Aizanoi Ancient City | ArticHaeology / Articles on History

At the south end of the stadium various honorific inscriptions_edited.jpg

AIZANOI page 3

Theater

It was built on two floors in the same direction as the stadium in the northeast of the Temple of Zeus and it is estimated to be built to host 15,000 people. From the inscriptions on the walls of Zeus Tample & Roman bridge, Apileius is known to play an important role in the construction of this Theater and Stadium complex. The combination of the stadium-theatre in Aizanoi is unique. Excavation and research carried out from 1982 to1990 showed that the construction of the building started in 160 A.D. and continued until the middle of the third century A.D. During repairs to the eastern side of the entrance to the stadium, a number of inscriptions were found and placed in their original places.

Since the sitting rows of the stadium are polygonal, the structure gets wider in the centre. At its widest point, there is a door on the western side. A marble-covered wall is the only façade of the stadium that looks onto theatre. This is at the same time the back side of theatre stage. There are two floors and on top, there is the high Attika floor with an arch. The stage of theatre was covered with rich decorations made out of marble which were fell on top of the sitting rows by the effect of several earthquakes throughout the centruries. Researchs show that the marble decorations on the stage arrived to the conclusion that the building was originally built as only one story and the second floor was added in later years in order to expand the stadium.

In the second half of the third century, in the north-eastern side of the city, a second Turkish-style bath was built inside a building formed by large limestone. In one part of this bath, there is a mosaic floor bearing the pictures of a satyr and maenad. In the fourth and the fifth century A.D, the main area of the Turkish-style bath was rearranged and it was used as the episcopacy centre.

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Stadium

The construction of the building adjacent to the theater was built by M.S. It has started gradually until M.S.250 's. There is a wide gate on the west side of the stadium and the, Honor Corner ın where the medals won by the athletes at the entrance. Both sides of the marble covered wall separating the stadium and the theater are decorated with depictions of the hunting scene. On the east bank of the river; A rounded structure with 16 columns and monumental tombs and necropolis area belonging to city administrators are located.

Stadium Aizonai

Stock Exchange Building

Built in the 2nd century A.C. The round structure (macellum) used as a grain market; price lists of all goods sold in the imperial markets, M.S. In 301, there are inscriptions showing Emperor Diocletian's wage determination to combat inflation. This structure is defined as the world's first trade exchange.

There has been found a long inscription that mentions the goddess Artemis along with Asclepius on a piece belonging to the temple. The inscription says that the temple was built during the reign of the Emperor Claudius (41-54 A.D.) Two plates that were found on the ground of the northeast gallery were originally from the triangular pediment of the temple. One of these plates has a picture of a deer which is the symbol of Artemis. The front façade of the temple which has eight columns can be reconstructed using the parts of the Temple of Artemis that were employed in the building of the avenue with columns. This avenue, for whose construction a temple was demolished, existed until the sixth century when most likely it was destroyed by an earthquake.