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Torbali is situated at the east of Izmir in the Küçük Menderes district. It is 45 km to Izmir. The ancient ruins of Metropolis are around Yeniköy and Özbey villages. The excavations revealed that the city was one of the three wine centers in the whole Anatolia.
METROPOLIS
Metropolis, meaning Mother Goddess, was founded around 725 B.C. and lived its sparkling time during the Hellenistic Period. The city developed in the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. The city was surrounded by magnificent defence walls, the temple of Ares, various monumental buildings such as stoa and the theatre were established on the acropolis.
During the Roman Period, the city retained its importance but Romans preferred to settle in the plain rather than on the slopes. The city was expended during the Byzantium time. But in the late Byzantium period wars and instability led to a reduction in the size of the city. Later on, Metropolis was inhabited by Turks.
The Theatre:
The theatre was established in the late Hellenistic period. It was constructed against the slope of a hill, possessing a very beautiful view overlooking the plain as it is seen in each Hellenistic. In 4-14 A.D. the three round altars adorned with garlands and ram, bull and stag heads were added in honour of the Roman emperor Augustus. The seats of the theatre for royal family and distinguished people are the beautiful examples of the Hellenistic sculpture. The stage building , the orchestra and cavea were uncovered during the excavations. The auditorium ( cavea ) was divided in two by a corridor and the lower part was divided by flights of the steps in to seven sections, known as kerkis, each of which consisted of eleven rows of seats.
The theatre was not in use after 4th century A.D and utilised as a refuse dump for the near by glass workshop.
Stoa:
The stoa which is established in the 3rd century B.C. is 70x10.5 metres and divided into two aisles by a row of 19 columns. The structure is open in front with walls and on the two sides.
The stoa was constructed on a slope and destroyed in the earthquake that devastated Western Anatolia in 17 A.D. and was never reconstructed.
Acropolis:
The acropolis, upper city, was founded on a hill height of 145 metres. The entrance gate of the acropolis lies on the eastern side, originally Hellenistic period. The city of Metropolis consisted of the buildings and monuments built on the acropolis and in terraced rows. The temple of Ares was located with in the acropolis. During the Roman Period, there was no settlement within the defence walls of the acropolis, the city having spread down the slopes to the level ground below. Because of the wars and bad economic conditions, the acropolis was densely inhabited. The site continued to be throughout the Byzantine period.
Excavations have been carried on by prof. Recep Meriç from Dokuz Eylül University since 1989 by the supports of Ministry of culture, Municipality of Torbali ad Philsa.
German Version
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