Day 2
In the morning, we drive to Aphrodisias. The sculptors’ school in Aphrodisias produced great works of art which were then exported all throughout the Roman territories of Rome, including Hadrian’s Villa, just outside of Rome. The city followed the cult of Aphrodite (hence the name Aphrodisias) and expands over a large terrain, with the largest stadium in Asia Minor, a temple dedicated to Aphrodite, and a beautiful theater. During the excavations, NYU and other teams were able to put together a fascinating museum exhibiting friezes from the Sebasteion.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Hierapolis. Our visit in Hierapolis is a walk following the site’s main street, passing through one of the largest necropolises of ancient Anatolia with examples of various burial traditions, an agora with ancient public latrines, a great Roman theater, and below the ancient site is a natural phenomenon, the calcium terraces of Pamukkale.
After this, we are transferred to Denizli Airport for the evening flight to Istanbul.
