DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47147#0138
12. Zusammenfassungen
Summary
The Nymphaeum Traiani in Ephesus has long been considered as one of the early examples of public fountain architecture in Roman Asia
Minor that features a monumental aedicular faqade. Discovered by F. Miltner in 1957, this building is prominently located in the middle
section of the Curetes Street, or ancient “Embolos” in antiquity. In 1962, a preliminary reconstruction was made by the Viennese architect
H. Pellionis under the direction of F. Eichler. However, besides a tentative reconstruction, the results of his investigation have never been
published. Between 2003 and 2006, a new campaign was conducted to re-examine this building. The present study, therefore, represents
the first detailed analysis of this structure, and with this new study, architectural questions and peculiarities posed by the earlier schematic
reconstruction have now been resolved.
According to epigraphic evidence, the Nymphaeum Traiani and a 210-stadia-long (approximately 35-40 km) aqueduct were commissioned
by Tiberius Claudius Aristion and his wife lulia Lydia Laterane, two well-known Ephesian benefactors active during the Flavian and
Trajanic periods (circa 69-117 AD). In the same inscription, the title of the emperor Trajan is also recorded, which gives the fountain its
modern name. More importantly, this inscription also fumishes a more precise date of 102-114 AD for the building. An aqueduct, also
donated by Ariston, brought water from the area of the modern village Büyükkale located north of ancient Ephesus, and the nymphaeum
structure represents the terminus of Ariston’s monumental water engineering feat. In addition, this fountain also served as a transfer junction
to distribute water into other sectors of the ancient city. New excavation has shown that the structure continued to be in use at least until the
6th Century.
The design of the nymphaeum consists of a main rectangular pool surrounded on three sides by a two-storied columnar faqade. A narrower
secondary pool is arranged in front of the main pool. In the two outermost bays flanking the main outlet, two openings are still visible. They
probably held secondary water outlets, which were connected to the main conduit behind the rear wall. During excavation, the area behind
the central section of the rear fa^ade showed numerous alterations and rebuilding. Pressurized pipes that lead to the second story did not
exist in the original plan.
The faqade of the nymphaeum is of the aedicular variety, with projecting architectural pavilions alternating between the first and the second
story that create a staggered effect. The central bay spanning both stories, that housed a colossal statue of Trajan, is the visual focus of the
building. It is crowned by a triangular pediment, whereas each of the two side wings is capped by a segmental pediment. Furthermore, a
number of small pavilions and niches are installed within each aedicula to increase the decorative quality of the fa^ade. The first story of
the building exclusively uses composite capitals; Corinthian capitals are prominently featured in the second story. Detailed analyses of
individual architectural blocks indicate that the structure did not receive any major later repair or alteration.
The constniction of the structure primarily uses the technique of opus revinctum , i. e., highly smoothened joints without the use of mortar.
The blocks are connected horizontally by iron clamps, with the vertical joins effected by iron dowels. Occasionally this technique was
apparently abandoned for the sake of expediency. For example, the uneven ledges of the architraves, which the coffer blocks would rest
upon, are leveled by the application of mortar, a makeshift method that considerably minimized the stonemasons’ work. In another case,
mortar packing was used to substitute for a missing block in an aedicula in the lower story. This tendency toward expediency is further
illustrated in the carving of the architectural blocks. For example, whereas the carving of the composite capitals of the lower story is of high
quality, the detailing of the pilaster capitals located directly behind them, and hence partially obscured by them, is left deliberately blank.
Overall, the architectural ornamentation of the Nymphaeum Traiani is relatively plain and understated.
The only exception to the restrained Ornament is two highly decorated spiral columns, fragments of which were recovered in the main pool
during the original excavation. Elaborately carved, they contain reliefs depicting figural and floral representations. It is most likely that these
columns were used in the central bay to frame the imperial statue. Comparative examples from antiquity are rare. One such case is the so-
called “<7e Grecias” columns donated by Constantine the Great to St. Peter’s in Rome, which underscore that these special Ephesian spiral
columns do not necessarily originate from the Eastem Mediterranean, and the detailing of their acanthus leaves, which show both westem
and eastern elements, bear this out.
HO
Summary
The Nymphaeum Traiani in Ephesus has long been considered as one of the early examples of public fountain architecture in Roman Asia
Minor that features a monumental aedicular faqade. Discovered by F. Miltner in 1957, this building is prominently located in the middle
section of the Curetes Street, or ancient “Embolos” in antiquity. In 1962, a preliminary reconstruction was made by the Viennese architect
H. Pellionis under the direction of F. Eichler. However, besides a tentative reconstruction, the results of his investigation have never been
published. Between 2003 and 2006, a new campaign was conducted to re-examine this building. The present study, therefore, represents
the first detailed analysis of this structure, and with this new study, architectural questions and peculiarities posed by the earlier schematic
reconstruction have now been resolved.
According to epigraphic evidence, the Nymphaeum Traiani and a 210-stadia-long (approximately 35-40 km) aqueduct were commissioned
by Tiberius Claudius Aristion and his wife lulia Lydia Laterane, two well-known Ephesian benefactors active during the Flavian and
Trajanic periods (circa 69-117 AD). In the same inscription, the title of the emperor Trajan is also recorded, which gives the fountain its
modern name. More importantly, this inscription also fumishes a more precise date of 102-114 AD for the building. An aqueduct, also
donated by Ariston, brought water from the area of the modern village Büyükkale located north of ancient Ephesus, and the nymphaeum
structure represents the terminus of Ariston’s monumental water engineering feat. In addition, this fountain also served as a transfer junction
to distribute water into other sectors of the ancient city. New excavation has shown that the structure continued to be in use at least until the
6th Century.
The design of the nymphaeum consists of a main rectangular pool surrounded on three sides by a two-storied columnar faqade. A narrower
secondary pool is arranged in front of the main pool. In the two outermost bays flanking the main outlet, two openings are still visible. They
probably held secondary water outlets, which were connected to the main conduit behind the rear wall. During excavation, the area behind
the central section of the rear fa^ade showed numerous alterations and rebuilding. Pressurized pipes that lead to the second story did not
exist in the original plan.
The faqade of the nymphaeum is of the aedicular variety, with projecting architectural pavilions alternating between the first and the second
story that create a staggered effect. The central bay spanning both stories, that housed a colossal statue of Trajan, is the visual focus of the
building. It is crowned by a triangular pediment, whereas each of the two side wings is capped by a segmental pediment. Furthermore, a
number of small pavilions and niches are installed within each aedicula to increase the decorative quality of the fa^ade. The first story of
the building exclusively uses composite capitals; Corinthian capitals are prominently featured in the second story. Detailed analyses of
individual architectural blocks indicate that the structure did not receive any major later repair or alteration.
The constniction of the structure primarily uses the technique of opus revinctum , i. e., highly smoothened joints without the use of mortar.
The blocks are connected horizontally by iron clamps, with the vertical joins effected by iron dowels. Occasionally this technique was
apparently abandoned for the sake of expediency. For example, the uneven ledges of the architraves, which the coffer blocks would rest
upon, are leveled by the application of mortar, a makeshift method that considerably minimized the stonemasons’ work. In another case,
mortar packing was used to substitute for a missing block in an aedicula in the lower story. This tendency toward expediency is further
illustrated in the carving of the architectural blocks. For example, whereas the carving of the composite capitals of the lower story is of high
quality, the detailing of the pilaster capitals located directly behind them, and hence partially obscured by them, is left deliberately blank.
Overall, the architectural ornamentation of the Nymphaeum Traiani is relatively plain and understated.
The only exception to the restrained Ornament is two highly decorated spiral columns, fragments of which were recovered in the main pool
during the original excavation. Elaborately carved, they contain reliefs depicting figural and floral representations. It is most likely that these
columns were used in the central bay to frame the imperial statue. Comparative examples from antiquity are rare. One such case is the so-
called “<7e Grecias” columns donated by Constantine the Great to St. Peter’s in Rome, which underscore that these special Ephesian spiral
columns do not necessarily originate from the Eastem Mediterranean, and the detailing of their acanthus leaves, which show both westem
and eastern elements, bear this out.
HO
