The Theater and Assembly Building Complex of Tlos in the Light of New Discoveries

Abstract

The ancient city of Tlos, within the borders of the Lycian Region, is located on the western slope of the Akdağlar, at a point overlooking the Eşen Valley. Its neighboring cities were Araxa to the north, Oinoanda to the northeast, Kadyanda to the northwest, Xanthos to the south, Pınara to the southwest and Telmessos to the west. The survey and excavations started in the late 20^th century in the Tlos ancient city, which was discovered by travelers in the 19^th century, revealed that the settlement history of the region goes back earlier than the foundation story based on Greek mythology. In the city center, a continuous settlement chronology is seen from the Neolithic Period to the Ottoman Period. In the long-term settlement period, the use of spolia materials increased with the effect of the rugged topography and an intricate architectural plan was applied.

The results obtained from the recent research carried out in the theater, which is one of the important public buildings of the city, are interpreted in this study within the framework of the architectural phases of the building and the urbanism of Tlos. The plan of the theater was redrawn and a fountain structure, which is dated to the Early Roman Imperial Period, was unearthed after the studies of excavation in the south and north analemma. The other building evaluated in the article is thought to be used as the bouleuterion and the prytaneion, which are previously undefined. The building, located on the eastern slope of the acropolis, has two large room, and was integrated into the fortification wall during the Byzantine Period. A large building complex having original plan with niched facade, which built in the Hellenistic Period and used until the 4th century AD, was unearthed after the excavations.