The theatre in Aspendos is by Zeno, a local architect who erected it for the Curtius brothers, in the 2nd century during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. An inscription stated it was "dedicated to the gods of the country and the imperial house". Unlike Greek type theatres it is closed off completely. The half circle of the cavae has a diameter of 95,5 meters and is connected with a "scenae frons" that is 30 meters high, 62 meters wide and richly decorated. It served as backdrop for the plays. The cavae has 21 rows of seats, a wide diazoma and then another 19 rows of seats. The capacity was somewhere between 15 and 20.000. The outside façade is 120 meters wide.

During Seljuk times it was used as a caravansary. I also remember reading it was used as a palace for a while, from which dates a tower not originally part of the construction.

I suppose the pictures will explain themselves, I present them roughly in series as I took them, with some regrouping. With the Map view you can get an impression where I took them. In December 2012 I paid another visit, so some new pictures are added.