Sculptures of ancient Greek gods discovered in Türkiye

Archaeologists discovered rare sculptures of Greek mythological gods in the ancient city of Aizanoi in Türkiye’s Kütahya province, reports said Friday.

Among the ruins stands the Temple of Zeus, which remains the best preserved temple dedicated to Zeus in Anatolia, a theater with a capacity of 15,000 people and adjacent to it a stadium with a capacity of 13,500, two baths, the world's first commercial stock market building, a columnaded street and five bridges, two of which still stand over Kocaçay creek.

The sculptures found on the site include Eros, Dionysus and Hercules.

The discovery of the sculptures was made during excavations in the ancient city, located in the Çavdarhisar district.

Professor Gökhan Coşkun, who leads the excavations, told Demirören News Agency (DHA) that they also discovered a well-preserved 2.10-meter-tall male sculpture, all dating back 2,000 years.

The excavations are ongoing with 80 works and 20 technical staff to uncover theaters, stadiums, and other important areas in the ancient city.

Aizanoi, whose history dates back to 3,000 B.C., was the main settlement of the Aizanitis people living in ancient Phrygia. In the Hellenistic period, the region alternated between being subordinate to Pergamum and Bithynia but came under Roman rule in 133 B.C.

It has been said that Aizanoi's magnificent buildings, starting with the construction of the Temple of Zeus, made the city famous.

Regular excavations have been carried out at the site since 1970.