DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0016
CiiAr.xxxi.]
TEMPLE OF HERCULES.
7
mous style, except a small part of that which traverses the
plain, and they consist either of blue marble or red tra-
chyte, the former being diversified in one place, where it is
upwards of twenty feet high, by two courses of trachyte,
producing a singular effect. The remains of several gate-
waj^s, some of which are of unusual construction, are still
visible, and outside those to the north and east we dis-
covered many remains of ancient tombs of various styles
and forms.
The springs which mainly, and in dry weather solely,
feed the Aleus, rise near the eastern gate within the walls.
They appear to have been looked upon with peculiar
veneration, for near them were many remains of aque-
ducts, walls, terraces, and foundations of buildings with
temples. Amongst them we found the fragments of an in-
scription,* broken marble columns and architraves, and
three large Ionic capitals of red trachyte lying- in the water-
course, and which had evidently belonged to some ancient
building. But one of the most remarkable of these remains
was a wall supporting a terrace, thirty-eight feet in length,
the lower part of which consisted of a beautiful specimen of
Cyclopian architecture, the angles of the different blocks
being cut very sharp, while upon it was raised a super-
structure in theisodomous style, built with great regularity.
It is represented in the accompanying woodcut: the site
may have been that of the temple of Hercules mentioned
by Pausanias,f and the Ionic capitals in the bed of the
stream may have belonged to it.
After crossing the plain, another range of hills, and a
second valley, the city wall ascends the ridge which forms
the northern limit of the town. Here it is built upon the
solid rock, gigantic steps being cut to receive securely the
lower course of the foundations; another gateway near the
summit of the hill led into the deep valley beyond. Many
tombs and sarcophagi, all of which had been long since
opened and rifled, stand outside this northern gate, upon
* See Appendix, No. 212. t A<jh. 5.
TEMPLE OF HERCULES.
7
mous style, except a small part of that which traverses the
plain, and they consist either of blue marble or red tra-
chyte, the former being diversified in one place, where it is
upwards of twenty feet high, by two courses of trachyte,
producing a singular effect. The remains of several gate-
waj^s, some of which are of unusual construction, are still
visible, and outside those to the north and east we dis-
covered many remains of ancient tombs of various styles
and forms.
The springs which mainly, and in dry weather solely,
feed the Aleus, rise near the eastern gate within the walls.
They appear to have been looked upon with peculiar
veneration, for near them were many remains of aque-
ducts, walls, terraces, and foundations of buildings with
temples. Amongst them we found the fragments of an in-
scription,* broken marble columns and architraves, and
three large Ionic capitals of red trachyte lying- in the water-
course, and which had evidently belonged to some ancient
building. But one of the most remarkable of these remains
was a wall supporting a terrace, thirty-eight feet in length,
the lower part of which consisted of a beautiful specimen of
Cyclopian architecture, the angles of the different blocks
being cut very sharp, while upon it was raised a super-
structure in theisodomous style, built with great regularity.
It is represented in the accompanying woodcut: the site
may have been that of the temple of Hercules mentioned
by Pausanias,f and the Ionic capitals in the bed of the
stream may have belonged to it.
After crossing the plain, another range of hills, and a
second valley, the city wall ascends the ridge which forms
the northern limit of the town. Here it is built upon the
solid rock, gigantic steps being cut to receive securely the
lower course of the foundations; another gateway near the
summit of the hill led into the deep valley beyond. Many
tombs and sarcophagi, all of which had been long since
opened and rifled, stand outside this northern gate, upon
* See Appendix, No. 212. t A<jh. 5.