Attribution: Dosseman, with CC BY-SA 4.0 license, original file:Elaiussa_Sebaste_Agora_1297.jpg , Wikipedia
At the foot of the hill where the theatre is a major landmark there is a complicated area. Part of it is the former agora, part is a church, and one has also uncovered a mosaic from - probably - a villa that stood on the spot.
This is one of some pictures taken there during several visits, on some Christian symbols can be seen, suggesting they were part of the church. On others mosaics with sea animals (fitting, because we are almost at the sea shore) or geomatric patterns can be seen.
Attribution: Dosseman, with CC BY-SA 4.0 license, original file:Elaiussa_Sebaste_Aqueduct_2015_6700_panorama.jpg , Wikipedia
On either side of Ayaş (the modern name for Elaiussa Sebaste) and visible from the highway are some remains of what must have been one or more aqueducts stretching for miles, and ultimately feeding the town. One was too hard to reach, this is one of a series of the others. They carried water from the Lamos ("Lemon") river.
Attribution: Dosseman, with CC BY-SA 4.0 license, original file:Elaiussa_Sebaste_Byzantine_Palace_9235.jpg , Wikipedia
One of pictures taken during several visits. Some show the central hall, some other spots, many can be identified bij the GPS coordinates. Across the road from the theatre and agora there is a large area that most visitors seem to overlook. It contains the remains of a bathhouse, some other remains, and the ruins of a large building, called the Byzantine Palace. From the Sapienza University (the excavators) site, Google-translated:
"Around the middle of the 5th century AD, after a functional arrangement of the area, in the western sector of the promontory a grandiose architectural complex was erected destined to the civil and military power of the city. Characterized by the presence of a large circular porch on two floors which served as a connection between the two wings of the building, the building also housed an apsed hall and a private chapel, both richly decorated. Most of the existing structures were obliterated or reused during the construction of the new architectural complex; the colonnaded street, for example, was partially closed and transformed into the vestibule of the Byzantine building. The palace was destroyed in the first half of the 6th century AD. and systematically stripped. In the last phase of the life of the city, whose definitive abandonment dates back to around the middle of the seventh century AD, the palace was partially transformed into a production area."
Attribution: Dosseman, with CC BY-SA 4.0 license, original file:Elaiussa_Sebaste_Harbour_Bath_6734.jpg , Wikipedia
Across the road from the theatre and agora, there is a large but rarely visited area with amongst others the bath complex, near a former harbour, hence Harbour Bath.
From the site of (one group of) the excavators, the Sapienza university, the text: "
The bath complex that rises on the promontory’s north-western edge on the bank of the northern port basin of Elaiussa Sebaste has a long building history.
The archaeological investigations carried out between 1999 and 2002 have allowed to understand its monumental development during the course of centuries. A first phase dated approximately to the second half of the 1st century B.C. of which only quite few pieces of wall was followed by a second phase, of Augustan age which already can be referred to a bathing complex which presents a development of the rooms along north-south axis which shall characterize all the subsequent building developments. During the IIIrd century A.D. the monument underwent great restructuring works which implied its extending towards the eastern rocky wall which was dug out to build other rooms. To this latter phase belong the most monumental excavated remains the functions of most have been identified, south and west are the caldaria-heated rooms-, north are the tepidaria and , finally there are other two rooms inside which two basins are set, probably both for the frigidaria –cold water bathing. In the building’s southern section, hypocausts were brought to light which allowed to heat the caldaria using wall flues and suspensurae under the suspended floors to convey the hot air. The floors were covered with coloured as well as black and white mosaics, as well as the basins. During the Vth century A.D. the bathing function of the complex fell into disuse, but the southern part of the building was still used for manufacturing activities which remained active at least until the VITH-VII th centuries A.D as attested by the unearthed fragments of millstones and by the presence of another very large intact limestone millstone prove the presence of an olive oil press. "
Attribution: Dosseman, with CC BY-SA 4.0 license, original file:Elaiussa_Sebaste_Theatre_1302.jpg , Wikipedia
General view from the west.
One of pictures taken at (in some cases: near, and looking at) the theatre, during several visits in different seasons, hence differences in colour and vegetation. It held some remarkably well preserved patterned mosaics that are also in some pictures. Part of the stage building could still be discerned, though the higher levels were gone. Below the theatre at one side was a modern road, more to the right of that (looking down) was the Agora, containing a complex mix of buildings.
