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In 1960, when Professor Erim decided to excavate the theater, the
biggestproblems were the houses of the village Geyre, which were situated right
above the theater. 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 theater constructed. This information was
gathered by an inscription on the stage building, which was built in the first
century BC. According to the inscription, this complex was a foundation of
Julius Zoilos for goddess Aphrodite and the citizens of the city. Also we learn
from the inscriptions that the theater was completed 27 BC.
The theater was constructed in a way that the Akropolis hill was hollowed out.
The upper of the two-part seat rows was removed at the Byzantine time during the
constructions of the palace. This stage building is the oldest three-storied
stage building in Anatolia. It was constructed in Doric, Ionic and Corinthian
styles. Largely dimensioned statues were situated in the niches. The Apollon and
Melpomene statues, displayed in the museum, were found here. In addition, the
busts were exposed boxers and by Aphrodite here.
The half circle Orchestra of the Aphrodisias theater was used as
an arena at the time of Marcus Aurelius (161-180) by having decreared the lower
levels of the seat series in the form of a Konistra. Fights with wild animals
and gladiator competitions were presented in this arena. The animals got into
the arena through a hall under the stage.
In the second century and during the Byzantine times,
few'changing renovations in the Aphrodisias Theater were carried out. The
scaffold building suffered substantial damages in the earthquake in the fourth
century, when it completely collapsed. The upper Kavea was completely destroyed
and was leveled, so houses could be built in the area. Later, walls and towers
surrounded the area of the hills, and a fortress was created while the theater
was used as a garbage place.
The north wall of the arena was described as an archive wall.
The inscriptions on this wall contain important writings concerning the city
Aphrodisias. They report about the special rights, which put away the Emperors
of the city, and about the decisions of the senate. One of inscriptions reports
that the golden Eros statue, a present from Cesar to the city, was stolen and
moved into Artemis temple by Ephesus and was brought back later again. Then, in
order to christianize the city, the names Aphrodisias and Aphrodite were scraped
out of the inscriptions.
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