AIZANOI
AIZANOI
ANCIENT CITY
Kütahya Province, Turkey / ANATOLIA
Aizanoi archeology site & excavation arean area is in the province of Kütahya, Çavdarhisar district, Turkey. Aizanoi is an ancient site with the ruins like Temple of Zeus, Stadium-Theater Complex and Macellum.
The willage which was settled around the hill where the ancient city is located has a charming and visual appeal either. The area can be visited, even just to taste the atmosphere of a traditional Turkish willage life.
Category: Ancient City
Civilisation Greek /Asia Minor
Çavdarhisar Village
Aizanoi was disovered first by an English count saint asaph in 1824. Following to him some important European archelogists visited the site. wey first excavations were started in 1926 & 1928. A big earthquage in the Gediz district has caused the demoliton of many buildings in the willage which let some more ancient structures come out of ground.
The Zeus Temple that is on the top of the ancient site hill is one of the best protected Zeus temples in the world. İt is decorated by marble columns and again marble pediments which are unusual for such type of an architecture and which makes it the only temple example in Pseudodipteros style. The Gymnasium & the theater that are on the north site of the area were built as a unified buildings complex. The ''macellum'' (Stock market building) which is dated to 2.nd century A.C. is the first stock market building in the world. On the walls of macellum some inscriptions can be seen which are about the struggle of emperor Diocletian against inflation of currency.
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Temple of Zeus Aizonai
There are guite few information about Pre-Roman period of aizonai. The know past start about 3000 B.C. during these period Aizonai is supposed to be the capital city of Aizanitis people who were living under the authocracy of a bigger civilisation called ''Frigians''. Aizonai was in the same era of the ancient cities like Ephoses, Pergammon & Side. During the Helenistic period Aizonai was under the authocracy of Pergammon & Bithynia. Romans took over after 133 B.C.
During the Roman period, Aizonai is reported to be a rich city by making agricalture, wine and wool. the very first coins are seen in the end of the first century A.C.
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Roman Bath in Aizanoi
It is estimated that approximately 80,000 people lived in the ancient city during the Roman period. The ruins of the Temple of Zeus, 15,000-person capacity theater and theater, 13,500-seat stadium, two baths, the world's first trading stock exchange building, columnar street, two Roman bridges over kocaçay, agora, gymnasium, Meter Steunene sanctuary, necropolises, there is an ancient bent, waterways, gate structures.
The area around the temple was transformed into a fortress to contain the temple. It was called as ''Fortress of Çavdar'' (also the name of the modern town) because it was used as a base by Çavdar Tatars during the Seljuk period. Another evidence proving the existence of the Rye Tatars is the depictions of cavalry, archer cavalry, who were later etched into the temple wall. Osta Asia This military method, which holds an important place in the Turkish military tradition, is depicted in many reliefs.
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The Space under the Platform of Zeus Temple
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