The Ancient City of Aphrodisias
The ancient city of Aphrodisias is one of the most important archaeological sites of the late Hellenistic and Roman period in Turkey. It lies in inland Caria in the Meander river basin, 230 kilometers southeast of the port of Izmir (ancient Smyrna). Famous for its sanctuary of Aphrodite, the city's patron goddess, and for its marble sculptors, Aphrodisias enjoyed a long and prosperous existence from the first century BC to the sixth century AD. Today, many of the city's ancient monuments remain standing, and excavations have unearthed an unusual number of marble statues and inscriptions, as well as buildings and other artifacts.
Current archaeological work at the site is done under the auspices of New York University, with the Director of Excavations being Professor R.R.R. Smith of the University of Oxford.
The websites of both Universities provide excellent guides to the site as a whole, its history, and the major monuments, as follows:
Current archaeological work at the site is done under the auspices of New York University, with the Director of Excavations being Professor R.R.R. Smith of the University of Oxford.
The websites of both Universities provide excellent guides to the site as a whole, its history, and the major monuments, as follows:
For a general overview of the site, an update on current work, and a list of publications, with links to a photo gallery click on:
For a link into the New York site, click on:
This latter site has a number of sub-sections which allow you to explore the major monuments.