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MILETUS
Miletus is near the village of Balat, 42 kms from
Söke, a county of the province Aydin. This place
initially was founded during the 2nd millenium B.C. on
the coast of the Latmic Gulf ( now Lake Bafa ). The
town became one of the most important of the twelve
cities bordering the Aegean Sea, which formed the
Ionian Confederation. The Theatre, erected on the
south-west slopes of the hill of Kaletepe, profiting
from the natural inclination, is the best preserved
building of Miletus. First erected in the 4th century
BC it has taken its present form by later alterations
undergone in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
periods. The theatre, which could seat 5,300
spectators in the Hellenistic period, reached a
capacity of 25,000 seats in the Roman period. The
Caravanserai was built in the 15th century during the
period of the Principality of Mente?e. It comprises a
courtyard and rooms for lodging. The lower floor of
the two stored building was used as stables, and the
upper floor to lodge travellers. The Faustina Baths,
understood from inscriptions found during excavations
to have been built by the wife of Emperor Marcus
Aurelius, Faustina, was named after her. A greater
part of the baths has been uncovered and consists of
the dressing-room, cold-room, warm-room, hot-room,
steam-room, boiler-room and exercise area. The
Byzantine Church shows characteristics of two
different periods. Initially built under Emperor
Diocletian, the church was rebuilt in the beginning of
the 6th century AD in larger proportions. It was
established from excavations that the church was built
over Hellenistic houses.
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