Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:51 AM Sayfa
times as well). The khan located before the theater is a work of the
Seljuks. One may approach the site of Miletos by vehicle as far as the
theater, which even today stands out magnificently from a distance. Let
us start our tour of Miletos therefore from the theater. The theater of
Miletos measures 140 m. in width and is 30 m. high. The original structure
was built in the 4 th century BC and was later expanded during
Hellenistic times. It was during the Roman Period that the theater asumed
the appearance it still has today.
The theater could seat 15,000. The emperor's box was in the lowest row
and two of the four columns that supported its awning are still in place.
The extensive ruins near the theater are the Baths of Faustina which,
together with their palaestra, have survived in very good condition. The
palaestra of the baths is nearly square-shaped, measuring 77.50 by 79.41
m.. The colonnades surrounding its courtyard are in the Corinthian order.
The Faustina baths, built by the Roman empress Faustina, wife of Marcus
Aurelius (161-180 AD) are a good example of the ‘bath culture’ of the ancient
world.
The palaestra was entered through a long apoditerium, a room that served
as a dressing room. In the wall at the northern end of this room are niches
that once contained statues (The statues are now in the ‹stanbul
Archaeological Museum). From here, one could enter the frigidarium or
cold section. In the central room of the frigidarium was a big pool with two
fountains-of a river god and of a lion, still in place today-that provided its
water. From the frigidarium the bather then passed into the calidarium
the bather then passed into the calidarium or hot section consisting of
two big rooms with apses. From here, the bather then proceeded to the
tepidarium or cooling chamber and then finally back to the apoditerium
where they retrieved their clothes. Adjacent to the Faustina baths is the
Temple of Serapis, located behind the city walls built during the reign of
Justinianus.
The building is a triple-naved basilica and has a four-columned portico. It
was built in the 3 rd century AD. Before the Serapis temple lie the ruins of
a long storage building or warehouse after which we reach the South
Agora covering an area measuring 164 by 196 m.. Originally built in the 2 nd
century BC it was altered during Roman times. The northern gate of the
agora is no longer in situ having been taken to Berlin and only the
foundations remain. It is dated to the gate, the Diocesan Church is on our
right. Adjoining the apse is a round structure that served as a martyrion
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