Ancient City of Aphrodisias is one of the most important archaeological settlements located near Geyre Neighborhood in the Karacasu district of Aydın, within the ancient region of Caria. The city developed in the fertile valley formed by the Dandalaz Stream, known in antiquity as Morsynus, in the inland part of the Büyük Menderes Basin. Today, Aphrodisias is regarded as one of the most valuable ancient cities of Anatolia with its well-preserved monumental buildings, marble sculptural tradition, inscriptions, sacred areas, and city plan.
The surroundings of Aphrodisias, as in the past, still have a strong natural landscape. The valley floor, with its fertile agricultural lands, water resources, and tree cover, provided a suitable environment for the development of the city. This natural richness, combined with the high-quality marble resources nearby, played a decisive role in the economic, artistic, and architectural growth of Aphrodisias.
The Name Aphrodisias and Earlier Settlement Memory
The city takes its name from the goddess Aphrodite. Although Aphrodite is known in the classical world as the goddess of love and beauty, the goddess worshipped at Aphrodisias had a more local and multilayered identity. The cult of Aphrodite here combined the Hellenic understanding of Aphrodite with Anatolian traditions of fertility and nature goddesses.
However, Aphrodisias was not the city’s earliest name. Ancient and Byzantine sources state that the settlement was previously known by names such as Lelegonpolis, Megalopolis, and Ninoe. These names show that the city had a settlement memory extending beyond the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The name Aphrodisias is generally accepted as becoming prominent especially from the Hellenistic period onward.
The association of the city’s name with Aphrodite was not only a religious preference. This name became one of the main elements defining the city’s identity, sacred area, political prestige, and cultural recognition. The Temple of Aphrodite and the cult statue of the goddess strengthened the city’s reputation both locally and across the Mediterranean world.
Prehistoric Settlement Traces
The settlement history of Aphrodisias and its surroundings goes much further back than the Roman period. Two important elevations within the city area, Acropolis Hill and Pekmez Tepe, are highly significant for prehistoric settlement traces. Research carried out in these areas shows that there was intensive settlement in the region from the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age onward.
Finds include pottery fragments, stone tools, obsidian and flint materials, storage vessels, and traces of early settlement architecture. These data show that the area around Aphrodisias was inhabited from the mid-5th millennium BCE onward. For this reason, the history of the city should be evaluated not only through its magnificent marble buildings of antiquity, but also through a much older continuity of settlement.
The prehistoric layers show that the area where Aphrodisias was located was preferred for a long time because of its agriculture, water resources, and natural routes. Aphrodisias, which later became a major Roman city, actually developed on top of a very old settlement tradition.
The Hellenistic Period and Urbanization
The urban identity of Aphrodisias began to become more distinct especially during the Hellenistic period. During this period, the settlement developed into a more organized structure through its sacred area, local communities, and regional political relationships. From the 2nd century BCE onward, the city became more visible under the name Aphrodisias and gained regional importance.
By the end of the Hellenistic period and in the early stages of Roman rule, the urban fabric of Aphrodisias developed further. Main streets, public areas, sacred spaces, and city blocks were gradually connected to a more regular plan. However, some structures such as the Temple of Aphrodite did not fully conform to the regular city plan because they were connected with older sacred traditions.
This shows that the city plan of Aphrodisias did not develop only within a geometric order. Older sacred areas, new public buildings, and Roman-period monumental architecture continued to exist together within the city.
The Rise of Aphrodisias in the Roman Period
The Roman period was the most brilliant phase in the history of Aphrodisias. The city gained privileges through its strong political relationship with the Roman world and developed as a free and autonomous city. This status accelerated the city’s economic, cultural, and architectural growth.
One of the most important sources of Aphrodisias’ wealth was the marble quarries around it. The high-quality white and blue-grey marbles found near the city were used both in monumental construction and sculpture production. Craftsmen from Aphrodisias gained great fame especially during the Roman Imperial period for producing statues, reliefs, portraits, and sarcophagi.
The sculptural school that developed in the city made Aphrodisias one of the important artistic centers of the ancient world. The statues, reliefs, inscriptions, and architectural fragments seen today in the museum and archaeological site are among the strongest evidence of this high artistic level.
Aphrodisias was not only an important center of art, but also of intellectual and educational life. Toward the end of antiquity, philosophy and intellectual activity appear to have continued strongly in the city. This shows that Aphrodisias was not only an economically wealthy city, but also a lively cultural and academic center.
Late Antiquity and the Christianization Process
Late Antiquity was an important period of transformation in the history of Aphrodisias. Around 300 CE, the city became the metropolis, or capital, of the newly created province of Caria. This administrative status shows that Aphrodisias continued to preserve its importance in the late period.
However, as Christianity gained strength, the religious identity of the city began to change. The central role of the Temple of Aphrodite gradually declined, and some pagan sacred spaces were adapted for new Christian uses. The name of the city was also affected by this transformation. Because of its pagan associations, the name Aphrodisias gradually lost prominence, and the city began to be known as Stauropolis, meaning “City of the Cross.”
Despite this, the name Caria also continued in local use. The modern name Geyre is also generally accepted as being connected with this historical naming process. This transformation is an important example of how the religious and cultural identity of Aphrodisias changed over the centuries.
Earthquakes, Raids, and the Weakening of the City
Aphrodisias was a city affected by earthquakes throughout its history. In particular, earthquakes in the 4th and 7th centuries caused damage to some of the city’s buildings. These earthquakes disrupted the water system, caused flooding problems in some areas, and created a need for repairs to public buildings.
The 7th century was a difficult period for Aphrodisias. Raids from the east, political and economic pressure, religious changes, epidemics, and natural disasters made it difficult for the city to maintain its former prosperity. During this period, Aphrodisias began to lose the broad and magnificent urban character it had during the Roman period and gradually turned into a smaller and more limited settlement.
This decline was not a sudden and simple collapse. The city continued to exist with different functions in later periods. However, some major public buildings lost their former importance, some areas were abandoned, and some monuments were adapted for new uses.
The Turkish Period and the Settlement of Geyre
Aphrodisias and its surroundings were affected by political changes in Western Anatolia during the later Middle Ages. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, Seljuk incursions and Turkmen settlements weakened Byzantine presence in the region. In later periods, the area came under the influence of the Aydın and Menteşe beyliks, and was then incorporated into the Ottoman administrative system.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the fertile lands and water resources of the region supported the formation of new rural settlements. The settlement of Geyre, which developed on and around the ancient site of Aphrodisias, lived side by side with the remains of the ancient city. Ancient stones, columns, inscribed blocks, and architectural fragments remained part of the daily environment of village life for a long time.
This situation also directly affected the modern archaeological history of Aphrodisias. In the 20th century, as scientific excavations and conservation work developed, the old Geyre settlement was moved outside the ancient site, and today’s Geyre Neighborhood was formed.
City Walls
One of the most striking remains seen when approaching Aphrodisias is the city walls. The walls are approximately 3.5 kilometers long and enclose an area of about 72 hectares. The walls visible today are dated to the 350s or 360s CE. Inscriptions on the gates mention the names of officials who contributed to the construction of the walls and are important for dating the structure.
It is not known with certainty what kind of defensive system Aphrodisias had in earlier periods. However, current evidence shows that the city was not completely surrounded by walls until the mid-4th century. For this reason, the idea that the walls were built immediately after the Gothic raids of 260 CE should be treated with caution. Present evidence indicates that the walls were constructed later, during Late Antiquity.
Many reused marble blocks were incorporated into the walls. These blocks, taken from earlier tombs, monuments, and architectural structures, sometimes include inscribed and relief-carved pieces. For this reason, the city walls of Aphrodisias are not only a defensive system, but also a large stone archive preserving the city’s earlier architectural and social history.
City Plan and Monumental Buildings
Aphrodisias had a regular city plan, especially during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Many of the city’s streets and blocks were organized along axes that intersected at right angles. This planning created a strong relationship between public buildings, squares, streets, and residential areas.
However, some important structures, such as the Temple of Aphrodite and the Sebasteion, do not fully conform to this regular plan. This is because these buildings were positioned according to older sacred traditions, ceremonial orientations, or special architectural programs. This shows that older religious focal points and Roman urban planning coexisted at Aphrodisias.
The main monumental buildings of the city include the Temple of Aphrodite, Tetrapylon, Sebasteion, theater, stadium, Portico of Tiberius, South Agora, Baths of Hadrian, Bouleuterion, and basilica. These structures are essential for understanding the religious, political, social, artistic, and public life of Aphrodisias.
Conclusion
Aphrodisias has a multilayered historical continuity extending from prehistoric settlements to Hellenistic urbanization, from the splendor of the Roman period to the transformations of Late Antiquity and the modern settlement of Geyre. The city became the metropolis of the province of Caria for a period and gained fame in the ancient world through the cult of Aphrodite and its marble sculptural tradition.
What makes Aphrodisias important today is not only the preservation of its monumental buildings. Its prehistoric layers, religious transformation, city plan, walls, sculptural school, inscriptions, and relationship with modern Geyre make it one of the most valuable sites in Anatolian archaeology.
Aphrodisias is a powerful archaeological heritage site where different periods of the past can be read one on top of another in the same place. For this reason, the city holds a special place not only for Karacasu and Aydın but also for world cultural history.
