Aphrodisias
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Interest
Stadium Capacity
~30,000
UNESCO Status
World Heritage Site (2017)
Famous For
Marble sculpture school
Date Range
c. 600 BCE – 1200 CE
“Aphrodisias was one of the ancient world's most important centers of artistic production.”
Aphrodisias was a Hellenistic Greek city in the historic Caria cultural region of western Anatolia, Turkey. It is located near the modern village of Geyre, about 100 km east of the Aegean coast. The city was renowned throughout the Roman world for its school of marble sculpture.
read_wikipedia →overview
Aphrodisias, located near the village of Geyre in Aydın Province, was one of the most important cities in the Roman province of Asia. Named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, the city was renowned throughout the Roman world for its school of marble sculpture. The site includes a remarkably well-preserved stadium (one of the best-surviving ancient stadiums), a temple of Aphrodite later converted into a Christian basilica, an elaborate Sebasteion (a building complex dedicated to Augustus and the Julio-Claudian dynasty), a large agora, and a bouleuterion. The sculptors of Aphrodisias were famous across the Roman Empire. Numerous signed works have been found as far away as Rome itself. The local marble quarries provided high-quality stone, and the city's workshops produced portrait sculpture, mythological reliefs, and architectural decoration of exceptional quality. Excavations led by Kenan Erim from 1961 until his death in 1990 transformed understanding of the site. Work continues under R.R.R. Smith of Oxford University.
why_it_matters
evidence
Distinguishing what is well-established from what remains debated.
confirmed
3- Aphrodisian sculptors were renowned across the Roman Empire; signed works have been found in Rome.
- The Sebasteion contained elaborate relief panels depicting imperial mythology and conquered nations.
- The Temple of Aphrodite was converted into a Christian basilica in the 5th century.
inferred
1- The city's wealth was largely based on its marble quarries and sculpture workshops.
excavation
Early French investigation
Led by Paul Gaudin
Paul Gaudin conducted the first archaeological work at the site.
Major NYU excavations
Led by Kenan Erim / NYU
Kenan Erim dedicated nearly 30 years to excavating Aphrodisias, uncovering its major monuments.
Oxford University continues
Led by R.R.R. Smith / Oxford University
R.R.R. Smith continues research focusing on sculpture and the Sebasteion.
More Photos
Museum Artifacts
location
Related Sites
sources
- Aphrodisias: City and Sculpture in Roman Asia — R.R.R. Smith (2006)
- UNESCO World Heritage — AphrodisiasLink