellipse shape, every spectator was able to look at the presentations
comfortably. The stages were used principally for athletic presentations. If
necessary, other competitions, or citizens voting were held there as well. One
entered the stadium through two double vaults. After the earthquake in the 7th
century, the stadium suffered serious damages. The semicircle in the East was
converted by adding some walls into a circle and users as an arena.
The Tetrapylon
The Aphrodisias Museum
This monumental gate, which is on the north south road, immediately east of the
temple, dates back to the second century. Four pillars in each corner gave him
this name. It is difficult to know what its exact purpose was. It is not
opposite of the temple entrance building. However we could say that the
procession, which came to the temple, assembled here before entering the temple.
In whole, it was the works of the Aphrodite architects and sculptors, which was
designed to only show off. We see that the building has very different styles
and is architecturally very rich. Some of the smooth, notched and spiral formed
pillars consist of double pillars. Some pillars are made of blue marble.
In the Aphrodisias Museum, which was opened in 1979, only works found in
Aphrodisias with the excavations are displayed. The major part of the exhibition
works consists of monuments. We know that between the first century BC and the
fifth century AD, there was a sculptor school in Aphrodisias which produced very
high-quality works. The marble came from the marble breakage in a kilometre
distance to the north of the city.
The observations of the museum begin to the right of the entrance. The Tondo
busts on the wall across the sales tinsel belong to a few famous historical
philosophers and state people.
