Aphrodisias is near the village of Geyre (Turkey), on the mountain "Baba Dagi" at approximately 550 m. Aphrodisias has been settled since ancient times. Recent excavations in the acropolis brought to light Early Bronze Age ceramics and finds from the Stone and Bronze Ages dating from 3000 B.C. Later, the 20 m high acroplolis hill was inhabited by prehistoric people.
It is accepted that the first settlers were Assyrians. In the 1st century B.C. Aphrodisias was mentioned as a city for the first time. In 82 B.C. the Roman general Sulla sent Aphrodite an axe and a golden crown in response to a Delphic oracle; the oracle referred to a very big city in Caria which was named after Aphrodite.
Its development to an important city undoubtely began in the Hellenistic Age; during the Roman Age Aphrodisias gained in prosperity. In the 5th century A.D. it became the capital city of Caria under the reign of Emperor Leon I. In a short time it become a residence of bishops. During the Byzantine period it was called Stavropolis (city of the cross) and also Caria.
The city was also famous as an important centre of medicine and philosophy. The Carian sculptors were highly appreciated in Rome. Finished or hewn and unfinished marble blocks were exported from here to various provinces of Anatolia and some other regions of the empire.
The excavations were conducted by Gaudin (1904-1905), by Boullanger (1913) and the Turkish archaeologists now continues the excavations.
