TURKEY - PRIENE

Priene began as an ancient Greek city located just to the north of Miletus in western Turkey. As an ancient Greek holy city, Priene's numerous ruins include: Temple of Athena columns, city wall sections, the theater and a council chamber, both in good shape. This site is near the modern town of Güllübahce.

History
Priene was a member of the Ionian League by the 8th century BCE. The League's holy central shrine, the Panionion, was inside the city, thus Priene was an important city. Priene sacked by Lydians in the 7th century, regained its prosperity in the 8th. After being captured by king Cyrus Persian army around 540 BC, Priene launched multiple revolts against the Persians (499–494), yet it remained subject to the Persians until the time of Alexander the Great.

The ruins we see today date from 350 BCE, when the city was rebuilt from attacks by the Persians. The new city's Athenian temple was dedicated by Alexander the Great in 334, who stayed there during his siege of Miletus. In 129 BCE Priene was added to the Roman province of Asia Minor. Though sacked by Mithridates, King of Pontus, in 88 and 84 BCE, it regained its former wealth and prosperity under the Emperor Augustus. The cult of the Roman emperor was performed in the Temple of Athena and the Sacred Stoa.

The city grew slowly over the next two centuries, Priene's population probably never exceeded 5,000. This was probably due in part to its cliff side location. Priene is not mentioned in the Bible, but probably early Christians from Miletus had contact with the city. Priene had a substantial Christian community during the Byzantine period. Four of Priene's bishops are known: Theosebius, 431; Isidore, in 451; Paul, 692; and Demetrius 12th century.

Priene gradually declined was abandoned after passing into Turkish hands in the 13th century AD. Excavations of the site began in the 19th century.

PRIENE – the layout of the city 
Priene at the town of Güllübahçe, is a distance of 15 km from Söke. At the point of entrance of the ruins, a road on the right leads us to the Theater of Priene.

The theater had been built during the Hellenistic period, and later modified during the Roman period.    The theater consists of 50 rows of seats and is capable of holding 5.000 people and, in the section of the orchestra of the theater, there are marble armchairs reserved for eminent people. On the right side of the theater is the Egyptian God, Themenos. The upper Gymnasium is in front of the theater and the Byzantine church is at its side. You pass to the famous Temple of Athena from here. The Temple of Athena belongs to the 4th century BCE. The temple has 6 x 11 columns with dimensions of 19.55 by 37.20 m. A few columns of the temple, classic Ionian architecture, have been erected.      

Alexander the Great had the eastern half of the temple completed. The altar in the front was decorated with high reliefs and it belongs to the 2nd century BCE. The Stoa, south of the Temple of Athena, shows graceful examples of stone-workmanship. Down from the temple, is the 3rd century BCE Agora.  The sacred 2nd century BCE Stoa sits north of the Agora. Bauleuterion (the assembly building) is adjacent to the Stoa and looks like a small theater. It has dimensions of 20 by 21 m and has the capacity for 640 people. It is adjacent to the 2nd century BCE Prytaneion. Temenos of Zeus Olympios and the food market are situated either side of the Agora. In the extreme south of Priene, the lower Gymnasium and the Stadium are situated.  

Click on each image for larger view.