Aphrodisias

Last update September 24, 2026

The city of Aphrodisias is located in a peaceful valley in western Turkey, situated far from the main tourist paths so that you will probably have sections of the site to yourself even during the summer. Since it was named after Aphrodite, the city became a important centre for sculpture and this is evident from the large amount of marble work that has survived here when compared with almost any other Roman site in the area. The local marble quarries supplied a school of sculptors whose artworks eventually ended up all over the Roman world and a great deal of what they left behind remained near where they were.

The main attraction at the site is the Sebasteion, a temple complex devoted to Augustus and the Julio-Claudian emperors, the walls of which feature relief panels showing the gods, the emperors, and scenes from mythology. A great many of the carvings have managed to survive in excellent condition and are now displayed in the museum on site, together with statues that still show fine detail in both the hair and the drapery after nearly two thousand years. Such a high quality of work is rarely found in a museum of this size.

The stadium outside the museum is the real highlight. Designed to accommodate about 30,000 spectators, it is one of the best preserved Roman stadiums anywhere, with the rows of seating still mostly complete and easy to walk around. Although the nearby theater had a smaller audience, it provides a more intimate feeling of scale, and the remains of the Temple of Aphrodite, which was later turned into a Christian basilica, illustrate how the site’s religious function changed over the centuries without ever fully losing its importance.

Reaching Aphrodisias does require a bit of effort since the town is located inland and not on the coastal routes that most tourists take, but this effort is rewarded by the peace and quiet it offers. If you also visit Pamukkale, which is roughly one hour and a half away, you can make a full day of exploring ancient sites without having to contend with the crowds that you would meet in Ephesus or Troy. Take a hat and some water with you; the site is large, mostly without shade, and it’s easy to wander around for three or four hours without realising how much time has passed.