DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0023
14
TEMPLE OF BACCHUS.
[Chap. xxxi.
were faced with marble blocks, many of which, as well as
the seats, are visible in the walls of the surrounding fields.
Half a mile to the S.W. of the theatre are the ruins of
what is supposed to have been the Temple of Bacchus de-
scribed by Vitruvius.* The order is Ionic, and the pro-
portions are very grand: the temple itself appears to
have occupied but a small area, unless we suppose that the
fallen nuns have been heaped together by the subsequent
occupiers of the land in clearing the soil. Near the east
end of this heap of ruins we discovered some fragments of
inscriptions on our first visit, but so imbedded amongst the
masses of fallen architraves, columns, &c, that it cost a
whole day's labour-, with eight or ten men, and strong tackle
from the ship, to get at them by removing the overlying
impediments. We had, however, at length the satisfaction
of finding two fragments of an inscribed pedestal, f which,
with a statue and altar, had been erected in honour of
Titus Claudius, Asiarchus or governor of Asia: the name
of Bacchus or Dionysus also occurs in the inscription. The
temple appears to have been surrounded by an oblong
Ionic colonnade, the foundations of which are still visible ;
while the small columns have been used in constructing the
neighbouring walls, where we found another inscription.J
The whole site of the former city is now covered with
olive-trees, and divided into corn-fields by numerous en-
closures. These are marked by walls and hedgerows, the
former of which consist of ancient fragments, and the latter
of luxuriant bay-trees: the fragrance of their bruised
branches heightened the pleasure of searching for the
written records of the past. It is remarkable to see how
this tree flourishes in the neighbourhood of old walls, or
where the ground has not been for a long time broken up :
this was particularly the case to the east of the Temple of
Bacchus, towards the marshes, where we discovered the sites
of several other temples and buildings, marked by heaps of
ruins, of large and magnificent proportions; at one place
See Leake, Asia Minor, p. 350. f See Appendix, No. 239.
I Sec Appendix, No. 240.
TEMPLE OF BACCHUS.
[Chap. xxxi.
were faced with marble blocks, many of which, as well as
the seats, are visible in the walls of the surrounding fields.
Half a mile to the S.W. of the theatre are the ruins of
what is supposed to have been the Temple of Bacchus de-
scribed by Vitruvius.* The order is Ionic, and the pro-
portions are very grand: the temple itself appears to
have occupied but a small area, unless we suppose that the
fallen nuns have been heaped together by the subsequent
occupiers of the land in clearing the soil. Near the east
end of this heap of ruins we discovered some fragments of
inscriptions on our first visit, but so imbedded amongst the
masses of fallen architraves, columns, &c, that it cost a
whole day's labour-, with eight or ten men, and strong tackle
from the ship, to get at them by removing the overlying
impediments. We had, however, at length the satisfaction
of finding two fragments of an inscribed pedestal, f which,
with a statue and altar, had been erected in honour of
Titus Claudius, Asiarchus or governor of Asia: the name
of Bacchus or Dionysus also occurs in the inscription. The
temple appears to have been surrounded by an oblong
Ionic colonnade, the foundations of which are still visible ;
while the small columns have been used in constructing the
neighbouring walls, where we found another inscription.J
The whole site of the former city is now covered with
olive-trees, and divided into corn-fields by numerous en-
closures. These are marked by walls and hedgerows, the
former of which consist of ancient fragments, and the latter
of luxuriant bay-trees: the fragrance of their bruised
branches heightened the pleasure of searching for the
written records of the past. It is remarkable to see how
this tree flourishes in the neighbourhood of old walls, or
where the ground has not been for a long time broken up :
this was particularly the case to the east of the Temple of
Bacchus, towards the marshes, where we discovered the sites
of several other temples and buildings, marked by heaps of
ruins, of large and magnificent proportions; at one place
See Leake, Asia Minor, p. 350. f See Appendix, No. 239.
I Sec Appendix, No. 240.