Magnesia Artemis West Precinct
Μαγνησία Αρτέμιδος Δυτικό Τέμενος · West Precinct Magnesia Artemis · Magnesia Menderes West
Hellenistic·Ionian Hellenistic (Hermogenes) under Seleucid then Pergamene patronage·🇹🇷 Aydın Province, Germencik District, Tekin village, Magnesia on the Maeander Artemision west precinct, Turkey
About
About Magnesia Artemis West Precinct
West precinct 180-m extension of the Artemis Leukophryene sanctuary at Magnesia on the Maeander (Hermogenes 221 BCE, 8×15 pseudodipteral, the best-preserved pseudodipteros per Vitruvius, famous 40-m Amazon frieze). The west precinct includes the temenos west wall, agora stoa west wing, and the Theatron steps overlooking the Artemision — the congregation terraces for the Leto–Artemis Leukophryene Panhellenic games held every 4 years. The west precinct's agora stoa (3rd c. BCE, 98 m) linked the Artemision to the Maeander port, making Magnesia a Maeander river-port sanctuary like Ephesus.
Why it mattersWest port-linking precinct of Hermogenes' archetypal pseudodipteral temple, Panhellenic games stoa of Maeander port sanctuary.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Hermogenes vs earlier Artemision phasing
- 02Leukophryene games epigraphic reconstruction
Theories
- 01Maeander port sanctuary economy like Ephesus
- 02Hermogenes pseudodipteral canon at Magnesia
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.221–130 BCE (Hermogenes architect to Attalid-Roman refurb)
- Period
- Hellenistic
- Culture
- Ionian Hellenistic (Hermogenes) under Seleucid then Pergamene patronage
- Builders
- City of Magnesia under Hermogenes of Alabanda (architect)
- Purpose
- Artemis Leukophryene Panhellenic sanctuary — Leukophryene games temenos and Maeander river-port stoa
- Abandoned
- Late Antiquity; 5th c. Christian quarrying
- Rediscovered
- 1891 Humann Magnesia excavations; 1984 Orhan Bingöl re-excavation west precinct
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
221 BCE
Hermogenes designs pseudodipteral Artemision
208 BCE
Delphi recognises Leukophryene Panhellenic games
1891
Humann frieze transport to Berlin/Louvre
On the ground
Structures & features
37.8515° N · 27.5250° E · 35 m · 2 mapped features
Magnesia West Precinct — Agora Stoa West Wing
stoa98-m stoa with Doric colonade linking Artemision temenos to Maeander harbour road, 3rd c. BCE
37.8520° N · 27.5260° EMagnesia West Precinct — Theatron Steps
theatron35-m arc of congregation steps overlooking Artemision central altar, Leukophryene games assembly
37.8510° N · 27.5240° E