DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4326#0151
PATARA.
85
explains the cause. The fallen reputation of the Patarean Apollo was inevitably accompanied by
a loss of population, wealth and commerce, and consequently by a deficiency of that labour and
attention, which were constantly required to postpone, if they could not counteract the effect
of alluvial depositions, which combined with the action of the sea and wind, have protruded the
coast line in every similar situation, and have obliterated or converted into lagoons so many
ancient harbours on every part of the Grecian coasts.*
The extant monuments of Patara are almost entirely of that period, during which a profusion
of stately buildings arose in every part of the countries, which had previously been Grecian;
but amidst the ruins of which buildings few remains are ever found of the earlier and
better times of Grecian art. The age of the ruined edifices of Patara, sufficiently indicated
by their style, is confirmed by inscriptions of the reigns of Vespasian, Antoninus Pius, and
Lucius Verus. The ruins and extensive foundations of the city walls, bear testimony to the an-
cient importance of the place; the numerous sepulchres indicate a large as well as wealthy
population, and there are remains of more than one building, which bear the appearance of a
sacred character ; yet there are no vestiges, if we except some fragments widely scattered, worthy
of the ancient renown of Patara. Of the temple of Apollot to which the city owed its earliest
and most lasting fame, our mission was unable to determine even the site; possibly it may have
been at the position marked D. in the plan, where was found a Doric column. Amidst the
general wreck however one building has survived in more than ordinary preservation. The theatre
is altogether in so perfect a state, as to afford the means of giving to the public with some preci-
sion, an idea of the arrangement of these celebrated places of public amusement. The more
ornamental part of the scene, chiefly consisting of columns and their accessories, has perished ;
but the walls (before which the open colonnades were advanced) still remain, with the interior apart-
ments both above and below for the rehearsals of the chorus, and for the reception of the requisite
machinery. The mode of arranging the porticoes behind the scene, to afford shelter against
sudden showers, may also be traced, so that a complete restoration of every part can be effected
without difficulty ; but as this portion of the ancient theatre may be ascertained still more satisfac-
torily from the remains at Myra, which we propose to give in our next volume, we have preferred
leaving to the joint consideration of the two, the further elucidation of this part of the subject.
The theatre of Patara appears to have been a more ancient work, carried on and embellished
under the Antonines in an age, which from inscriptions in various parts of Asia Minor appears to
* In many parts of the southern coasts of Asia Minor a still
further change has been operated by means of some adhesive
deposit, which has converted the beach into a solid conglome-
rate. (See Beaufort's Caramania, p. 6.) At Patara, besides
the indurated beach which has blocked up the port, we find
sand drifted from twenty to thirty feet in height against the
theatre and every other resisting object.
f The only particular allusion to this temple which we find
in history is by Pausanias (Bceot. 41, 1.), who informs us that
" the Lycians of Patara exhibited in their temple of Apollo a
brazen bowl, which they asserted to have been the work of
Vulcan and dedicated by Telephus, being ignorant that the
casting of works of art in brass was first invented by Theodoras
and Rhcecus of Samos, contemporaries of Polycrates," i. e. in
the latter part of the sixth century b. c. Pausan. Arcad. 14, 5 ;
Phocic. 38, 3.
85
explains the cause. The fallen reputation of the Patarean Apollo was inevitably accompanied by
a loss of population, wealth and commerce, and consequently by a deficiency of that labour and
attention, which were constantly required to postpone, if they could not counteract the effect
of alluvial depositions, which combined with the action of the sea and wind, have protruded the
coast line in every similar situation, and have obliterated or converted into lagoons so many
ancient harbours on every part of the Grecian coasts.*
The extant monuments of Patara are almost entirely of that period, during which a profusion
of stately buildings arose in every part of the countries, which had previously been Grecian;
but amidst the ruins of which buildings few remains are ever found of the earlier and
better times of Grecian art. The age of the ruined edifices of Patara, sufficiently indicated
by their style, is confirmed by inscriptions of the reigns of Vespasian, Antoninus Pius, and
Lucius Verus. The ruins and extensive foundations of the city walls, bear testimony to the an-
cient importance of the place; the numerous sepulchres indicate a large as well as wealthy
population, and there are remains of more than one building, which bear the appearance of a
sacred character ; yet there are no vestiges, if we except some fragments widely scattered, worthy
of the ancient renown of Patara. Of the temple of Apollot to which the city owed its earliest
and most lasting fame, our mission was unable to determine even the site; possibly it may have
been at the position marked D. in the plan, where was found a Doric column. Amidst the
general wreck however one building has survived in more than ordinary preservation. The theatre
is altogether in so perfect a state, as to afford the means of giving to the public with some preci-
sion, an idea of the arrangement of these celebrated places of public amusement. The more
ornamental part of the scene, chiefly consisting of columns and their accessories, has perished ;
but the walls (before which the open colonnades were advanced) still remain, with the interior apart-
ments both above and below for the rehearsals of the chorus, and for the reception of the requisite
machinery. The mode of arranging the porticoes behind the scene, to afford shelter against
sudden showers, may also be traced, so that a complete restoration of every part can be effected
without difficulty ; but as this portion of the ancient theatre may be ascertained still more satisfac-
torily from the remains at Myra, which we propose to give in our next volume, we have preferred
leaving to the joint consideration of the two, the further elucidation of this part of the subject.
The theatre of Patara appears to have been a more ancient work, carried on and embellished
under the Antonines in an age, which from inscriptions in various parts of Asia Minor appears to
* In many parts of the southern coasts of Asia Minor a still
further change has been operated by means of some adhesive
deposit, which has converted the beach into a solid conglome-
rate. (See Beaufort's Caramania, p. 6.) At Patara, besides
the indurated beach which has blocked up the port, we find
sand drifted from twenty to thirty feet in height against the
theatre and every other resisting object.
f The only particular allusion to this temple which we find
in history is by Pausanias (Bceot. 41, 1.), who informs us that
" the Lycians of Patara exhibited in their temple of Apollo a
brazen bowl, which they asserted to have been the work of
Vulcan and dedicated by Telephus, being ignorant that the
casting of works of art in brass was first invented by Theodoras
and Rhcecus of Samos, contemporaries of Polycrates," i. e. in
the latter part of the sixth century b. c. Pausan. Arcad. 14, 5 ;
Phocic. 38, 3.