Messene, Achaea – Part VII

Continued From Messene, Achaea – Part VI To the east of the gymnasium/palaestra area is the stadium, which is effectively considered part of the gymnasium complex. It is bordered on the northern, western, and eastern sides by doric stoas that have been reconstructed using the materials found in situ. The seating at the north end…

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Messene, Achaea – Part VI

Continued From Messene, Achaea – Part V The road that runs along the east side of the residence leads down to the Doric propylon entrance to the gymnasium-stadium complex, originally constructed in the 4th-3rd century BCE. Some bits of the road are preserved along the way. The Doric propylon was constructed in the 1st century…

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Messene, Achaea – Part V

Continued From Messene, Achaea – Part IV Continuing up the eastern wing of the Asklepieion is the monumental eastern propylon of the sanctuary. This was the primary entrance into the Asklepieion from the eastern road, at a slightly elevated height, down into the eastern stoa. The exterior face of the propylon had an open triple…

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Messene, Achaea – Part IV

Continued From Messene, Achaea – Part III Immediately adjacent to the Sanctuary of Demeter and the Dioscouri to the southeast, the Asklepieion. The Asklepieion was located on the south side of the agora; some bits of the southern portico of the agora are visible on the north side of the path that skirts the north…

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Diocletianopolis, Thracia – Part I

Most Recent Visit: July 2019 Among the modern town of Hisarya, Bulgaria are the remains of what was once the Roman settlement of Diocletianopolis. Habitation at the site of Diocletianopolis seems to date back at least 6,000 years. The prevalent mineral hot springs there likely attracted attention to this particular location. By the 5th century…

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Dium, Macedonia – Part V

Continued From Dium Part IV The walls of Dium continue southward and the path continues to follow the exterior (there is no path along the interior), with some spolia such as an altar visible within the walls. Some drainage features can also be seen. Some more robust towers (in comparison to the northern interior wall)…

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Curium, Cyprus – Part I

Most Recent Visit: July 2021 Though habitation in the immediate area of the Kouris River mouth dates back well into the neolithic period, settlement at the acropolis area of Curium (Kourion) seems to have begun around the 12th century BCE with the arrival of Mycenean settlers of an unspecified origin. Herodotus claims they are from…

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Ambracia, Epirus

Most Recent Visit: May 2021. Situated just to the north of the Sinus Ambracius (the modern Ambracian Gulf), the body of water that bears the name of this city, is the Greek settlement of Ambracia. Mythologically, the city was founded by Ambrax, son of Thesprotus, who was the eponymous founder of the Thesprotians and himself…

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Lindus, Asiana – Part II

Continued From Lindus, Asiana – Part I  The final, monumental staircase, originally constructed in the first half of the 3rd century BCE, led up through a monumental propylaia. Unfortunately, not much of the propylaia survives, really just markings on the pavement that show the original foundations of it. The staircase too is mostly reconstructed. The…

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Nicopolis, Epirus – Part III

Continued From Nicopolis, Epirus Part II Just across the dirt path (where the cardo maximus would have run) to the west of the odeon are the remains of a temple. Like the bathing complex adjacent to the odeon, these remains too are heavily overgrown and difficult to view from the ground, but perhaps a slightly…

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