Aphrodisias

APHRODISIAS

Aphrodisias is undoubtedly the most spectacular city of Caria. It is in the north of the region, and contains some of the finest examples of classical art. Today the remains of this city within the district of Aydin, near Karacasu, in the village of Geyre. An asphalt road leads directly to the ruins from the main Aydin-Denizli highway.

The temple of Aphrodite This fine city is being excavated by a young Turkish professor, Kenan Tevfik Erim. The first excavations there were however, carried out in 1905, by the French archeologist, Paul Gaudin. These excavations have revealed much new material for the world of archaelogy, unveiling many new remains. In its present state, Aphrodisias is well worth a visit. One cannot help but admire the various tones of the marble scattered over the site, statues, the veins of which can be seen, amazing works of art, in marble as smooth as silk. The spectacle of white marble against green poplars which reach up to the sky as if in competition with the marble pillars is one which provides a timeless pleasure.

The earliest settlement in Aphrodisias goes as far back as the Bronze ages. Various surroundings on the slopes of the Acropolis revealed works proving that the city goes back to a very early period, including finds dating from the III millenium B.C. The city has had many names during its history. For example, in its eary stages, it was known as Ninova, because of which it was associated with Mesopotamia. This important Carian city is encircled by walls 3.5 km. in length. The town occupies an area of 250 hectates. The old part of the modern village of Geyre occupies some parts of the site. It is possible that Geyre is a modern derivation of the ancient religious name of Caria.

Aphrodisias had its own school of art. During the reign of Attalus III, of Bergamon, the king abandoned his kingdom to Rome. Two artists of the time left Pergamon and migrated inland, to settle in Aphrodisias.

The columns at the entrance to the temple of Aphrodite They found the important marble quarry on the slopes of Babadag, 2 km. from Aphrodisias, and founded a school of sculpture there, producing many works of ait. The workshops have been discovered during recent excavations. The sculpted figures found here have each single hair seperately worked, the faces and eyes are full of expression and vitality, the bodies are supple and seem capable of movement. These are clear indications of the high quality of work produced by the school, which was in no way inferior to any of the Greek schools, even superior, and in fact, many of the reliefs and statues found in Rome and Greece bear the signatures of artists from Aphrodisias.

During the Roman period, Aphrodisias, especially during the reign of Caesar and Tiberius reached the apex of its wealth and fame. It had become a highly respected city, exempt from tax and enjoying religious privileges. The city had become highly refined, and produced many great works of sculpture, literature and medicine.

To the north of the site is the stadium, which was capable of seating 30,000 spectators. This magnificent construction is 287 m in length and although open to the effects of the climate and weather, has survived to our times. It has two entrances. In later years the eastern part was used as an arena. After resting for a short while in this masterpiece of Aphrodisian architecture, let us go on to the temple of Aphrodisias. Although Aphrodite is actually the goddess of beauty, she also became known as the goddess of fertility, taking on the attributes of the ancient mother goddess of Anatolia, Cybele. The colossal temple to this goddess was erected during the Hellenistic period, restored during the Roman period and transformed into a Christian basilica duringthe Byzantine period. The entrance to this temple is on the side overlooking the village. The walls are covered with inscriptions. Spirally fluted columns and the arrangement of the facade must be dated from the 2 century. The statue of Aphrodite, bearing the attributes of fertility was discovered in 1962. The precint or temenos was built around the temple during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 A.D.). The floor of the building is covered with wonderful mosaics.

The columns of the temple of Aphrodite at sunset An odeon is situated to the south of the temple of the Aphrodite. This was unearthed during the season of 1962, The marble seats and the blue marble stage create an extremely pleasant atmposphere. Magnificent works of art were discovered in the orchestra in the upper part of orchestra. The corridor running here opened onto a porticoed area, where the statues of prominent Aphrodisians were displayed. This led to the agora. A part of this can still be seen overgrown by green poplar trees. The agora measuring 250 x 102 metres is framed on three sides by porticoes resting on Ionic columns. The columns on the south-eastern side, which are still standing, create a very fine composition. During 301 B.C., an economical crisis in Rome led to a disaster the effects of which were felt even in Aphrodisias. As a result, prices in the city were frozen, and lists of price indexes were displayed on the walls of the agora. These historical details have been revealed by excavational evidence. Such evidence has even revealed proof of the devaluation of the local coinage. On the right of the odeion stands the bishop's palace and a school of sculpture.

The baths of Hadrian is an architectural work not to be omitted from a visit to the site. The baths consist of five large galleries, with thick walls and marble floors. A section of the building was excavated by the French between 1905-1906. During the excavation season of 1966, three magnificent heads of Aphrodite were foun there at the entrance. These had either been placed there during the Christian period in order to bury them from sight, or were hidden there by non-believers during the same period. Later Aphrodisias was to boast a bisphopric, and became a centre for Christianity.

On the south eastern flank of the acropolis is to be found the theatre. It was completely uncovered when the village dwellings built over it were removed to another site.