The site was occupied since about 5000 BCE. The acropolis is a mound of successive settlements dating back to that period. The famous Temple of Aphrodite dates to the 6th century BCE. It is a beautiful work of art. Aphrodisias is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the 2nd and 1st century BCE, the site grew into an important city. By the 3rd century CE, the city was the capital of the Roman province Caria.
Under the Byzantines, the city changed. The lavish Aphrodite Temple was converted into a simple church, and many buildings were quarried for stone for city defenses in the 4th century CE. The town was abandoned in the 12th century.
View of the Agora with the Aphrodite temple in the background. (768k) Part of the Agora. (1003k) The theater baths. (846k) Stone vessels near the Aphrodite Temple. (1239k) A stone sarcophagus. (1089k) The North Baths of Hadrian. (884k) The Bishops Palace with the Aphrodite Temple in the background. (970k) The Bouleuterion (the council house), a beautiful, well preserved auditorium (the Odeum). (891k) The upper part of the Odeum, with the Aphrodite Temple in the background. (849k) Close-up of the seats in the Odeum. (808k) A column with a Corinthian capital. (871k) The magnificent Tetrapylon, the monumental gateway. (774k) A view through the Tetrapylon. (897k) Close-up of the stone work on the Tetrapylon. (666k) Another close-up of the stone work on the Tetrapylon. (577k) The very well preserved Theater. (1042k) The emperor's seat in the center of the Theater. (1066k) The Theater with the Theater Baths in the foreground. (930k) The Stadium. This is the best preserved stadium that I saw. (1134k) One end of the Stadium. (801k) The seats in the Stadium are a little crooked, but still well preserved. (1128k) View of the beautiful Temple of Aphrodite. (981k) Close-up of a couple of columns in the Temple of Aphrodite. (702k)
Dr. Günther Eichhorn Travel Website
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