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Theater
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 |
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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 inscripÂtions 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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