Ancient Greek temple Pictures, pictures photos and images of Greek Temples. Architecture pictures of Acropolis, Selinute & Agrigento. Greek temples were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in Greek paganism. The temples themselves did usually not directly serve a cult purpose, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them. Temples were frequently used to store votive offerings. They are the most important and most widespread building type in Greek architecture. The basic principles for the development of Greek temple architecture have their roots between the 10th century BC and the 7th century BC. In its simplest form as a Naxosnaos, the temple was a simple rectangular shrine with protruding side walls (antae), forming a small porch. Until the 8th century BC, there were also apsidal structures with more or less semi-circular back walls, but the rectangular type prevailed. By adding columns to this small basic structure, the Greeks triggered the development and variety of their temple architecture. The first Greek temples were mostly mud brick structures on stone foundations. The columns and superstructure (entablature) were wooden, door openings and antae were protected with wooden planks. The mud brick walls were often reinforced by wooden posts, in a type of half-timbered technique. The elements of this simple and clearly structured wooden architecture produced all the important design principles that were to determine the development of Greek temples for centuries. In the 6th century BC, Ionian Samos developed the double-colonnaded dipterous as an alternative to the single peripteros. This idea was later copied in Didyma, Ephesus and Athens. Between the 6th and the late 4th century BC, innumerable temples were built; nearly every polis, every colony contained one or several. There were also temples at extra-urban sites and at major sanctuaries like Olympia and Delphi. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_temple Visit our ANCIENT WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Ancient-World-Art-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images-of/C00006u26yqSkDOM

Pictures & images of Aslankaya Phrygian rock temple monument, Phrygian Valley, Emre Lake, near Döğer, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Dating from the 7th century BC the Aslankaya rock Temple is the most important surviving rock monument and open-air temple of Phrygians. The Aslankaya sanctuary was dedicated to the goddess Cybele, an important Phrygian goddess. The Aslankaya temple is carved out of a conical rock formation and its facade is decorated with relief sculptures. On the triangular roof over the facade are two sphinxes (winged figures with the head of a human and the body of a lion), facing one another, take place. On the main facade, below the sphinxes in a recessed niche, there used to be a cult statue of Cybele or the Great Mother was flanked by two lions. Due to vandalism the statue of Cybele has been destroyed and the 2 standing lion reliefs badly damaged. This main facade is ornamented with relief geometrical patterns. The Aslankaya Temple was discovered by William M. Ramsey, a Scottish archaeologist who described it in 1884 bringing it to the attention of western historians for the first time. The temple stands alone near the shores of Lake Emre next to an ancient track at GPS coordinates: 39.105499, 30.429701. Add photos of Aslankaya Phrygian rock temple using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/aslankaya-temple-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures images and photos of The Valle dei Templi ( Valley of the Temples) Agrigento Sicily. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, The Valley includes remains of seven temples, all in Doric style. Due to its good state of preservation, the TEMPLE of CONCORDIA is ranked amongst the most notable edifices of the Greek civilization existing today. It has a peristasis of 6 x 13 columns built over a basement of 39.44 x 16.91 m. The TEMPLE of HERA LACINA, or JUNO Lacinia, otherwise known as Temple D, is a Greek temple in the Valle dei Templi, a section of the ancient city of Agrigentum. It was built in the middle of the fifth century BC, about the year 450 BC, and in period and in style belongs to the Archaic Doric period. TEMPLE of HERACLES, who was one of the most venerated deities in the ancient Akragas. It is the most ancient in the Valley: destroyed by an earthquake, it consists today of only eight columns. Agrigento is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Add photos of the Valley of Greek Temples Agrigento to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/greektemplesagrigento.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_dei_Templi Agrigento UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/831 Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

(Pictures, images and photos of the Roman Ampitheatre of Aspendos, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. In ancient times Aspendos was conquered and re-conquered by the Spartans then the Persians. As with all other Anatolian cities the Persians were finally defeated in 333 BC by Alexander the Great and was later ruled by the Kings of Pergamon. In 133 B.C Attalus III of Pergamon died without an heir and left the Kingdom of Pergamon to the Roman Empire. The Theatre of Aspendos was built in in 155 AD during the rule of Marcus Aurelius designed by the architect Zeno. The Theatre is the one of best preserved in the Asia Minor. 96 metres in diameter it can seat 7000 the csaenae frond or backdrop wall is still intact. Following Hellenistic traditions the theatre is built into the hillside below the Acropolis with a backdrop that is still intact. The rest of the building design is Roman. A rather dubious story relates that the ruler of Aspendos offered his daughter in marriage to any man that did a great building work for the city. Two men rose to the challenge one building a new viaduct and the other the theatre. They both completed their building at the same time and the ruler announced that he would have to cut his daughter in half, giving each man a half. One protested that he would rather give up the hand of the daughter rather than see any harm come to her, and this un-selfish act was duly rewarded with the girls hand in marriage. After the conquest of Anatolia by the Ottoman Turks the Roman amphitheatre was used as a Caravansarai for the camel trains working the Silk Route. Little damage was done to the building though and when Ataturk , founder of modern day Turkey, visited Aspendos he was so impressed with its preservation that he pronounced that the theatre should be protected and used for performances and today it hosts the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspendos Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg Add photos of Aspendos Roman Ampitheatre using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/aspendos-ampitheatre-turkey.html

PIctures, images & photos of the Sanctuary of Apollo Smintheion & the ruins of Alexandria Troas, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The Temple of Apollo Smintheion is rather strangely dedicated to Apollo the Mice Slayer. The ancient peoples who came to settle the area from Crete were told by an Oricle to settle where they were overrun by the "sons of the earth". When they were besieged by mice or rodents they interpreted the typically vague pronouncement of the Oracle "sons of the earth" to mean rodents. So they built the ancient of town of Khryse and nearly and the ancient Ionic Temple of Apollo Smintheion. Little remains on the site today which is being excavated with funds by the Efes Brewery. The archaeological remains in the area are potentially extensive with adjacent town of Khryse and a Sacred Way that links the Temple to Alexandria Troas. Alexandria Troas was an ancient Greek city port of the northern Aegean with a population of 100,000 in its heyday. Paul of Tarsus sailed for Europe for the first time from Alexandria Troas and made his return there. In the New Testament, book of Acts 20:9-12, it is related that Paul preached a long sermon to the people of Alexandria Troas during which a young man named Eutychus dropped to sleep falling from his seat out of a three storey window. Paul picked Eutychus up reassuring the crowd that he was not dead and carried him upstairs. Eutychus was uninjured by his fall and the crowd took this to be a miracle performed by Paul but the name Eutychus does means "fortunate". Today the 400 hectar ( 1,000 acre) site is overgrown and apart from a couple of arches of its Roman Gymnasium there is little to see. German Arcaeologists are surveying and excavating the site and a 100BC stadium has been discovered recently. Alexandria Troas and Khryse are just two of hundreds of sites in Turkey yet to be excavated and shows the potential wealth yet to be discovered in Anatolia. Buy as high resolu tion stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. Add photos of Apollo Smintheion using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints. USEFUL LINKS: Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures images photos of the Greek temples of Apollo and Aphaea (Aphaia) on the Greek Saronic Island of Aegina, Greece. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The Greek goddess Aphaea or Aphaia is exclusive to the island of Aegina. The myth of Aphaea dates back into the Ancient Era from about the 14th century BC and could have been a Minoan Goddess. Aphaea was the goddesses of fertility and was worshipped to bring good fortune to farmers of Aegina. The Greek archaic temple built on Aegina to Aphaea is of the Doric order and was constructed in about 500BC. The slender Doric columns and the relative proportions of the temple of Aphaea led experts to associate the temple with the female goddess. The site of the Temple of Aphaea was excavated by German archaeologists who recovered enough o the Archaic Temple to make an extensive reconstruction in 1988. Just north of the town of Aegina at the ancient city of Kolona is a small hill that overlooks a bay. This was the site of the Temple of Apollo built around 520 BC. Little remains today of the Temple of Apollo as it was destroyed by zealous Christian in the 4th century AD. The single column that remains is a poignant reminder of the great pagan Doric temples the Greeks built. Download and buy pictures of the Temple of Aphaea and the Temple of Apollo on Aegina Island as stock Photos or as photo wall art. If you prefer you can download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/aegina-greece.html Type into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box to refine search by adding subect etc USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Aphaea Visit our GREECE PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Greece-Photos-of-Greek-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000w6e8OkknEb8

Pictures images photos of Aphrodisias archaeological site, Anatolia Turkey & Images of its Roman relief sculptures. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Aphrodisias was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and the focal point of Aphrodisias was the temple of Aphrodite. Near Aphrodisias are rock deposits of fine white marble which in Hellenistic and Roman times was quarried and used to make fine white buildings and sculptures. The freezes from the Temple Aphrodite, now in the Aphrodisias Museum, show the highly skilled sculptures that Aphrodisias became famous for in the Ancient world. Leading from the main north-east street of Aphrodisias is a fine Roman tetrapylon, a four way arch placed where streets crossed, built in 200AD. Excavations in 1962 revealed a lavish building program at the centre of Aphrodisias. This building program in Aphrodisias was instigated by Julius Zoilus who was born in Aphrodisias who became a slave of the great Julius Caesar. After Julius Caesar was assassinated he was succeeded by Octavian who became the Emperor Augustus. Julius Zoilus helped Octavian in his succession battle with Mark Anthony and was given his freedom and was endowed with prestige and riches. So Julius Zoilus returned to Aphrodisias a powerful rich freedman and helped turn it into a prosperous and influential city. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire the Temple of Aphrodite in Aphrodisias was turned into a Basilica and in 640 the city was renamed Stauroúpolis ("City of the Cross"). Add photos of Aphrodisias Archaeological Site Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/aphrodisias-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodisias Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures photos images of the Athens Acropolis with images & photos of the Parthenon temple & the Erechtheion. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The Acropolis was the ancient citadel of Athens sitting on a rock with steep cliffs 150m above the city of Athens, Greece. During the Golden Age of Athens under Pericles, 460-430 BC, many major Greek Temples were built and the Acropolis became the fortified treasury of the Delian League and its funds were used to build the Parthenon. The Parthenon is considered to be the pinnacle of development of the Doric order. Greek architects used optical illusions to make it look symmetrical. The columns bulge as they rise and lean slightly inwards and the west front is built slightly higher than the east front to counter the visual effect of curvature between the two parallel lines of columns. The sculpted friezes and statues of the Parthenon are also thought to be the pinnacle of Greek classical art. The sculptures from the Pediment of the Parthenon depicted scenes from the birth and life of the goddess Athena. The Metope panels depicted scenes of a battle between the Lapiths & Centaurs The friezes depict the annual procession to the Parthenon to make sacrifice to Athena. The other great icon of the Acropolis is the "Porch of the Maidens" on the Erechtheion temple. Built between 421 and 405 BC the temple was dedicated to the Greek hero Erichthonius. The "Porch of the Maidens" uses caryatids which are female figures used as supports instead of columns. When the Roman Empire converted to Christianity the Parthenon became a church. Its pagan artworks were damaged and cult images of Athena were taken to Constantinople. In 1456 Athens fell to the Ottomans are became part of the Ottoman Empire. The Parthenon then became a mosque with a minaret. In 1687 the Venetians attacked Athens. The Acropolis was fortified by the Ottomans and the Parthenon was used as an arsenal. A Venetian mortar made a direct hit on the Parthenon and the arsenal exploded destroying the internal building, the columns of the south side and damaging its sculptures. In 1801 the British Ambassador at Constantinople, Lord Elgin, obtained permission to make casts of what was left of the sculptures on the Acropolis and remove them. Controversy still runs high about this today. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. If you prefer you can download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at :https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/acropolis-athens.htmlType into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box to refine search by adding subect etc USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis Visit our GREECE PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Greece-Photos-of-Greek-Historic-Landmark-Sites/C0000w6e8OkknEb8

Pictures photos images of the Etruscan rock tombs of Cerveteri, Italy. Cerveteri was a city state that in 600 BC had a population of between 25,000 - 40,000 people. Its citizens built a cemetery known as the Necropolis of Banditaccia starting in about 900 BC. The early burial chambers were simple pits to hold the ashes of the dead but by the 5th century BC the Etruscans had built a sophisticated necropolis that mirrored the city of Cerveteri itself. Each family dug house shaped tombs out of the volcanic tuff rock that were replicas of their real houses. The first tumuli were cut out as round buildings that were the same shape as early Etruscan houses that had a cone shaped thatched or tiled roofs. Inside these rock tumuli the Etruscans cut chambers that were like rooms with stone beams like the wooden ones in their real houses. Between these beams tile shapes were carved to represent the inside of tiled roofs. n the Tomb of Reliefs household implements were carved in relief onto the walls and pillars of the tomb chamber. Niches are cut into the wall with pillows cut out of the stone to make them look like bed chambers. Sarcophagi are cut out of the rock which would have held the ashes of the deceased. Benches have been cut to hold cinerary urns and grave goods. When Etruscan tombs were excavated in the late 1700s thousands of pots black figure and red figure vases were found. Initially designers like the Adams Brothers believed they were Etruscan and it was a lot later that archeologists traced the vases manufacture back to Greece. The Etruscans loved Greek vases and a very high percentage of all know black and red figure vases in museums come from Etruscan tombs. So popular was the design that Greek potters moved to Etruria and set up workshops. The Necropolis of Banditaccia at Cerveteri is built like an Etruscan City with streets and different quarters. Later Tumuli were built in rows of square shaped tombs, known as “dado" or dice tombs. These run in rows along the streets just as real houses did. As no Etruscan cities exists today the Cerveteri Necropolis s the only way that historians have come to understand how Etruscan cities looked. Many cities still have Etruscan Street plans such as Pompeii, but later Roman settlers built over the earlier Etruscan buildings. Cerveteri is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Download pictures of Etruscan rock tombs of Cerveteri as stock photos or buy as photo wall art prints on line. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerveteri Visit our ETRUSCAN PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Pictures-Images-of-Etruscan-Historic-Sites-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities/C0000GgxRXWVMLyc

Pictures images photos of The Colosseum, one of the great iconic buildings of the world. Block buster films glorify the thrill of fearless Gladiators fighting to the death in the Colosseum to the roar of 80,000 Roman spectators, whilst Christians make pilgrimage to the Colosseum, which has been sanctified by the Pope, to pay homage to the Christians that were martyred there 1700 years ago. The shear scale of the Colosseum, the biggest building in the Roman Empire, is awe inspiring and a spectacular monument to Roman engineering. Its gruesome games are also a reminder of how blood thirsty thrills can be used to entertain the masses. Started in 72 AD at the order of emperor Vespasian, the Colosseum was completed by Titus in 80 AD. At the inaugural games over 9.000 animals were killed which set the benchmark for future events to beat. In 106 Emperor Trajan celebrated his conquest of Dacia (Romania) with 123 days of games involving 10,000 animals and 11,000 gladiators. Elaborate sets were built in which hunters stalked exotic animals like Lions & Tigers from Africa or bears from Europe. Before each games condemned prisoners were executed for the entertainment of the crowd. In 303 AD the first Christians joined the condemned in the Colosseum and were executed. Emperor Diocletian, who had aligned himself with Jupiter and the old Olympian Gods, ordered everyone in the Empire to make sacrifice to the pagan Gods, if they didn't they were sentenced to death. Christians were literally fed to the Lions in the Colosseum in a brutal martyrdom. These horrific scenes did not excite the crowd much though as the Christian simply knelt in prayer and accepted their fate with quiet dignity believing that, as martyrs, they were going to heaven. The crowd could not see why pious Christians who had spent their lives doing good deeds were being executed. By 311 Christian persecutions were stopped and the new emperor, Constantine, made Christianity an official religion of the Roman Empire. Gladiators are synonymous with the Colosseum. They were trained at great expense and there was great rivalry between the Gladiatorial schools. The Roman Nobility financed the Gladiatorial games to show off their wealth and power. Gladiators could win riches and fame if they were successful and eventually but their freedom. Records show that retired gladiators talked of their defeats as well as wins which shows that not all fights were to the death, as Gladiators were far too valuable for their owners to waste needlessly. Add photos of the Colosseum Roman amphitheatre Rome to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/colosseum-rome.html Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures photos images of the archaeological site of Delphi, with images & photos of Delphi Museum. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew the Python, a dragon who lived there and protected the navel of the Earth. Apollo spoke through his oracle: the sibyl or priestess of the oracle at Delphi was known as the Pythia, who sat on a tripod seat over an opening in the earth. The great and the good of the ancient world travelled to Delphi to ask the Oracle important questions. The Oracle would breath in gasses that came from the opening and go into a violent trance. Her rantings or babbling were translated by priests into eloquent statements that could be interpreted by the questioner in several ways. Many famous misinterpretations by the questions led to disaster such as when Croesus, the fabulously rich Lydian King, asked if he should go to war with Persia. He was told that if he did so a great empire would fall. So he went to war and lost as it was his great Empire not the Persian Empire that fell. So the Delphic Oracle would have been right either way. Apollo's sacred precinct in Delphi was a panhellenic sanctuary, where every four years, starting in 776 BC[4] athletes from all over the Greek world competed in the Pythian Games, the precursor of the Olympic Games. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. If you prefer you can download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/delphi-site-greece.html Type into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box to refine search by adding subect etc USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi Visit our ANCIENT GREEKS PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Ancient-Greeks-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites/C00004CnMmq_Xllw

Pictures & images of Delos Island, Greece. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The island of Delos is near Mykonos, at the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island are among the most extensive in the Mediterranean; ongoing work takes place under the direction of the French School at Athens and many of the artifacts found are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Delos had a position as a holy sanctuary for a millennium before Olympian Greek mythology made it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. From its Sacred Harbour, the horizon shows the two conical mounds (image below) that have identified landscapes sacred to a goddess in other sites: one, retaining its pre-Greek name Mount Kynthos, is crowned with a sanctuary of Zeus. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints.

Picture & images of the ruins of the Ancient Greek Didyma Temple of Apollo & home to the Oracle of Apollo. Also known as the Didymaion completed circa 550 BC. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. modern Didim in Aydin Province, Turkey. Ancient Greek Didyma Temple lies at one end of an 11 mile (24 KM) processional Sacred Way that started in Miletius on the western Anatolian coast in pesent day Turkey. Didyma Temple, or the Didymaion, was completed around 550 BC and was built over a spring from which an Oracle made prophecies. As this Oracle of Apollo was second only to the Oracle of Delphi in the Ancient World, Didyma Temple became an important centre. An annual procession was held along the Sacred Way from Mietius to Didyma. The culmination of the festivities was an annual feat which included athletic and artistic competitions. Victors were often honoured with statues, the bases of which can be seen today at the archaeological site. The inscriptions on these statue bases are citations to flute players, trumpeters, actors, pantomine artista and orators which give us a picture of the types of artistic competions held at Didyma. The Atheletic games held in the nearby stadium included wrestling, track racing but no chariot racing. Didyma Temple continued as an important temple until the 5th & 6th century AD when a Byzantine church was built in the Temple courtyard. Download picture & images of the ruins of the Ancient Greek Didyma Temple of Apollo & home to the Oracle of Apollo or buy as photo art prints on line. Add photos of Didyma Temple of Apollo Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/didyma-temple-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didyma Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures photos images of Ephesus of the Roman ruins of the library of Celsus. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. See & buy Ephesus stock photos or Ephesus photo art prints & cards. Ephesus ( Ephesos; Turkish Efes) was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. In the Roman period, it was for many years the second largest city of the Roman Empire; ranking behind Rome, the empire's capital. One of the landmark buildings of Ephesus is the library of Celsus. Completed in 135 AD by Celsus, son of Gaius Julius Aquila, the library of Celsus stored over 12,000 scrolls and was one of the great libraries of the ancient world. The library also served as a mausoleum for Celsus whose sarcophagus was buried below the library floor. The library of Celsus has become one of the iconic examples of Roman architecture. Ephesus is also linked with St Paul who lived in the city fro some time and wrote the Epistle to Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome (around 62 AD). Although St Paul was driven from Ephesus by its population who preferred their Pagan traditions to the new monotheistic Christian religion, Ephesus was probably an early strong hold of Christianity and St John may well have written his Gospel in Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the seven cities addressed in Revelation (Revelation 2:1–7), indicating that the church at Ephesus was strong. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg Add photos of Ephesus Archaeological Sire using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/ephesus-celsus-library-turkey.html

Pictures images photos of Roman Emperor 2nd century AD Hadrian’s Villa ( Villa Adriana ). Images & photos of the archaeology site of Hadrian’s Villa near Tivoli, Italy. Hadrian was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He was a just and wise Emperor who was a great patron of building projects all over the Empire. From Hadrian’s Wall between England and Scotland to The Temple of Zeus in Athens Hadrian’s architects showed great skill and innovation. Tired of his palace on the Palatine Hill in Rome, Hadrian decided to build a Villa outside Rome at the foot of the hills below present day Tivoli. The result could hardly be called a Villa as the complex of huge buildings that were built on the 21 hector site with huge thermal baths, libraries and a water garden. At the heart of the complex is the so called Maritime Theatre (Teatro Marittimo), named after the marine architectural decorations that adorned its exterior. This ingenious building sits on a small round Islet surrounded by a moat full of water which in turn is surrounded by a circular barrel vaulted portico with 40 Ionic columns. The villa at its centre had rooms that surrounded a central peristyle and it it here that Hadrian escaped the turmoil of his duties to write poetry or just to relax away from the turmoil of his daily duties. Hadrian, like most Romans was a great lover of the baths, where daily discussions took place and business was conducted. The site of the Villa Adriana was chosen because of its ready supply of thermal water which fed the bath complexes of the villa. Hadrian was a great admirer of the Greeks and began the fashion in Rome of wearing beards as the ancient Greeks had done. He also travelled to all parts of his empire and brought back ideas to incorporate into his villa. The Canopus is an elongated canal imitating the famous sanctuary of Serapis near Alexandria. The semi-circular exedra of the Serapeum is located at its southern end, dedicated to the gods Isis and Serpis which was probably used as a banqueting hall. The sides of the canal was lined with statues of the caryatids that would have been inspired by the Erechtheion in Athens. After Hadrian’s death the villa was maintained but the Emperors largely preferred their Palace in Rome. Constantine removed much of the art from the Villa and took it to Constantinople. Add photos of Hadrian’s Villa Tivoli to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/hadrians-villa-tivoli.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian%27s_Villa Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures, photos & images of Housesteads Roman Fort and Hadrian’s Wall, England. Hadrian’s Wall, in latin Vallum Aelium, runs across west to east some of England's most dramatic countryside. Built by the Romans in 122AD from the North Sea, along the banks of the Tyne then west to the Solway Firth of the the Irish Sea a distance of 117.5 km (73.0 miles) , it was completed in 6 years. It was ordered to be constructed by Emperor Hadrian who realised that the Roman Empire had grown big enough and needed protective walls around its boundaries. It is unclear if Hadrian’s wall was a defensive wall or if it was a way of collecting taxes from goods moving from present day Scotland south into England. Either way the wall represents an incredible engineering feat. On the north side of the wall is a ditch above which is built the wall 5 to 6 metres (16 to 20 feet) high and 3 metres (9.8 feet) wide which was wide enough to act as a military way. Every mile is a milecastle with two turrets which was permanently garrisoned. Every five miles is a fort which housed infantry and cavalry, the number of forts was between 14 to 17 in total. Housesteads, in Latin Vercovicium, is a fort situated roughly in the middle of Hadrian’s Wall built in about 124AD. Its ruins show the remains of buildings that would have house a large fighting force. The outline of granaries can be seen with the brick pillars that raised to floors to allow for underfloor heating. Housesteads Fort has one of best preserved latrines of Roman Britain. The fort was garrisoned by a double sized auxiliary cohort and legionnaires from the Legio II Augusta. The wall remained garrisoned until 409AD when the Romans withdrew and left England. Hadrian’s Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of it is a striking example of the organisation of a military zone and illustrates the defensive techniques and geopolitical strategies of ancient Rome. Housesteads is situated along the most dramatic section of Hadrian’s Wall where it is built along the bluff line of steeply undulating Hills. From this section of the wall the dramatic scenery of Northumberland runs in every direction. Buy high resolution Prints and Royalty Free on line downloads images of Hadrian's Wall England.

(updated 2021) Pictures images photos of picturesque Hasankeyf & its mosques & ruins Turkey before the Tigris Dam was built . Hasankeyf is citadel on high cliffs above the River Tigris. The Romans had built the Cephe fortress on the site and the city became the Kiphas fortress and a bishopric under the Byzantine Empire. It was conquered by the Arabs, in ca. 640, renamed Hisn Kayf. In the 12th century, the city was successively captured by the Artukids as their capital. During this period, Hasankeyf's golden age, the Artukids and Ayyubids built the Old Tigris Bridge, the Small Palace and the Great Palace. The infrastructure, location and significance of the city helped increase trade and made Hasankeyf a staging post on the Silk Road. The Ayyubids (descendants of Saladin) captured the city in 1232 and built the mosques that made Hasankeyf an important Islamic center. The city was captured and sacked by the Mongols in 1260. The city would rise from its ashes though as summer homes for Ak Koyunlu emirs were built. Following the Ottoman ascendancy established by Selim I in the region in the early 16th century, the city became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1515, during Sultan Süleyman I's campaign of Irakeyn The threat of the Ilisu Dam project prompted the World Monuments Fund to list the city on its 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world . Add photos of Hasankeyf using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/hasankeyf-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasankeyf Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

(updated 2021) Pictures photos images of the ruins of Hierapolis archaeological site near Pamukkale in Turkey. Hierapolis is an ancient Spa City that traces its roots back to Classical Phrygia when it was the sacred site of Cybele. It was founded by the Attalid kings of Pergamon at the end of the 2nd century BC and its name was derived from Hiera, the beautiful wife of Telephos, the legendary founder of Pergamum. In 133 BC Attalus III died and he bequeathed his kingdom to Rome so Hierapolis became part of the Roman Asian Province. During the Greco-Roman Hierapolis was developed into a spa resort becoming a sacred city (hieron). Emperor Tiberius rebuilt and enlarged the thermal baths of Hierapolis circa 14 AD but the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD and rebuilt again. The Theatre was probably constructed under the reign of Hadrian after the earthquake of 60 AD and other Greco-Roman period ruins include baths, temple ruins, a monumental arch, a nymphaeum, and a necropolis. Hierapolis reached its peak of importance in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and remained a thermal resort until 1334 when it was once again destroyed by an earthquake and abandoned. In 80 AD St Philip was martyred in Hierapolis and when Christianity became the official Roman religion the town was made a bishopric. In the 5th century AD an octagonal church, the Martyrium or Martyrdom of St Phillip was built on the site of his martyrdom and his tomb stands nearby. Hierapolis became a site of early Christian pilgrimage and an important religious centre for the Eastern Roman Empire. The Northern Necropolis of Hierapolis contains sarcophagi that date back 2000 years to its Hellenistic period. The Necropolis covers a vast site with huge monumental tombs of the wealthy families of Hierapolis. Add photos of Hieropolis using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/pamukkale-hierapolis-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierapolis Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures photos images of Kaunos ( Caunus ) was an ancient city located on an inlet on the Aegean Sea, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Kaunos was the mythical Greek son of Miletos, Apollo's Son. He fell in love with his twin sister Byblis and in an attempt to avoid his illicit passion Kaunos ran away and built a new city far away. In the 5th cent. B.C Kaunos was a city on the border of Lycia and Caria. The rock tombs on the edge of Kaunos are fronted with Hellenistic Ionic order temple fronts. Similar to Lycian rock tombs except that the rock is carved around the sides of the tombs almost making them freestanding. The rock tombs are cut into the cliffs above the River Dalyan that runs below. Kaunos sits on a hilly outcrop above a natural harbour that is today silted up. It is a wild archaeological site with a picturesque backdrop of rounded hills and the Aegean Sea in the distance. Kaunos has a large, as can be seen in our photos, 2nd cent. B.C amphitheatre that sat 5000 people which gives some idea of the importance and size of the city. On a flat man made platform is a temple and a round sanctuary. When excavated by Professor Ogun an obelisk was found 6 meters below the temple at the level of an older temple site. This is thought to represent the god Basileos Kaunos to whom offerings would have been made. Our pictures of the remains of a Byzantine christian church on the upper terrace show that the roof has fallen in but the church is the best example of a 5th cent. church in Anatolia. Today Kaunos is still the seat of a Bishopric although the seat is vacant. The history of the city is the same as for all the Aegean cities. In the 4th cent. B.C Kaunos came under Persian rule until 334 B.C when Alexander the Great took the city. After Alexanders death Kaunos came under the control his General Ptolemy and whose family ruled Egypt until his line finished with the death of Cleopatra. It then became a Roman city Add photos of Dalyan and Kaunos Archaeological Site using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/dalyan-lycian-tombs-and-kaunos.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalyan Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures & images of Great Palace of Constantinople Mosaics, Istanbul, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. When Constantine I re-founded Byzantium as Constantinople in 330, he planned out a palace for himself. The palace was located between the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia. The complex of palaces was rebuilt and expanded several times during its history. Much of the complex was destroyed during the Nika riots of 532 and was rebuilt lavishly by the emperor Justinian I. Further extensions and alterations were commissioned by Justinian II and Basil I. However, it had fallen into disrepair by the time of Constantine VII, who ordered its renovation. The Roman Byzantine mosaics used to decorate the pavement of a peristyle court, dating possibly to the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I (r. 527-565). The area formed part of the south-western Great Palace, and the excavations discovered a large peristyle courtyard, with a surface of 1872 entirely decorated with mosaics. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Palace_of_Constantinople Visit our ROMAN MOSAIC PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Roman-Mosaics-Art-Pictures-Images/C0000LcfNel7FpLI Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg Add photos of Great Palace Mosaics Istanbul using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/great-palace-mosaic-istanbul.html

Pictures of the archaelogical site of Hattusa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Turkey. Hattusha or Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze age. Situated in central Turkey . The Old Kingdom - Around 1650 BC a Hittite-speaking king had chosen the site as his residence and capital and the city was renamed Hattusha, and the king took the name of Hattusili I or Labarna I and the began of a "Hittite" state and of a royal line of 27 Hittite Kings. Hattusili I fortified Hattusa and from this stronghold he started conquering lands to the South in Syria. Hattusili was succeeded by his son, Murshili I, who continued conquering territory by raiding the important city of Halab (Aleppo) and south in Mesopotamia as well as taking Babylon in 1531 BC. He turned rule of Babylon over his Kassite allies and returned to Hattusha where he was assassinated. The Hittite Kingdom was plunged into chaos and the Hurrians took advantage of this and took Aleppo. A series of weak Hittite kings saw a contraction of the Empire. The NEW KINGDOM - By the 14th century BC kingship had become hereditary and they took on an aura of being “super human” and were referred to as “My Sun” Under Tudhaliya (1380–1360 B.C.) and his son Shuppiluliuma I ( 1370–1330 B.C.) the Hittite Empire was consolidated and began to acquire land in Syria again. Aleppo was re-taken establishing Carchemish as a royal center. Egypt seeked an alliance by marriage of one of Shuppiluliuma’s sons with the widow of Tutankhamen but his son died. During the rule of Muwatalli (1295–1282 B.C) the Hittite capital moved south to Tarhuntasha. Ramesses II attempted to expand into Hittite Territory but was defeated Ramesses at the battle of Kadesh. DECLINE OF THE HITTIE EMPIRE - Under Tudhaliya IV (r. 1245–1215 B.C.), the fortifications of Hattusha were strengthened and the sanctuary of Yazilikaya was constructed. During his reign things stared to go wrong for the Hittites and Syrians incursions started to shrink his Empire as territory was lost in the west. Finally around 1200 mysteriously Hattusa was destroyed and the Empire collapsed in a period known as The Bonze Age Collapse. NEO HITTITES - Although the Hittite Empire disappeared, Hittite culture was kept alive in smaller Syrian Neo-Hittite kingdoms at Carchemish and Milid. These were gradually absorbed into the Neo Assyrian Empire. READ THE HISTORY OF THE HITTITES AT : https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/p/hittites-history USEFUL LINKS Visit our HITTITE PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/The-Hittites-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images-of/C0000NUBSMhSc3Oo Add photos of Hattusa Archaeological Site Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/hattusa-hittite-site-turkey.html

Pictures photos and images of the Ancient Lycian rock tombs of Kaunos, Daylan Turkey. The existence of Kaunos had known by the scholars but its location was a mystery until English archaeologist Hoskyn discovered it in 1842. The existence of Kaunos had known by the scholars but its location was a mystery until English archaeologist Hoskyn discovered it in 1842. Kaunos was mentioned as Ksibde in Lycian scripts, while as Kbid in the scripts of other surrounding cities. Life style and language of Kaunos people share similarities with Carian people except five letters in their alphabet are not seen in latter which makes Kaunos language is unique to them. The city was constructed on terraces; significant religious structures like Baselius Kaunios Temple, Apollon Sanctuary and Demeter Sacred Rocks on one side and Bath, Theatre and other structures including Palaestra on a large terrace which is called Upper City on the other. Rock-cut tombs worked on the limestone steep façade of Baliklar Mountain are grouped in seven different areas in the direction of southwest. The most significant ones among 167 tombs are the Temple-Faceted ones. Rock-cut tombs in Kaunos are differed from others with its unique façade typology representing façade architecture seen in Hellen Temples. Tombs in this typology of this period are seen only in Kaunos and its hinterland which reveals its uniqueness to Kaunos. That’s why; this type of tombs is named as “Kaunosian Style Rock-Cut Tombs”. The rock cut tomb tradition in Anatolia, which was seen firstly in the region of Urartu in the first quarter of the first millennium B.C, was spread out to Lycia and Caria Regions through Phrygians. Especially, the facade architecture of the rock-cut tombs in Kaunos differs from the rock-cut tombs in the regions of Urartu, Phrygians and Lycia with its unique façade typology representing façade architecture seen in Hellen Temples. Kaunos is A UNESCO World Heritage Listed Site. Visit our LYCIAN PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/The-Lycians-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000avDPmEIztMQ

Pictures images photos of the Cascata delle Marmore (Marmore Falls) near Terni, Umbria. In 271 BC The Roman Senate decided to solve the illness caused by malaria in the city of Reiti by draining a nearby lake and it's surrounding swamps. To do this a drainage canal known as the Curiano Trench was dug which ended at the cliffs of Marmore. When completed the water from the upland lake and swamps flowed into the canal and over the cliffs at Marmore creating one of the highest man made waterfalls in Europe. The falls descend in 3 drops, the tallest being 83 m (272 feet), a total of 165 m (541 feet) into the Nera river below then on into the Tiber. t is incredible to think that an awe inspiring the Cascata delle Marmore was man made and people have marvelled at its beauty for over 2000 years. The Marmore Falls made their artistic debut in as a backdrop in Virgil's epic poem the Aeneid (Circa 19 BC), then reappeared in the middle Ages in Dante's Paradise going on later to inspire Byron who wrote about them in his poem “Pilgrimage of Child Harold”. Today the Cascata delle Marmore does not inspire sporadically as the waters that flow over them are shared by a hydro electric power station so the water is only allowed to flow over the Marmore Falls at certain times of the year for a few hours at a time. Add photos of Cascata delle Marmore Italy to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/cascata-delle-marmore.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascata_delle_Marmore

Pictures, Images and photos of Ancient Magnesia on the Maeander archaeological site, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Magnesia was an important Greek city state in Anatolia that is situated between Priene Ephasus and Trailles in the fertile Maeander river valley. The history of Magnesia followed the same pattern as other cities in Ionia. For a time it came under Lydian rule then around 560 BC the city came under Persian rule. The area then swapped between Persian & Greek rule until Alexander The Great conquered Persia in 334 BC. When Alexander died his Empire was split amongst his generals and Magnesia came under Selucid rule. In 192 BC the Selucid King Antiochus III invaded Greece, under Roman rule, with a 10,000 man army. Antiochus was routed at Themopylae and withdrew to Anatolia. The Romans followed though and supported by the army of the King of Pergamon defeated Antiochus at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Magnesia ). Magnesia was then ruled by the Pergamon Kings until 133 BC when Attalus III, king of Pergamon, died leaving no heirs and bequeathing his kingdom to the Rome. The archaeological site was excavated in 1891 by the German archaeologist Carl Human, who excavated Pergamon, and revealed the Artemis Temple, the Agora, the temple of Zeus and the Prytaneion. The site had been badly depleted by the local use of the limestone ruins to make lime. The use of stone from Magnesia continued and by the time excavations resumed in 1984 much of ancient Magnesia had been destroyed. Add photos of Magnesia Archaeological Site using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/magnesia-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Magnesia Visit our TURKEY PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/3f-Pictures-of-Turkey-Turkey-Photos-Images-Fotos/C0000U.hJWkZxAbg

Pictures and Images of Midas City, Yazilikaya, Phrygian monuments, tombs and cisterns, Yazilikaya Valley, Eskisehir, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Ancient Midas City is located just west of the Yazilikaya village in the Han district of Eskisehir, in the southern part of the Yazilikaya Valley. It is founded on the rocky Yazilikaya plateau. The citadel measures about 650 m long and 320 m wide and rises about 60-70 m above the valley floor. The most famous monument of Midas city is the Midas Monument. This is the largest Phrygian rock cut facade monument, measuring 17m x 16.5m. It represents the front of a Phrygian megaron type building with a low pitched roof. It is known locally as yazilikaya , which means “written rock”, because of the Paleo-Phrygian inscriptions carved above the rock above the roof outline, down the right side and in the niche. The upper inscription dedicates the monument to King Midas, and so it is also known as the “Midas Monument”. The niche probably contained an image of the Phrygian Mother Goddess, and the word. It is thought that in the Phrygian Period the city was surrounded by walls. Today, there is no trace of any wall structure, but shapes were cut like stairs at certain points of the natural rock faces surrounding the city prove there had been some additional defence system or built fortification. The main entrance of the city is in the east. The road that rises to the main rock here is known as the King's Road (Procession road) . Along the road there are figures carved on the rocks. The most important rock monuments on the Midas plateau are monumental altars, vaulted rock tunnels, rock-cut stairways, and cisterns. In the rock faces surrounding the citadel are many rock-cut chamber tombs, cult facades, stepped altars and niches. The rock cut cult monuments at Midas City and in the Yazilikaya Valley reflect the deep respect and devotion that the Phrygians felt for the Mother Goddess Matar Kubileya. Although these monuments' architectural conception, consisting of facades, altars, and niches, differ from each other, all of them are outdoor temples devoted to the cult of the Mother Goddess Matar Kubileya. Midas City, with its unique monumental rock structures, is a very important cultural treasure and has been nominated for addition to UNESCO's list of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It must be preserved by us for future generations. Add photos of Ancient Midas Yazilikaya Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/ancient-midas-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazılıkaya,_Eskişehir Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures photos images of the Ancient Greek & Roman building ruins of Miletus Archaeological Site, Anatolia, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Miletus is situated on the delta of the Maeander River where it flows into the Aegean sea and dates back to Neolithic times. During the Archaic Greek Period Miletus became one of the twelve ancient Greek cities of Ionia which came under Persian rule. The ancient harbour city of Miletus was the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Aegean and home to the early natural philosophers Thales and Anaximander. Via the Maeander River Valley Miletus also connected to the Central Anatolian High Plateau. At the turn of the 5th century BCE Miletus led an unsuccessful uprising of Greek Ionian cities against Persian rule and was punished with destruction. Renewed prosperity during the Hellenistic and the Roman imperial periods resulted in many opulent marble buildings. A Greek Theatre was built which was remodelled many times to a width of 139.8 meters to seat 18,500 people. Miletus was connected to Temple of Apollon at Didyma by a Sacred Way. At the beginning of the Sacred Way is an Ionic Stoa forming a colonnade of Ionic order that is 99 m long, 9 m high. A portico served as a covered grandstand and ornamental backdrop during various ceremonious processions on the street in front of it. The Baths of Faustina were the largest bath and sports complex at Miletus in Roman times. Established by Faustina the Younger, wife of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180 AD). In Late Antiquity the building was used as part of the city fortifications of Miletus. The Great Harbour monument was opened by the city of Miletus either in honour of the achievements of Pompeius in his war against the pirates (67 BC) or for the victory of Augustus over Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the battle of Actium (31 BC). In late antiquity the Maeander delta became cut off from the open sea and led to annual flooding of Miletus ancient city centre. Later Byzantine and Islamic developments at Miletus were on the high ground above the flood plain. Add photos of Miletus Archaeological Site using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/miletus-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miletus Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures Images photos of the ancient Lycian archaeological site of Myra, Demre, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The city is situated at the foot of the Alaca Dag (mountain) on the edge of the fertile alluvial plain close to the Aegean Sea. Myra became part of the Lycian alliance in 168 B.C and was one of the largest towns in the alliance. There are 2 necropolis of Lycian rock cut tombs in Myra. The tombs are cut into the rock and fronted with temple fronts. These would have been family tombs and one still has a relief sculpture of its owner, a gladiator in full Roman armour, cut into the rock above the tomb entrance. Lycians also built tombs onto of pillars often with a characteristic pointed curved roof or in the shape of small Greek Temples. In Christian times Myra was the metropolis of Lycia whose famous 4th century charitable Bishop, Saint Nicholas of Myra, is better known around the world today as Santa Claus. The Saint Nicholas Basilica in the new town of Demre, next to Myra, was built in the 8th century and the bones of Saint Nicholas were stolen during the Turkish invasions and taken to "safety" in Bari, Italy. Mira is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List Add photos of Myra Lycian Tombs using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/myra-lycian-tombs-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myra Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

(updater 2021) Pictures images photos of the Maison Carrée or Square House is the name given to the best preserved Roman temple remaining from the ancient Roman Empire. The Maison Carrée was originally built as the heart of the Roman forum of Nemausus, present day Nimes, in the south of France. The Maison Carrée temple was built as a Roman cult temple to Julius Caesar around 4-7 AD. It was later rededicated to Emperor Augustus. The Maison Carrée temple is an example of the architecture attributed to the influential Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (70 - 15 BC) who wrote “The Ten Books of Architecture”. The Maison Carrée temple measures 26 m by 13.5 m and is raised on a 2.8 m high podium. The temples facade has a flight of stone steps leading to its portico with six Corinthian columns. From the portico a high door leads into the temple. Download pictures of the Maison Carrée Roman temple, Nimes, France or buy as photo wall art on line. Add photos of Maison Carree Nimes to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type Maison Carree into lower search box) USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maison_Carrée Photos of Roman Nimes https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery/Pictures-of-Roman-Nimes-Temple-Amphitheatre-Aqueduct-France/G0000BPSDojwXjKI/C0000pDRcOaIqj8E

Photos of Emerita Augusta the Roman ruins in Merida, Spain. Emerita Augusta was founded in 25 BC and became the capital of the Roman Province of Lustania and today Merida is the capital of the Extremadura, western central Spain. The Roman ruins of Emerita Augusta n Merida are the most extensive in Spain and the well-preserved remains of the old city include, in particular, a large bridge over the river Guadiana, an amphitheatre, a theatre, a vast circus and an exceptional water-supply system. Merida is an excellent example of a provincial Roman imperial capital and is symbolic of the process of Romanisation in a land that had hitherto not been influenced by the urban phenomenon. The Roman ruins are so important that Merida was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Emerita was founded by Augustus in 25 BC at the end of his Spanish campaign. Its first inhabitants were time-expired veterans of the Legio V Alaudae and Legio X Gemina legions veterans of the Cantabrian Wars. Three years later it became the capital of the new Roman province of Lusitania, and played an important role as the base for the conquest of the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. Its site was a classic one, where a major road crossed an important river (the Quadiana), and it became a very important administrative, commercial, and communications centre. Emerita benefited from the rule of the Spanish Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Diocletian who endowed it with splendid public buildings. Christianity was established there in the 3rd century, and it was quickly to become the seat of an archbishop. With the pacification of the peninsula by the Visigoths from 457 onwards it flourished as the capital of one of the six provinces, and enjoyed a special role as cultural centre. As our photos show the Roman theatre is in incredible condition. The theatre of Merida was built from 16 to 15 BC and dedicated by the consul Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It was renovated in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD, possibly by the emperor Trajan, and again between 330 and 340 during Constantine's reign, when a walkway around the monument and new decorative elements were added. With the advent of Christianity as Rome's sole state religion, theatrical performances were officially declared immoral: the theatre was abandoned and most of its fabric was covered with earth, leaving only its upper tiers of seats (summa cavea). The Roman bridge over the River Guardiana spans 792 metres making it one of the largest surviving bridges of ancient times. The location of the bridge was carefully selected at a ford of the river Guadiana, which offered as a support a central island that divides it into two channels. In the Roman era the length was extended several times, adding at least five consecutive sections of arches so that the road is not cut during the periodic flooding of the Guadiana. Buy and download photos of Merida on line or by pictures and images as photo art prints.

Pictures, images & photos of of Mount Nemrut Dağı summit ancient statues. (Mount Nemrut or Nemrud), Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. A Unesco World Heritage Site, Turkey. Photos & images of the ancient tomb ruins of Antiochus 1. Mount Nemrut (Dagi) comprises the Hellenistic mausoleum of Antiochus. In the first century BC, the Roman-Persian king Antiochus I of Commagene (a kingdom north of Syria and the Euphrates) ordered to build a grave on the summit of Mount Nemrut and place statues the west and East sides. The mountain top terraces of Mount Nemrut had four meter high statues of ancient gods and Antiochus. The statues represent Apollo, Fortuna, Heracles, Commagene and Zeus. The Tomb stands on the top of Mount Nemrut at 2,134 m (7,001 ft) high. It is thought that the top of the mountain was leveled then the Mausaleum built, although no burial chamber has yet been found. After Antiochus death all of the people of his kigdom were ordered to bring a small stone to the top of the mountain from which a loose stone pyramid shaped tumulus was made 49 m (161 ft) high and 152 m (499 ft) in diameter over a mausoleum. This has protected the mausoleum, if one exists, as to get to it the whole tumulus would have to be removed. This has remained a problem for Archaeologists who cannot yet tunnel in the loose stones to see if the Mount Nemrut mausoleum exists. Add photos of Nemrut Dagi Ancient Statues to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/nemrutdagiancientstatues-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nemrut UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/448

(updater 2021) Photos pictures images of the Roman City of Nemausus, present day Nimes, is situated in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. In about 28 BC Nemausus became a Roman colony and by the time of Augustus had a population of 60,000 Romans. The city was ringed by 6 km (3.7 miles) of ramparts with 14 towers and was known as the Porta Augusta or the doorway to Gaul, present day France. Present day Nimes is the centre of important Roman monuments including the Pont du Gard a Roman aqueduct which crosses the River Gard as part of a 50 km (31 miles) long aqueduct from an inland spring at Uzes to Nimes which delivered a staggering 200,000 cubic meters (44 million gallons) of water a day to Nimes. The Maison Carrée or Square House is the name given to the best preserved Roman temple remaining from the ancient Roman Empire. The Maison Carrée was originally built as the heart of the Roman forum of Nemausus, present day Nimes, in the south of France. The Maison Carrée temple was built as a Roman cult temple to Julius Caesar around 4-7 AD. It was later rededicated to Emperor Augustus. The Maison Carrée temple measures 26 m by 13.5 m and is raised on a 2.8 m high podium. The temples facade has a flight of stone steps leading to its portico with six Corinthian columns. From the portico a high door leads into the temple. The Roman amphitheatre of Nimes was built around 70 AD. It is an oval amphitheatre measuring 133 m long and 101 m wide. Its two floors are supported by two rows of 60 arches on top of each other with seating inside for about 24,000 spectators on 34 rows of terraces. As with all Roman amphitheatres each division of the arena was accessed by its own flight of stairs which mad access very easy and fast . The open design and pitch of the seating also ensured an uninterrupted view of the arena. Underground floors beneath the Area allowed easy acess for animals and gladiators via stairs and lifts. As the Roman Empire declined in the 6th century AD, Visigoths started conquering Roman territory. When they took Nimes they fortified the Amphitheatre. By the Mid 8th century the early Kings of France had recovered the south of France and the Viscounts of Nimes constructed a fortified Palace inside the amphitheatre. Add photos of Roman Nimes to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type Nimes into lower search box) USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia Arena https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nîmes UNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/344/

(updater 2021) Pictures photos images of the Roman amphitheatre of Nimes was built around 70 AD. It is an oval amphitheatre measuring 133 m long and 101 m wide. Its two floors are supported by two rows of 60 arches on top of each other with seating inside for about 24,000 spectators on 34 rows of terraces. As with all Roman amphitheatres each division of the arena was accessed by its own flight of stairs which mad access very easy and fast . The open design and pitch of the seating also ensured an uninterrupted view of the arena. Underground floors beneath the Area allowed easy acess for animals and gladiators via stairs and lifts. The audience was protected from animal attack by a high wall that encircled the arena. As the Roman Empire declined in the 6th century AD, Visigoths started conquering Roman territory. When they took Nimes they fortified the Amphitheatre but the turbulent history of the early middle ages saw the collapse of the Visigoths as Muslims invaded present day Spain and south of France. By the Mid 8th century the early Kings of France had recovered the south of France and the Viscounts of Nimes constructed a fortified Palace inside the amphitheatre. A small neighbourhood of Nimes developed in the amphitheatre and the building was occupied until the 18th century when it was restored as an arena. Add photos of Nimes Roman Ampitheatre to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type Nimes into lower search box) USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_of_Nîmes

Pictures photos & images of Paestum Ancient Greek Archaeological site, Italy. Paestum lies on the southern Italian coast 85 km south of Naples. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Founded around the end of the 7th century BC by colonists from the Greek city of Sybaris, and originally known as Poseidonia. Archaeological evidence has indicated that the two cultures, Greek and Oscan, were able to thrive alongside one another. Later it became the Roman city of Paestum in 273 BC after the Graeco-Italian Poseidonians sided with the loser, Pyrrhus, in war against Rome during the first quarter of the third century BC. During the invasion of Italy by Hannibal the city remained faithful to Rome and afterwards was granted special favours such as the minting of its coinage. The city continued to prosper during the Roman imperial period, but started to go into decline between the 4th and 7th centuries. It was abandoned during the Middle Ages and its ruins only came to notice again in the 18th century, following the rediscovery of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The main features of Paestum today are the standing remains of three major temples which were built in the Doric style in the first half of the 6th century BC. The city of Paestum covers an area of approximately 120 hectares of which only the 25 hectares that contain the three main temples that have been excavated so far. The temple of Hera was built around 550 BC by the Greek colonists and is the oldest surviving temple in Paestum. The temple next to the Temple of Hera was built in about 460–450 BC and it was originally thought to have been dedicated to Poseidon-Neptune but recent studies have now attributed it to Apollo in his capacity as doctor. It stands on a 3 step base with a doric colonnade of 6x14 columns. There are 3 rooms of which the central one, hall n.2, is where the cult statue would have stood and which. It has a central isle and 2 naives divided from each other by 2 rows of columns. The original sacrificial altar was at the East end of the building but a newer altar closer to the eastern frontage from the first century BC. shows that the cult was still very much alive in Roman Paestum. The architect of the Temple of Poseidon was clearly inspired by the Parthenon in Athens. The third Greek Doric temple at the Paestum archaeological site at a higher level is the the Temple of Ceres (probably dedicated to Athena) is dated to around 500 BC. Add photos of Paestum Ancient Greek Temples to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/paestum-greek-temples.html USEFUL LINKS Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paestum Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures, images and photos of Pergamon ( Bergama ), archaeological site, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The Kingdom of Pergamon was ruled by Eumenes II in 197-159 B.C who expanded the Library of Pergamon. The copying of ancient manuscripts was a lucrative business in the ancient world and the Library Alexandria had the monopoly of the great books and the Egyptian papyrus that they were copied onto. When the Library of Pergamon to began to rival that in Alexandria and the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt banned the export of papyrus to Pergamon. Not to be defeated the Library at Pergamon invented a substitute, Parchment, which is made from animal skin and could be cut into squares and bound into the first books known as codex. In 133 B.C Attalus III of Pergamon died without an heir and left the Kingdom of Pergamon to the Roman Empire. Under the rule of Mark Anthony, Cleopatra took the opportunity to persuade him that the books of the Library of Pergamon would be better housed in the Library of Alexandria, so Pergamon lost is great library and slowly declined. The archaeological site of Pergamon is one of the most dramatic sites of antiquity. The white Corinthian columns of the Temple of Trajan are visible from miles away. Started by Emperor Trajan the construction of the Temple was finished by Hadrian (117 AD). From the Acropolis one of the steepest amphitheatres of the ancient world descends down the hillside. Capable of holding an audience of 10,000 the theatre was constructed in the 3rd cent. B.C. Under the rule of Emperor Caracalla (211-217 AD) the theatre was given a Roman makeover. The Upper Acropolis Great Altar of Pergamon constructed by Eumenes II in the first half of the 2nd cent. B.C was excavated in 1878 by German engineer Carl Humann. The thousands of fragments of the freeze were reconstructed by Italian restorers in Berlin. The Pergamon Museum was built to house the great altar. Add photos of Pergamon Archaeological Site Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/pergamon-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures images photos of Perge ( Perga ) Archaeological Site, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Perge (Greek: Perga ) was an ancient Greek city in Anatolia and the capital of in Antalya province on the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. During the Hellenistic period, Perga was one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the ancient world,[citation needed] famous for its temple of Artemis and its renowned ancient Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perga. In the twelfth century BC, there was a large wave of Greek migration from northern Anatolia to the Mediterranean coast. Perga was founded around 1000 BC and is nearly 20 kilometres (12 mi) inland to avoid the pirate bands that terrorized this stretch of the Mediterranean. In 546 BC, the Achaemenid Persians defeated the local powers and gained control of the region, then in 333 BC Alexander the Great retook Perga from the Persians. Roman rule began in 188 BC, and most of the surviving ruins today date from this period. In 46 A.D., according to the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul journeyed to Perga, where he delivered a sermon. The Romans carried out extensive building in Perga creating one of the most beautiful cities in all of Anatolia. In the first half of the fourth century, during the reign of Constantine the Great (324-337), Perga became an important centre of Christianity. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Perga remained inhabited until Seljuk times, before being gradually abandoned. Add photos of Perge or Perga Archaeological Site using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/perge-archaeological-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perga Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures Images photos of Pompeii archaeological site and museum exhibits. One of the most famous Roman archaeological sites is Pompeii. Buried by ash & pumice from an eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius on the 24 August AD 79, Pompeii was lost for 1700 years until it was rediscovery in 1748. The excavated town provided a snap shot of Roman life with well preserved streets, shops & villas. The Roman frescoes discovered in Pompeii have given an insight into Roman art and the erotic frescoes were a source of embarrassment and were much misunderstood by 19th century academics & the nobility who hid them away from public view until the year 2000. The excavations also revealed that Romans were great practitioners of graffiti which ranged from the bawdy to political statements written on walls by hired scribes. Pompeii has been a popular tourist destination for 250 years attracting over 2.6 million visitors a year. Pompeii is part of the Vesuvius National Park and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Add photos of Pompeii Archaeological Site to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/pompeii.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures images photos of the Roman aqueduct of the Pont du Gard, Nimes, France. The ancient Roman City of Nemausus, present day Nimes, became a Roman colony in about 28 BC becoming the capital of the Roman province of Narbonne under Augustus. The city grew quickly to a population of about 60,000 and therefore needed a reliable water supply. This was achieved by building a 50 km (31 miles) long aqueduct from an inland spring at Uzes to Nimes. The aqueduct has to cross a hilly terrain winding around hill sides with only a drop of only 17 m (56ft) from the spring at Uzes over its entire 50 km length to the water cisterns at Nines, a gradient of only 1 in 3,000 . This would be a major engineering feat today but the fact that the Roman hydraulic engineers managed to build the aqueduct 2000 years, before the sophisticated hi tech surveying equipment we have today was invented, is incredible. The aqueduct required canals to be built following the contours of the land and when this was not possible tunnels were dug through hills. When the aqueduct had to cross valleys bridges were built. The aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River is an incredible piece of engineering and stand intact as the Romans built it. The Pont du Gard is made up of three tiers of arches with the aqueduct running along the top. The highest point of the Pont du Gard is 48.8 m (160ft ) and its span is 360 m (393 yards) and it drops only 2.5 cm (1in) over that length. This is an amazingly accurate piece of engineering and it is estimated that the Pont du Gard would have carried a staggering 200,000 cubic meters (44 million gallons) a day. The Romans built with rounded arches which were not as strong as the later pointed arches so it means that the arch piers had to be thick. It took an estimated 50,000 tons of yellow limestone rock to build the Pont du Gard and its central arch which spans the river is 25 m (82 ft) wide making it one of the biggest known ancient Roman arch. In the 6th century AD the western Roman Empire went into decline and the lack of maintenance of the Pont du Gard meant that the aqueduct became blocked up and stopped working. The Pont du Gard survived in tact because it was an important transport bridge across the River Gardon and became a toll bridge. Add photos of Pont du Gard to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock (scroll down and type Gard into lower search box) USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_du_GardUNESCO World Heritage https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/344/

Pictures photos images of Sardis (Sart Turkey), the capital of the Lydian Empire situated in western Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Sardis was one of the great important cities of Asia Minor that thrived under the rule of King Croesus famed for his wealth and the minting of the first bimetallic coins in gold and silver. Croesus fearing an invasion from the Persians consulted the Oracle of Delphi asking if he attacked the Persians would he win. He was told that if he attacked the Persians a great Empire would fall. Taking this as a good omen Croesus attacked the Persians and a great Empire did fall, that of the Lydians as the Persians took and sacked Sardis and Croesus ended his life as a Persian slave. In 334 BC Sardis fell to Alexander the Great who sacked the city in revenge for the Persian sack of Athens. The Romans then conquered Sardis and building fine buildings like the reconstructed Bath Gymnesium that can be seen in our photo collection. The gymnasium is a typical Greco Roman design of Anatolian Roman cities incorporating Greek classical features with Roman architecture. In 1963 excavations unearthed perhaps the most impressive synagogue in the western diaspora yet discovered from antiquity, yielding over eighty Greek and seven Hebrew inscriptions as well as numerous mosaic floors. The presence of a 4th Cent Synagogue in a major Roman city has caused the relationship between Jews and the late Roman Empire to be re-examined. The Temple of Artimis was originally the fourth largest Ionic temple when it was originally built in 300 B.C. In 150 AD under Roman rule when the worship of the Emperor required all Roman cities to have a Temple dedicated to the Imperial family. The temple was split into two sections with one half for Artemis and the Empress Faustina and the other for Zeus and Emperor Antoninus Pius and the present construction shows elements of Greek and Roman styles. Add photos of Sardis Archaeological Site Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/sardis-archaeological-site-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardis Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pctures images & photos of the Greek Temples of Selinunte, Sicily. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. It is often forgotten that Greek city states stretched as far beyond Greece and that some of the biggest Greek Temples can be found on Sicily. Selinunte (Greek: Σελινοῦς; Latin: Selinus) is an ancient Greek archaeological site on the south coast of Sicily. The ancient city of Selinunte was one of the most westerly in Sicily and therefore came into constant conflict with the invading Carthaginians. Around 409 BC a massive Carthaginian army of around 100,000 men overwhelmed Selinunte killing 16,000 inhabitants and taking 5,000 as prisoners. The city was rebuilt but in the first Punic War in 250 BC was again destroyed by the Carthaginians and was never rebuilt. The huge archaeological site of Selinunte is situated on a promontory that juts out into the sea. Its raised situation would have given it good defences with a natural harbour below. The archaeological site contains five temples centered on an acropolis. Of the five temples, only the Temple of Hera, also known as "Temple E", has been re-erected and is a splendid Doric order temple. Add photos of Selinunte Greek Temple to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/selinuntetemple.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selinunte Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures images and photos of the ancient Greek Doric Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, Greece. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The temple of Poseidon at Sounion was constructed around 444–440 BC during the era of the Athenian statesman Pericles, who also rebuilt the Parthenon in Athens. Today the temple ruins are a landmark sight raised above the sea on the cape and visible to the ferries leaving Piraeus on their way to the Greek Islands. In ancient times the temple complex and its impressive temple would have demonstrated Athens wealth and importance to all visitors by sea. The temple was also built by the sea which was the realm of Poseidon. The temple had a front portico with six Doric columns and 16 out of the 38 columns are standing today. The temple closely resembles the contemporary and well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus beneath the Acropolis, which may have been designed by the same architect. The columns are of the Doric Order. They were made of white marble quarried locally at Laureotic Olympus. They were 6.10 m (20 ft) tall, with a diameter of 1m (3.1ft) at the base and 79 cm (31inches) at the top. At the centre of the temple was an enclosed hall ( the naps) with a door at one end which housed a colossal, ceiling-height (6 metres (20 ft)) bronze statue of Poseidon. Efforts at restoring and preserving the remains of the Poseidon temple began in 1875. The monument's present state is due to the work performed in the 1950s by the Greek Archaeological Service. Browse or download a royalty free photos or buy as photo art prints on line

Sardis was an important city state from ancient times situated in present day western Turkey. Sardis became the capital of Lydia and grew rich when it discovered the secret of separating gold from silver. The name of its king Croesus is still used today to describe someone who is extremely wealthy. It is believed that in about the 3rd century BC King Antiochus III encouraged Jews to come and live in Sardis. They built a Synagogue which appears to have been actively used through the Roman period showing that jewish communities were active in Asia Minor during the Roman Christian period. The Synagogue of Sardis was excavated byHarvard and Cornell University in 1958 revealing a mosaic floor. Jews and Muslims both adhere to the biblical rule that false idols should not be worshipped. This means that neither religion allows depictions of God or any of its prophets. The mosaic floor then is a series of panels full of different geometric mosaic designs. The Romans loved geometric mosaics designs and were incredibly creative at combining intricate patterns together o make very complex mosaic floors. Pictures & stock photos of Sardis Synagogue Roman mosaic floor. The mosaic floors of the Sardis synagogue demonstrate how constant the architectural decorative styles were across the Roman Empire. Visit our ROMAN MOSAIC PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Roman-Mosaics-Art-Pictures-Images/C0000LcfNel7FpLI Add photos of Sardis Roman Mosaic to cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our Alamy Stock Library page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/roman-mosaic.html - Type - Sardis - into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box. Refine search by adding background colour, place, museum etc

Pictures images photos of the painted fresco Etruscan underground tombs of the Monterozzi Necropolis of Tarquinia, or Monte del Calvario Necropolis. There are around 6,000 tombs cut into the rock at Tarquinia and those that have been excavated have revealed incredible Etruscan fresco wall paintings dating back to the 7th century BC. The underground tombs of Tarquinia are so unique that they were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2004. The Etruscan paintings are some of the oldest known paintings in present day Italy, and their sophisticated depictions have given historians an insight into Etruscan Culture and burial rights. The Etruscans pre dated the Romans and created the earliest urban civilisation in the northern Mediterranean. They were slowly conquered incorporated into the Roman Empire which eclipsed them completely even though mush of what we think as Roman and many of the great cities we associate with the Romans were in fact Etruscan. The area around Tarquinia is made up of volcanic ash Tuff rock that can be easily cut into and carved. At Tarquinia the Etruscans built their tombs 15 meters or so underground and the tombs were accessed vis a flight of stairs. Most of the tombs are single chamber with a burial pit or benches on either side of the room for cinerary urns.The painted Etruscan tombs at Tarquinia were replicas of Etruscan houses with painted fresco pillars and architectural details. Some are painted as replica tents with views to trees outside and wild ducks caught during a hunt hanging inside. The painted tombs of Tarquinia seem to have been burial chambers for families and extended families. Although some have what seem to be pits in the floors and troughs cut into the walls for burial of bodies, the more common way of burial for the Etruscans was cremation. The paintings at Tarquinia depict aspects of living that we associate with the Romans which indicated the influence the Etruscans were on them. Banqueting is a popular fresco theme in the teams. This not only depicts how the Etruscans liked to relax but also may represent some of the rights performed during burial. Dancers and musicians are also popular scenes of the Tarquinia tombs. Many aspects of Etruscan life are depicted with hunters, fishermen, athletes and jugglers. Apart from the painted Greek tombs of Paestum, the Etruscan paintings of Tarquinia are the only frescoes of that survive from that era making them a vital link in the history of art. (updated 2021) Add photos of Etruscan Monterozzi Necropolis of Tarquinia to the cart as royalty free download or prints. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterozzi_necropolis Visit our CLASSICAL WORLD HISTORIC SITES PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to buy as buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Classical-Era-Historic-Sites-Archaeological-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000g4bSGiDL9rw

Pictures images photos of Tylos Lycian archaeological site Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Situated in the Xanthos Valley, Tylos is one of the most important Lycian cities of the region. Tlos is known as the city where mythological hero Bellerophon and his winged flying horse Pegasus lived. Archaeological excavations have shown that Tlos is the oldest city of Lycian Region. Tlos dates back to the time before 2000 B.C. The graveyard necropolis in the acropolis cliffs are filled with the typical Lycian house or temple type tombs. When Roman Byzantium fell, Tlos was occupied by the Ottoman Turks and remained inhabited until the 18th century. Tlos is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tylos Visit our LYCIAN PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/The-Lycians-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000avDPmEIztMQ Add photos of Tylos Lycian Rock Tombs using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/tlos-archaeological-site-turkey.html

Pictures images photos of the Uratian Van Fortress Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. The Fortress of Van is a massive stone fortification built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC, and is the largest example of its kind. It overlooks the ruins of Tushpa the ancient Urartian capital during the 9th century which was centered upon the steep-sided bluff where the fortress now sits. A number of similar fortifications were built throughout the Urartian kingdom, usually cut into hillsides and outcrops in places where modern-day Armenia, Turkey and Iran meet. At the Van Citadel there is a "royal stable" (Siršini) of the dimensions of 20m length, 9m width and 2,5m height, carved in rock. Oxen and sheep were held here to be sacrificed for the Urartian gods, according to the inscriptions discovered at the location. A stereotyped trilingual inscription of Xerxes the Great from the 5th century BC is inscribed upon a smoothed section of the rock face, some 20 meters (60 feet) above the ground near the fortress. Add photos of Van Fortress Turkey using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/van-fortress-turkey.html USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Fortress Visit our ANCIENT WORLD PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Ancient-World-Art-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images-of/C00006u26yqSkDOM

Photos of Volubilis Roman archaeological site, Morocco. From the 3rd century BC Volubilis was a Phoenician then Carthaginian settlement at the foot of the Jebel Zerhoun mountain overlooking the fertile Gharb Plain in north eastern Morocco. After the fall of Carthage in 146 BC to the Romans, Volubilis came under Roman rule as part of its client state of Mauritania finally being annexed in 44AD by Emperor Claudius. The fertile plains of Volubilis produced grain, highly valued in the Roman Empire to feed Rome, olive oil from the olive groves on the mountain slopes as well as wild animals for the gladiatorial spectacles of the Roman Empire. At its height Volubilis had an estimate population of 20,000 which was substantial for a provincial Roman city and became the administrative centre of Mauretania Tingitana. After the collapse of the western Roman Empire in the 6th century AD Volubilis continued to be inhabited by Christian and Jews who were the descendants of ancestors who had been persecuted in the late Roman Empire. In 708 the Arabs conquered North Africa and in 788 Moulay Idriss, a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad, established the Idrisid dynasty in Volubilis, renamed Ksar Faraoun. Today Moulay Idriss is buried at the nearby hill ton of who is buried at nearby Moulay Idris. In the 17th century Moulay Ismail made nearby Meknes the Imperial capital and stone from Volubilis was used to build the new city. In the 1830s when Morocco was under French Colonial rule scientific explorations found the Roman remains and by the late 19th century the first archaeological excavations started at Volubilis. The recovery of Roman ruins was used a political tool by the French to strengthen European links with North Africa so legitimising their colonisation programme. At the centre of the archaeological site is the Basilica, the building used by Romans for legal hearings which were later converted into the first Christian churches. Most of one wall of the Basilica remains standing along with its interior its columns. Next to the Basilica is the Capitoline Temple dedicated to the three chief divinities of the Roman state, Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Civic assemblies were held in front of the temple to beseech the aid of the gods or to thank them for successes in major civic undertakings such as fighting wars. It was partly restored in 1955 and given a more substantial restoration in 1962, reconstructing 10 of the 13 steps, the walls of the cella and the columns. There were four more small shrines within the temple precinct, one of which was dedicated to Venus. Photos of Volubilis can be downloaded and photo art pictures of Volubilis can be bought on line. Buy as high resolution stock royalty free images of travel images to download on line or buy as photo art prints.

Pictures photos and images of the Roman mosaic of Volubilis, Morocco. Volubilis is a partly excavated Roman city in Morocco commonly considered as the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania.Built in a fertile agricultural area, it developed from the 3rd century BC onward as a Berber, then proto-Carthaginian, settlement before being the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania. It grew rapidly under Roman rule from the 1st century AD onward and expanded to cover about 42 hectares (100 acres) with a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. The city gained a number of major public buildings in the 2nd century, including a basilica, temple and triumphal arch. Its prosperity, which was derived principally from olive growing, prompted the construction of many fine town-houses with large mosaic floors. The excavated villas of Volubilis have many mosaics, some with an African flovour depicting elephants. There is a comical mosaic depicting God Dionysus or Bacchus riding a mule whilst facing the wrong way. This was a warning of the excesses of drink. The Roman mosaics also include depictions of dolphins that were symbo;s of good luck. Visit our ROMAN MOSAIC PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/Roman-Mosaics-Art-Pictures-Images/C0000LcfNel7FpLI Add photos of Roman Mosaic using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or, if you prefer, download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/roman-mosaic.html - Type- Volubilis - into the LOWER SEARCH WITHIN GALLERY box to refine search by adding background colour, place, museum etcphotos or as photo wall art prints on line

Pictures images photos of the Roman mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale , Piazza Armerina , Sicily. Around 1160 a huge mud slide in the Morgantina hills near Piazza Armerina in central Sicily buried an abandoned Roman Villa and its associated buildings which became to be known as the Villa Romana del Casale. Fragments of exposed wall from the villa drew little attention until the 1950s when the Villa Romana del Casale was excavated to reveal 3,500 square meters of exquisite Roman mosaics perfectly preserved by the mud. These mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale are the largest area of Roman mosaics in situ in the world and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Villa Romana del Casale mosaics have been dated to the first quarter of the fourth century AD. The clothing and themes in the pictures point to it being owned by Emperor Maximinianus. The scale of the mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale is breathtaking. Animals are depicted from the 5 Roman African Diocese. Panthers from Mauritania, Antelopes from Numidia, Wild Horses from Tripolitana, the now extinct Berber Lion from Morocco and Wild Boar from Byzaena now Tunisia. The animals are loaded into ships to be transported to Rome for the games in the Colosseum. Two figures wearing traditional hats from the Pannonia Province Maximinianus came from stand watching the animals being put aboard a ship. Next to them is an Elephant which were reserved for the Emperors games in the Colosseum only. Next to the Elephant are the letters "MA" which stand for Maximinianus Augustus, lending more weight to this being the Emperor's Villa. The floor of every room is decorated with lavish mosaics each having a different theme. The exercise room of the Villa has a gigantic mosaic of the Circus Maximus in Rome complete with racing chariots. Children's rooms have mosaics of children chariot racing at a miniature Circus Maximus. Mosaics in other rooms depict musician or mythical figures and the extent of the Empires influence is celebrated with depictions of people from as far away as India. One of the most surprising mosaics of the Villa Romana del Casale for modern viewers is nicknamed the Bikini Girls. This shows 10 young women in bikini style tops and bottoms . They appear to be in competition with each other as one of them, presumably the winner, is about to be crowned with a laurel crown. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Romana_del_Casale Roman Mosiacs Photo Collection https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery/Roman-Mosaics-Roman-Mosaic-Pictures-Photos-and-Images-Fotos/G00008dLtP71H_yc/C0000q_tZnliJD08 Add photos of Villa Romana del Casale Roman mosaics to the cart as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/villaromanadelcasale.html

Pictures images photos of the Lycian city of Xanthos (Lycian: Arñna, Latin: Xanthus, Turkish: Ksantos), Antalya, Turkey. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams. Xanthos was a center of culture and commerce for the Lycians, and later for the Persians, Greeks, including Macedonians, and Romans who in turn conquered the city and occupied the adjacent territory. In approximately 540 BC, according to Herodotus, the Persians met and defeated a small Lycian army in the flatlands to the north of the city. After the encounter, the Lycians retreated into the city which was besieged by Harpagus. The Lycians destroyed their own Xanthian acropolis, killed their wives, children, and slaves, then proceeded on a suicidal attack against the superior Persian troops. Thus, the entire population of Xanthos perished but for 80 families who were absent during the fighting. The Xanthian Obelisk, also known as the Xanthos or Xanthus Stele is trilingual with three languages of Greek, Lycian A, and Lycian B, or Milyan and a section remains at Xanthos. he Lycian "Harpy Tomb" is a marble pillar tomb from 480-470 B.C. The Greek Archaic style carvings of four winged female figures, Harpies, that covered the tomb were removed by Charles Fellows in 1838 and are now in the British Museum as is the Xanthos Letoon, an important sanctuary of Leto daughter of Titans Coeus & Phoebe. Xanthos was made a UNESCO World Heritage Archaeological Site in 1988. USEFUL LINKS: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthos Visit our LYCIAN PHOTO COLLECTIONS for more photos to download or buy as wall art prints https://funkystock.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/The-Lycians-Art-Artefacts-Antiquities-Historic-Sites-Pictures-Images/C0000avDPmEIztMQ Add photos of Xanthos using ADD TO CART button as royalty free download or prints or download from our ALAMY STOCK LIBRARY page at : https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/paul-williams-funkystock/xanthos-lycian-turkey.html