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Knidos 300 pictures 15 minutes HQ video Knidos located on the Tekir cape at the Datca peninsula where the Aegean sea meets the mediterranean, is one of the major harbour cities along the Anatolian shores. During the Persian rule in the region, in 360 B.C., the Cnidians left their settlement and established a new city of Knidos in the Datca peninsula, based on the plan of Hippadamos. knidos The city was established on terraces that slope down to the sea both on the mainland peninsula where they face southwards and on Cape Krio (also known as the Camel's Hump), formerly an island but now also a peninsula, where they face north. The two parts of the city are linked by a bridge, which also serves to divide the two harbours from each other. The smaller, military harbour lies to the west, while the larger to the east is regarded as the main commercial harbour. The city is surrounded by a circuit of walls, interspersed with round and square towers. From their appearance and style of construction it would seem best to date them to the 4^th century B.C. and more specifically, to the time of King Mausolos of Halicarnassos. Beyond the walls stretches an extensive necropolis; it continues for some 7 km. beyond the city. In the 6^th century B.C. Knidos became a rich city and for this reason it built for itself a marble Treasury at Delphi. In 540 B.C., when the Persians were expanding their empire westwards toward the Aegean, Knidos controlled the whole of the Datca Peninsula. In the 4^th century B.C. Knidos had become a major metropolis with a cosmopolitan appearance. It was during this time that the famous sculptors Skopas and Bryxias worked on the temples at Knidos, while the city also gained the prestigious and well known statue of Aphrodite by Praxiteles. Knidos enjoyed its most brilliant time in the Hellenistic period (330-31 B.C.). Stamped amphora handles from Knidos have been found in large numbers at Athens, Delos and Alexandria (in Egypt) as well as in the north Black Sea area. They bear witness to the major role the city played in the trade and export of wine and olive oil. From the 2^nd century B.C. onwards Knidos also became an important centre for the production of pottery. In the Roman period Knidos had the status of a "free city"; that is, it was exempted from paying taxes to Rome. At that time the family of C Julius Theopompus was one of the most wealthy business families in the city. In the 7^th century A.D. Knidos, as in the case of other coastal cities in Anatolia, fell prey to Arab raids from the sea. Evidence for this can be found in the Arabic inscriptions carved into the floor of one of the churches. Later Knidos also suffered a number of devastating earthquakes, and the abandonment of the city may plausibly be attributed to these natural causes. Theater (lower) Its capacity is estimated at about 4,500 people. The plan of the theater conforms to the Vitruvian Canon for a Hellenistic theater. The Corinthian Temple This temple is situated on an easily visible terrace upon the harbours. It stands on a high podium with four columns in the pronaos and two in the opisthodomos. The cella walls are adorned with half columns, while pilasters decorate the interior walls. The front pediment contained a shield in relief. The architectural style of the building places it in the Late Antonina period (second half of the 2^nd century A.D.). The Round Temple Terrace The foundations and podium of the round temple (Tholos ) are made of gray marble, while the superstructure is made of a soft porous stone. Its stepped entrance is to the east, facing the altar. The round cella is encircled by columns topped with Corinthian Capitals. This building belongs to the 2^nd century A.D. The smaller buildings to the west and east, which have survived only to the level of their foundations, are thought to be treasuries or store rooms. Further to the east is a long building that may have been used for religious ceremonies of for guests. The Propylaion This structure is located on the middle terrace to the south of the Temple of Apollo at a point where two main streets cross. Its foundations and walls are made of gray limestone, while the front facade of the building was of white marble. This facade faces east and was decorated with four Ionic columns in antis. It served as an entrance to the Temple of Apollo and the sanctuary around the altar. It probably dates from the early Hellenistic period. The Sun Dial Different types of clock were used in Antiquity to tell the time. These were often placed in prominent spots in the city. The Knidos sun-dial is of the standard type and belongs to the Hellenistic period. The Temple of Apollo and Altar The altar structure is made of gray marble. According to inscribed blocks the altar was dedicated to Apollo Karneios and made by a certain Zenodotus, together with Theon of Antioch, in the middle of the 2^nd century B.C. The altar belongs to the stepped group of altars and was decorated with a marble relief frieze. To the north and east of the altar a cave and a spring of water have been found. The temple itself is made of soft porous stone blocks and for this reason is poorly preserved. Steps on a terrace wall to the north of the temple were used as seating for spectators during ceremonies. The Temple of Dionysus (Church C) and the Stoa The temple, immediately to the west of the theatre, is to be associated with Dionysus, the god of wine and entertainment. Parts of the frieze depict scenes that relate to Dionysus, while the style of these elements allows the building to be dated to the late Hellenistic period. In the Early Christian period Church C was constructed over its foundations, using architectural blocks and inscriptions stripped from the temple. A bay on the north The Stoa To the north of the temple recent excavations have revealed a row of rooms belonging to a stoa in an east-west direction in front of some terrace walls. The stoa was constructed in the 3^rd century B.C., using a variety of materials. The frontages of the rooms were covered with marble and coloured stone revetments (opus sectile). In the front was the row of columns. The building was destroyed by fire in the early 2^nd century A.D. Slope Houses Domestic quarters are generally located beside stepped streets. This is a villa (town house): It was originally two-storied and dates from the Hellenistic period. Its walls, following local traditions, were made of mud-brick, but on the upper storey they were decorated with coloured frescoes and stucco in the manner of the First Eastern Style (2^nd century B.C.). 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