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Diocaesarea (Uzuncaburç) (1)
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Unless
otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona
Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes,
but you have to acknowledge Livius. |
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In Antiquity, Diocaesarea, or Olba, was well-known for its temple of
Zeus Olbius, which was built by Seleucus I Nicator, the founder of the
Seleucid
empire. It can be dated to c.300 BCE. |
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A bust of the founder, now in the Louvre museum in Paris. It is not
recorded why he built this shrine. |
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The temple of Zeus Olbius. According to legend, it was founded by Ajax,
one of the Greek heroes of the Trojan war. The priests belonged to the
Teucrid dynasty: every man of this family was called Ajax or Teucer. Olba
and its neighborhood were ruled by these priests. It was a small theocracy.
The Romans accepted this. The name Diocaesarea was adopted during the reign
of the emperor Vespasian
(69-79). |
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Corinthian columns in the temple of Zeus Olbius. They are the oldest
example of the Corinthian style in Asia Minor. |
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Wolf or boar? Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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Bull. Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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Lion. Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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Ram. Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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Horse. Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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Sheep. Detail of the decoration of the temple of Zeus Olbius. |
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to part two
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