Plotinopolis was a Roman city founded by Emperor Trajan in the early 2nd century under the name of his wife, Plotina.

It later became one of the most important centers of Thrace (historical region of Southeast Europe, which is currently divided between Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. It corresponds to the ancient Macedonian region).

These amazing mosaics dating from the second half of the 2nd-3rd centuries AD were part of a triclinium - a formal dining room with three beds - and a Roman public bath.

Recently, a new section of a spectacularly colorful mosaic was discovered, including depictions of centaurs, dolphins, cupids, and seahorses.

This new section of the mosaic, representing 90 square meters out of a total of 140 square meters, is made of glass and is surrounded by vines and ivy leaves, which was a sign of honor to the Greek god Dionysus.

Eastern Roman Mosaic in the Church of Qasr Libya, Northern Libya

Eastern Roman Mosaic in the Church of Qasr Libya, Northern Libya. It dates back to the Reign of Justinian I The Great.

The Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus

This is what the Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus might have looked like. It is regarded as one of the most famous monuments of the ancient city of Ephesus.

It was built before 138 A.D by P. Quintilius and was dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian, who came to visit the city from Athens in 128 A.D

According to an inscription engraved on the archivolt of the entablature, the small temple-like structure was dedicated to Artemis Ephesia, Emperor Hadrian and to the demos of Ephesus, by the asiarch Poplius Vedius Antoninus Sabinus of Ephesus.

The architectural jewel of Aspendos is its theater, widely consider the best-preserved ancient theater in the world

The ancient city of Aspendos lies in Southern Turkey, in the ancient region of Pamphylia. Due to its location along the once-navigable Eurymedon River, it rose in wealth and prominence with the trade of valuable resources, and was successively ruled by Greeks, Persians, and Romans. A number of ancient structures survive today, including the nymphaeum, basilica, and agora, but the architectural jewel of Aspendos is its theater, widely consider the best-preserved ancient theater in the world.

The theater was built during the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (160 to 180). Thanks to inscriptions on its walls, we know exactly who designed it: Zenon, son of Theodorus. The inscriptions also tell us that the Greek architect, who was born in Aspendos, was funded by two rich brothers, A. Curtius Crispinus Arruntianus and A. Curtius Crispinus, who gifted the theater to the city.

The spectator tribune, meanwhile, is divided in two parts by a horizontal walkway called the diazoma. The lower section contains 20 rows of seat, while the upper has 21 rows. The theater’s capacity has been estimated at between 7,300 and 7,600 people at least, with room for 8,500 spectators if the stairs were used as seating (other estimates have placed the capacity at around 20,000, but that would have been a tight squeeze indeed).

The theater is also known for its excellent acoustics and exquisite architectural ornamentation. The two-story stage building is particularly impressive and, like most of the theater, has been exceptionally well preserved. This is largely due to the city’s continuous settlement through to the Byzantine and Seljuk periods. The Seljuks had used the theater as a caravanserai, and restored the structure in the 13th century.

Forum Romanum

The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

Map of the islands of Greece

 Map of the islands of Greece. Have you ever been to Greece?

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