DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0059
50 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.
In the wall above the scene are to be seen the holes into which the timbers of the roof that covered
the scene fitted.
The side wall of the cavea is parallel to the scene, as in most Roman theatres.
Aspendus, a colony of Argos, was one of the oldest towns in Pamphylia. It is mentioned in the
5th century before the Christian era. In 391 B.C., Thrasybulus, having been charged to compel the Asiatic
Greek towns to acknowledge the authority of Athens, disembarked near Aspendus to levy contributions, when
the Aspendians sallied out in the night and killed him in his tent.
Alexander besieged and took the town, because the inhabitants would not consent to give up some
horses they had stolen from the king of Persia.
We learn from a sentence of Cicero addressed to Verres, that Aspendus had cultivated the arts with great
success. He says : — " Aspendus is, as you know, an ancient town of Pamphylia; it was full of very valuable
statues. I will not say that such and such a statue was taken away; I will assert that you, Verres, have
removed all the statues from the temples and public places; they were placed upon chariots and carried
out of the town." Cicero mentions the lute-player of Aspendus, the celebrated statue which Verres placed in
his own apartments.
Plate XXXIII.
INTERIOR OP THE THEATRE.
This engraving gives a good idea of the condition of this magnificent theatre, which is in a better state of
preservation than any other in Asia Minor. The columns and roof of the scene alone are wanting to restore
it to its original state.
Plate XXXIV.
EXTERIOR OE THE THEATRE.
It will be seen that the exterior of this remarkable edifice is perfectly unadorned, and that it is only
striking from the massiveness of its construction and its state of preservation. The projecting blocks of stone
in the gallery part of the building were pierced for the purpose of sustaining the masts which held the
velarium.
Over the side door is a slab bearing one of the inscriptions relating to the erection of the theatre. (See
ante, page 49.)
Plates XXXV. XXXVI.
ELEVATION OE THE EXTERIOR.
Plate XXXVII.
SECTION THROUGH THE THEATRE.
The arrangement of the various chambers at the back of the scene is here shown, and the timbers of the
roof over part of it restored; with the exception of the columns, there is no other restoration, but the
entire building exists in as perfect a condition as it was on the day it was built.
Plate XXXVIII.
UPPER ORDER OE THE THEATRE.
Eig. 1.—Ornaments on the central pediment. The female figure surrounded by scrolls is that from which
the Turkish name of the neighbouring village is derived. It is called Bal-kiz, or the Girl of Honey. A
Turkoman related the following tradition about her to M. Texier: — " Hamlarer Padishah, the king of the
serpents, fell in love with the queen of the bees, who inhabited a neighbouring forest; having demanded her
in marriage and having met with a refusal, he resolved to carry her off. In order to accomplish this, he had
to cross a deep valley. Accordingly, he built a bridge, the ruins of which are still to be seen (those of an
aqueduct). His project succeeded; but after a year had elapsed, the queen died, after giving birth to a
daughter, who was named Bal-kiz. The king then built a large palace for his daughter (the theatre), in
which he had her portrait sculptured."
Such are the traditions of the Turks concerning the various ruins of towns and temples.
In the wall above the scene are to be seen the holes into which the timbers of the roof that covered
the scene fitted.
The side wall of the cavea is parallel to the scene, as in most Roman theatres.
Aspendus, a colony of Argos, was one of the oldest towns in Pamphylia. It is mentioned in the
5th century before the Christian era. In 391 B.C., Thrasybulus, having been charged to compel the Asiatic
Greek towns to acknowledge the authority of Athens, disembarked near Aspendus to levy contributions, when
the Aspendians sallied out in the night and killed him in his tent.
Alexander besieged and took the town, because the inhabitants would not consent to give up some
horses they had stolen from the king of Persia.
We learn from a sentence of Cicero addressed to Verres, that Aspendus had cultivated the arts with great
success. He says : — " Aspendus is, as you know, an ancient town of Pamphylia; it was full of very valuable
statues. I will not say that such and such a statue was taken away; I will assert that you, Verres, have
removed all the statues from the temples and public places; they were placed upon chariots and carried
out of the town." Cicero mentions the lute-player of Aspendus, the celebrated statue which Verres placed in
his own apartments.
Plate XXXIII.
INTERIOR OP THE THEATRE.
This engraving gives a good idea of the condition of this magnificent theatre, which is in a better state of
preservation than any other in Asia Minor. The columns and roof of the scene alone are wanting to restore
it to its original state.
Plate XXXIV.
EXTERIOR OE THE THEATRE.
It will be seen that the exterior of this remarkable edifice is perfectly unadorned, and that it is only
striking from the massiveness of its construction and its state of preservation. The projecting blocks of stone
in the gallery part of the building were pierced for the purpose of sustaining the masts which held the
velarium.
Over the side door is a slab bearing one of the inscriptions relating to the erection of the theatre. (See
ante, page 49.)
Plates XXXV. XXXVI.
ELEVATION OE THE EXTERIOR.
Plate XXXVII.
SECTION THROUGH THE THEATRE.
The arrangement of the various chambers at the back of the scene is here shown, and the timbers of the
roof over part of it restored; with the exception of the columns, there is no other restoration, but the
entire building exists in as perfect a condition as it was on the day it was built.
Plate XXXVIII.
UPPER ORDER OE THE THEATRE.
Eig. 1.—Ornaments on the central pediment. The female figure surrounded by scrolls is that from which
the Turkish name of the neighbouring village is derived. It is called Bal-kiz, or the Girl of Honey. A
Turkoman related the following tradition about her to M. Texier: — " Hamlarer Padishah, the king of the
serpents, fell in love with the queen of the bees, who inhabited a neighbouring forest; having demanded her
in marriage and having met with a refusal, he resolved to carry her off. In order to accomplish this, he had
to cross a deep valley. Accordingly, he built a bridge, the ruins of which are still to be seen (those of an
aqueduct). His project succeeded; but after a year had elapsed, the queen died, after giving birth to a
daughter, who was named Bal-kiz. The king then built a large palace for his daughter (the theatre), in
which he had her portrait sculptured."
Such are the traditions of the Turks concerning the various ruins of towns and temples.