Abstract:

The ancient city of Cyzicus, within the boundaries of the province of Balikesir’s Erdek district, is situated in the isthmus of the peninsula’s near the southern tip of Arktonnesos (Bear Island) pertained to as the mainland in ancient times, which is called Kapıdağı today. It is understood that Kapıdağı was at first an island, and then it became a peninsula when Cyzicus’s region combined with the mainland in AD 2 in Eastern Roman period. The earliest settlers of Cyzicus were Dolions. They migrated because of endless attacks of Eols from Thessalia. The history of Cyzicus began in 756 B.C. by Miletos when they colonized the region. Cyzicus was destroyed by an earthquake in 10.11.117 AD. when the Emperor Hadrian went on a trip for Anatolia in AD 124. When Hadrian came to Cyzicus, he helped to repair the Temple of Zeus (Jupiter). Cyzicus’s people were dedicated to this temple for Emperor Hadrian and began to rebuild this temple. Thus, Cyzicus became one of the cities that built a temple of Emperor after Pergamon and Smyrna in Anatolia. The Amphitheatre is one of three examples in Anatolia, the Amphitheatre is elliptical and ıt’s measuring are 155 x 180 m from outside to outside. East and west sides of the seats in the soil, north and south seats were based on a strong foot’s vaults in the stream bed. Cavea of the theater shows Hellenistic special features and ıt’s diameter is 145 m, it’s diameter of orchestra is 55 m. Ancient Cyzicus has been identified with two agoras by researchers.

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