Aspendos is known for his
best-preserved theater of antiquity with seating for 15.000. Still used today, the
theater's galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to the architects
success. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora and one of the largest aqueducts in
Anatolia.
This city on the shores of the
ancient Eurymedon,built by the colonial people from Argos,is renown over the
world because of its Roman amphitheater of incrediple beauty,that is still
in excellent shape .Aspendus was the only city,besides Side,that minted
silver coins in 5th C.AD.The city walls were built in the Hellenistic period
and were repaired restored in the late Roman period and in the Byzantine
period.Aspendos is divided into two:Lower City and (Upper)High City.The
Agora,Basilica,Bouleterion and the monumental fountain situated in the High
City and the Theater,Stadium,the Roman Baths and the Water aqueducts
situated in the Lower City are definitely worth seeing.The Aspendos Theater
holds 15,000 people and was built by the famous Aspendosian architect
Zenon,in Marcus Aurelius’time(secondhalfof2AD). This theater is in better
condition than all other theaters built in the ancient times .In order to
keep with Hellenistic traditions,a small part of the theater was built so
that it leaned against the hill where the Citadel (Acropolis)stood,while
almost all of the other parts were buit onvaulted arches . The high stage
served to seemingly isolate the audience from the rest of the world.The very
top section of this stage has been repaired and the acoustics were
ameliorated with later additons .Because the stage area was later used as a
caravansarai in Seljuk times,it was continuously repaired and maintained
.Thus,the Aspendos Theater has been able to survive to this days without
losing almost any of its original qualities.
|
