Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:51 AM Sayfa
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immediately, in 334-250 BC, and lasted 84 years. It was still under
construction when Alexander the Great arrived in Ephesos, and it was
due largely to his help that the new temple to Artemis was completed by
the mid-3 rd century BC. The new structure was 2.68 m. higher than the
previous one, and sat on a podium of 13 steps. In terms of style, it
resembled its archaic predecessor. Scopas and Apelles, two of the most
renowned artists of the day, worked on its sculptures.
The temple was razed by the Goths in 265 AD, and Christian zealotry
eventually finished it off completely. Today just one of its forest of
columns remains standing. Our present knowledge of what the
Artemision must have looked like is based on fragments unearthed in
excavations. Excavation work conducted out in 1965 for example, a
horseshoe-shaped altar measuring 32 m. by 22 m. was unearthed.
Upon entering the Magnesian Gate in the walls built by Lysimachus in
the 3 rd century BC, one first encounters the gymnasion of Ephesos. This
was a complete structure containing a bath, a palaestra, an extensive
courtyard, and training halls. It was built by the philosopher Flavius
Damianus, one of the most famous personalities of Ephesos. To the right
of it is a monumental tomb from the 1 st century AD, which, owing to the
crosses in the walls, was mistakenly called ‘Luke’s Tomb.’ Just beyond
this are the ruins of two fountains. Walking further on, one reaches the
site of the State Agora.
This agora appears to have been here at least as early as the 2 nd century
BC. In the center was the Temple of the Egyptian Goddess Isis, built in
the 1 st century BC. The foundations of the temple can still be seen. The
agora was enclosed on the north and south by two porticos. Adjacent to
the agora’s northern portico is a long basilica with three naves, each one
of which is a corridor measuring 160 m. in length. To the north west of
this basilica is an odeion running east-to-west. This odeion had a seating
capacity of 11.400 and was built in 150 AD by Publius Vedius Antoninus.
The ruins to the right of the odeion are the Baths of Varius, from the 2 nd
century AD. Situated to the west of the odeion are two small temples,
built between 14-37 AD in the name of Divius Julius Caesar and the
Goddess Dea. West of these is the prytaneion, the place where the
Ephesians conducted their government business. This building is in
Grecian style, and is where the sacred flame was kept. It was
constructed during the reign of Augustus. Two of the statues of Artemis,
now on display at the Ephesos Museum, were found here. On the north
The Hadrian Temple.