Aspendos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Roman theatre in Aspendos

Aspendos, an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya province of Turkey. It is located 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) north of Serik.

1 History
2 Roman structures
3 Coinage
4 Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

Aspendus was an ancient city in Pamphylia, Asia Minor, located about 25 miles (40 km) east of the modern city of Antalya, Turkey. It was situated on the Eurymedon River about 10 miles (16 km) inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The Greek spelling of the name is Aspendos. According to tradition, the city was founded around 1000 B.C. by Greeks who may have come from Argos. The wide range of its coinage throughout the ancient world indicates that, in the 5th century B.C., Aspendus had become the most important city in Pamphylia. At that time the Eurymedon River was navigable as far as Aspendus, and the city derived great wealth from a trade in salt, oil, and wool.

In 333 B.C. Aspendus paid Alexander the Great a levy to avoid being garrisoned, but it ignored its agreements with him and later was occupied. In 190 B.C. the city surrendered to the Romans, who later pillaged it of its artistic treasures. Toward the end of the Roman period the city began a decline that continued throughout Byzantine times.

[edit] Roman structures

Aspendos is known for having the best-preserved theater of antiquity. With a diameter of 96 meters (315 ft), the theater provided seating for 7,000.^[1]

The theater was built in 155^[1] by the Greek architect Zenon, a native of the city, during the rule of Marcus Aurelius. In the 13th century, the stage building was converted into a palace by Seljuqs of Rum.^[2]

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 the remainder was built on vaulted arches. The high stage served to seemingly isolate the audience from the rest of the world. The scaenae frons or backdrop, has remained intact. The 8.1 meter (27 ft) sloping reflective wooden ceiling over the stage has been lost over time. Post holes for 58 masts are found in the upper level of the theater. These masts supported a velarium or awning that could be pulled over the audience to provide shade.^[1]

Still used today for concerts, festivals and events, the theater's galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to the architect's success.

Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora, nymphaeum and 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) of Roman aqueduct.

[edit] Coinage

Some staters from Aspendos have a Triskelion depicted on them. There is no way to determine the age of the coins because coins from Aspendos do not have dates or rulers depicted on them.

[edit] Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival

Main article: Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival

The theatre hosts the annual Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival organized by Turkish State Opera and Ballet since 1994, with international participation of opera and ballet companies and an audience of about 10,000.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Roth, Leland M. (1993). Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning, First, Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-06-430158-3.
^ Scott Redford, "The Seljuqs of Rum and the Antique," Muqarnas, Vol. 10, Essays in Honor of Oleg Grabar. (1993), p. 151.