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27-678: It was situated on the Eurymedon River about 16 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea ; it shared a border with, and was hostile to, the ancient city of Side . The wide range of its coinage throughout the ancient world indicates that, in the 5th century BC, Aspendos had become the most important city in Pamphylia. At that time, according to Thucydides , the Eurymedon River was navigable as far as Aspendos, and

54-544: A Roman fleet led by Lucius Aemilius Regillus defeated the Seleucid fleet of Antiochus III the Great , led by Hannibal , near the river. Strabo records a lake he called Caprias near its mouth although the area is today a salt marsh . The Seljuk-era Eurymedon Bridge , which rests on Roman foundations, crosses the river at Aspendos . Further upstream, half-way on the road to ancient Selge , another Roman bridge spans

81-415: A stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Scaenae frons The scaenae frons ( Classical Latin : [ˈs̠käe̯näe̯ frõːs̠] ) is the elaborately decorated permanent architectural background of a Roman theatre stage. The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. It could support a permanent roof or awnings . The Roman scaenae frons was also used both as

108-546: A permanent roof, enclosing the whole theatre, and in larger ones awnings over the whole or parts of the theatre, perhaps secured to masts rising above it, for which there is some evidence. An inscription in the entablature above the lowest columns often recorded the emperor and others who had helped to fund the construction. A feature often found in the Western Empire, but less so in the Greek-speaking areas,

135-687: Is a river that is situated in Antalya Province , Turkey , and empties into the Mediterranean . At its mouth, in the 460s BC (the actual date is highly disputed), the Athenian general Cimon defeated a large Persian force of ships and men moving westwards ( Battle of the Eurymedon ). The two land and sea battles lasted one day and included Cimon's capture or destruction of the entire Phoenician fleet of 200 triremes . In 190 BC,

162-462: Is often two and sometimes three stories in height and was central to the theatre's visual impact for this was what was seen by a Roman audience at all times. Tiers or balconies were supported by an exuberant display of columns, normally in the Corinthian order , often originally including many statues in niches. A siparium was stretched on the scaenae frons. In smaller theatres it could support

189-636: The Hellenistic period the skene became more elaborate, perhaps with columns, but also used to support painted scenery. The Roman scaenae frons was also used both as the backdrop to the stage and behind as the actors' dressing room. It no longer supported painted sets in the Greek manner but relied for effect on elaborate permanent architectural decoration. This achieved a Baroque effect also seen in large nymphaea and library facades, often with an undulating facade, pushing forward and then retreating. All

216-783: The Robber Council of Ephesus held the same year, and Leo at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. No longer a residential bishopric, Aspendus is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see . The theatre hosts the annual Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival organized by Turkish State Opera and Ballet since 1994, with international participation of opera and ballet companies and an audience of about 10,000. Dalida held her last concert there on 28 April 1987. Eurymedon River Köprüçay , ancient Eurymedon ( Ancient Greek : Εὐρυμέδων ),

243-458: The Aspendians had failed to ratify the agreement their envoys had proposed and were preparing to defend themselves. Alexander marched to the city immediately. When they saw Alexander returning with his troops, the Aspendians, who had retreated to their Acropolis , again sent envoys to sue for peace. This time, however, they had to agree to very harsh terms; a Macedonian garrison would remain in

270-399: The Eurymedon valley. [REDACTED] Media related to Köprüçay River at Wikimedia Commons 36°49′48″N 31°10′23″E  /  36.83000°N 31.17306°E  / 36.83000; 31.17306 This geographical article about a location in Antalya Province , Turkey is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Middle Eastern history –related article is

297-462: The Great marched into Aspendos in 333 BC after capturing Perge , the citizens sent envoys asking him not to garrison soldiers there. He agreed, provided he would be given the taxes and horses that they had formerly paid as tribute to the Persian king. After reaching this agreement Alexander went to Side, leaving a garrison there on the city's surrender. Going back through Sillyon, he learned that

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324-400: The backdrop to the stage and behind as the actors' dressing room. Largely through reconstruction or restoration, there are a number of well-preserved examples. This form was influenced by Greek theatre , which had an equivalent but simpler skene building (meaning "tent", showing the original nature of it). This led to the stage or space before the skene being called the proscenium . In

351-631: The city and 100 gold talents as well as 4,000 horses would be given in tax annually. In 190 BC, the city surrendered to the Romans , and the corrupt magistrate Verres later pillaged its art treasures. It was ranked by Philostratus the third city of Pamphylia, and in Byzantine times seems to have been known as Primopolis. Toward the end of the Roman period the city began a decline that continued throughout Byzantine times, although in medieval times it

378-622: The city continued to mint coins in its own name, however, indicates that it had a great deal of freedom even under the Persians. Circa 465 BC, Cimon led an Athenian navy against a Persian navy in the Battle of the Eurymedon , and destroyed it. Aspendos then became a member of the Delian League . The Persians captured the city again in 411 BC and used it as a base. In 389 BC, Thrasybulus of Athens, in an effort to regain some of

405-468: The city derived great wealth from a trade in salt, oil and wool. Aspendos did not play an important role in antiquity as a political force. Its political history during the colonisation period corresponded to the currents of the Pamphylian region. Within this trend, after the colonial period, it remained for a time under Lycian hegemony. In 546 BC, it came under Persian domination. The fact that

432-415: The expense of finding a way to contain the water pressure in the siphon in an era when large diameter piping was difficult to seal. The siphon was split into three bridge sections 600, 900 and 150 m long, separated by 5.5 m square two towers where the aqueduct bends and where the water ascended and descended and which are today still 30 m high. The siphon was built on arches to cross the marshy valley between

459-402: The hills and the town. The central section consisted of 46 arches up to 15 m high, 29 of which are still standing. The siphon was 40 m deep between the towers leading to a pressure of 400kPa (4bar) in the pipes and delivered about 5600 m per day. The pipes were carved blocks of limestone carefully fitted together to ensure a good seal using a mortar of lime and olive oil which expands when wet. It

486-408: The obverse represents the soldiery for which Aspendus was famous in antiquity," the reverse frequently depicts a triskelion . The legend appears on early coins as the abbreviation ΕΣ or ΕΣΤϜΕ; later coinage has ΕΣΤϜΕΔΙΙΥΣ, the adjective from the city's local (Pamphylian) name Estwedus. The city's numismatic history extends from archaic Greek to late Roman times. The Christian bishopric of Aspendus

513-537: The prestige that city had lost in the Peloponnesian Wars , anchored off the coast of Aspendos in an effort to secure its surrender. Hoping to avoid a new war, the people of Aspendos collected money among themselves and gave it to the commander, entreating him to retreat without causing any damage. Even though he took the money, he had his men trample all the crops in the fields. Enraged, the Aspendians stabbed and killed Thrasybulus in his tent. When Alexander

540-458: The recent Aspendus Culture and Film Festival has shown that it can hold over 20,000. It was built in 155 by the Greek architect Zenon, a native of the city. It was periodically repaired by the Seljuqs , who used it as a caravanserai , and in the 13th century the stage building was converted into a palace by the Seljuqs of Rum . As was usual to minimise construction complexity and cost, part of

567-577: The significant examples date from the Imperial period; the Theatre of Pompey in Rome, completed in 55 BC, was the first stone theatre and probably launched the style. Normally there are three entrances to the stage (Palmyra has five) including a grand central entrance, known as the porta regia or "royal door". The form may have been intended to resemble the facades of imperial palaces. The scaenae frons

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594-512: The theatre was built against the hill where the Citadel ( Acropolis ) stood, while the remainder was built on vaulted arches. The high stage, whose supporting columns are still in place, served to seemingly isolate the audience from the rest of the world. The scaenae frons , or backdrop, has remained intact. The 8.1 metre (27 ft) sloping reflective wooden ceiling over the stage has been lost over time. Post holes for 58 masts are found in

621-530: The upper level of the theatre. These masts supported a velarium or awning that could be pulled over the audience to provide shade. The diameter of the orchestra is 23.87 meters and the height of the columnatio (stage backdrop) was 15.7 meters. The unique 19 km-long Roman aqueduct is possibly the most important monument, since the last 2 km of the conduit is a well-preserved inverted siphon, rather than an open channel, which made this aqueduct famous. The siphon allowed shorter arches to be constructed at

648-574: Was a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Side , the capital of the Roman province of Pamphylia Prima , to which Aspendus belonged. Of its bishops, the names of four are recorded in extant documents: Domnus was at the First Council of Nicaea in 425, Tribonianus at the Council of Ephesus in 431, Timotheus at the 448 synod held by Flavian of Constantinople , which condemned Eutyches , and at

675-500: Was built between the middle of the 2nd and end of the 3rd century. An inscription states Tiberius Claudius Italicus spent 2 million denarii to build an aqueduct here. Nearby stand the remains of a stadium, baths, basilica , agora and nymphaeum . The Roman Eurymedon Bridge , reconstructed in the 13th century, is also in the vicinity. Aspendos was one of the earliest cities to mint coins. It began issuing coinage around 500 BC, first staters and later drachmas ; "the slinger on

702-467: Was evidently still a strong place. Diogenes Laërtius writes that there was a native of Aspendos called Demetrius, who was a pupil of Apollonius of Soli. In addition, he mentions Diodorus of Aspendus . Aspendos is known for having the best-preserved theatre of antiquity, the Roman Theatre of Aspendos . With a diameter of 96 metres (315 ft), it provided seating for 7,000. Even though,

729-454: Was the row of curved recesses in the face of the front of the stage, as at Sabratha and Leptis Magna . The roofed Renaissance Teatro Olimpico ("Olympic Theatre") in Vicenza , northern Italy (1580–1585, designed by Andrea Palladio ) includes a fully decorated scaenae frons and gives a good general impression of what the Roman ones would have looked like in their original state, though it

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