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DIDYMA
The Apollo Temple of Didyma, located within the
boundaries of the village of Yeni Hisar in the Söke
district of the province of Aydin, was known as a
sanctuary and seat of an oracle attached to Miletus.
Recent excavations revealed remains which showed that
Didyma was not only a seat of an oracle but also the
site of dense settlement. The research concerning the
origins of the names of Didyma and Didymaion has been
a subject of discussion. Along with several other
myths, it was thought that the name Didymaion, which
meant "twin temples", was related to Artemis, the twin
sister of Apollo. However, as no definite evidence
could be found, this theory also remains as a myth.
The first excavations in Didyma were made in 1858. The
area excavated was the Sacred Road. From the
excavations it was understood that the road was 16,5km
long. The width of the road which was made of stone
blocks, changed between 5 and 7 metres. On both sides
of it were rows of shops, votive fountains, monumental
tombs, baths, and the area for the cult of Artemis.
The Delphinion is accepted as the starting point of
the Sacred Road connecting Miletus and Didyma. The
Apollo Temple of Didyma, which according to Pausinas,
had existed before the 10th century BC, was built at
the end of the 8th century BC. The small and simple
temple contained a secos, an altar, a sacred source, a
cult statue and the symbols of Apollo. The
construction of The Hellenistic Didymaion was begun in
313 BC, and it was erected over the Archaic temple
which was burned and destroyed in 494 BC. The
donations of Alexander the Great and of King Seleucus
I of Syria were of great help in the rebuilding of the
Didymaion. The Didymaion emerges as the third largest
edifice of the Hellenistic period. Besides being for
centuries a very important oracle seat, the Didymaion
was also renowned for its sacred water, sacred grove,
the many sacred elements it housed, and its wealth.
One other feature of the Didymaion was that it had the
right to shelter. This right which was termed "the
Light of Asylum", was the recognition of the right of
inviolability to people who took refuge in the temple.
The reason for this extremely impressive and
magnificent temple not being considered among the
seven wonders of the world is related by the
authorities to its not having been completed. |
