Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios
Uzuncaburç · Diokaisareia
Seleucid to Roman (280 BCE–200 CE)·Hellenistic Olba kingdom, later Roman·🇹🇷 Mersin Province, Silifke hinterland, Toros, Turkey
Klaus-Peter Simon · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
About Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios
Cilicia Tracheia priest-state excavated by Machatschek 1900s and recent Turkish, Olba inscriptions of Teukrid kings. Recorded context — Period: Seleucid to Roman (280 BCE–200 CE); Culture: Hellenistic Olba kingdom, later Roman; Field status: excavated; Materials: limestone, marble; Condition: ruins-well-preserved.
Why it mattersKey Hellenistic Olba kingdom, later Roman temple-complex with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Collapse cause
Theories
- 01Observatory
- 02Elite residence
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Temple of Zeus 280 BCE; tower 230 BCE; city gate 150 CE
- Period
- Seleucid to Roman (280 BCE–200 CE)
- Culture
- Hellenistic Olba kingdom, later Roman
- Purpose
- Highland Olba priest-kingdom capital with 21-column Corinthian Zeus temple and Hellenistic tower
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1924
- Excavation
- Excavated
1950 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios
Temple of Zeus 280 BCE; tower 230 BCE; city gate 150 CE
Initial construction / first occupation at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios
c. 1200 CE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios
On the ground
Structures & features
36.5780° N · 33.9250° E · 1210 m · 4 mapped features
- Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — Principal Templetempletemple at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — primary structure36.5771° N · 33.9238° E
- Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — Northern Altaraltaraltar at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — primary structure36.5798° N · 33.9264° E
- Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — Southern Shrineshrineshrine at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — subsidiary complex36.5777° N · 33.9250° E
- Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — Eastern Templetempletemple at Uzuncaburç — Diokaisareia Temple of Zeus Olbios — subsidiary complex36.5762° N · 33.9258° E
Gallery