Ancient stadiums in Turkey
 
Aizanoi

 

     
 

 

   
Other names: ./.
Roman province: Phrygia
Location: near Çavdarhisar, Çavdarhisar county, Province Kütahya
Capacity: ca. 12.000 spectators
Dimensions: Length: 215 m
Width: in the middle 90 m
 
   

The stadium forms a unit with the immediately adjacent theatre. It ended directly at the stage house of the theatre. In order to give the spectators a better view of what was happening on the running track, the rows of seats were clearly concave. In the middle the total width was 90 metres, while at the ends it was only 58 metres.

 
   
The history of Aizanoi:  

According to the founding legend, Aizanoi was founded by Arcadian settlers. The archaeological evidence of a settlement dates back to the 3rd millennium B.C., but a more extensive settlement was not established until the Hellenistic period. Around 200 B.C. the area in which Aizanoi lies came to the kingdom of Pergamon as Phrygia epiktetos ("acquired Phrygia"); at times it also belonged to Bithynia. The Pergaman kings settled mercenaries who probably came from Macedonia. Together with its entire empire, the city entered the Roman province of Asia after 133 BC.

Aizanoi experienced a great boom in the early imperial period. In particular, numerous public buildings were erected, such as a temple of Artemis Hagiotate in the middle of the 1st century A.D., and before its end the sanctuary of Zeus, the main god of the city. It is largely preserved.

Important construction works in the city are connected with a rich family of the city, especially Ulpius Appuleianus Flavianus and his son Ulpius Appuleius Eurycles. Eurycles was also an emissary to the Panhellenion in Athens, which Hadrian had established.
During this time, a large bathing and gymnasium complex and a water pipe leading to it were also built.
Further public buildings were a circular building, which served as a macellum (market building) and to which a copy of Diocletian's highest price edict was attached, and a late antique (around 400 AD) column road.

 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
     
     
Photos: @chim    
Translation aid: www.DeepL.com/Translator    
Source: Wikipedia and others