Stadium of the ancient city of Aphrodisias (1909 - 2022)
The Stadium of Aphrodisias is one of the best-preserved ancient stadiums in the world. Located in southwestern Türkiye 🇹🇷, it was constructed during the Roman period, likely in late 1st Century AD, and could accommodate approximately 30,000 spectators. Measuring about 262m in length and 59m in width, it is significantly better preserved than many comparable structures from antiquity.
Aphrodisias was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, and became one of the most important cities in Roman Asia Minor. The stadium hosted athletic competitions, festivals, and public events. During the later Roman period, portions of the structure were modified to accommodate gladiatorial contests and animal hunts, reflecting changing entertainment preferences across the empire.
The city's relative isolation after antiquity helped preserve many of its monuments. Extensive archaeological excavations beginning in the 20th century revealed a remarkably intact urban landscape, including temples, baths, theaters, and the stadium.
In 1993, archaeologists discovered a cemetery containing the remains of gladiators who had fought in Aphrodisias. Many skeletons showed clear evidence of combat injuries, including healed wounds and fatal blows. Some skulls contained the distinctive marks of the trident used by retiarius gladiators. This is one of the best pieces of physical evidence ever found for how gladiators actually fought.
#archaeohistories
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— “Are you advancing towards Zaporizhzhia?”
— “Yes, sir!”
— “Well… good luck…”
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Social media tracked the main guy down.
He's reportedly the president of Jalisco's college of surveyors….