SEBASTEION (TEMPLE OF EMPERORS- TEMPLE A)
It is located at the north side of the Colonnaded Syrian Street that reaches the Syrian Gate. The building dating from the Roman Period (2nd -3rd c. A.D.) is completely destroyed. The rectangular temple temenos (sacred area) is entered from the Syrian Street. The rows of postaments seen around the courtyard indicate that the sacred area was enclosed on three sides by colonnaded galleries. At the northern end is the temple, which faces a north-south direction. The type of the small temple, which consists of a pronaos and naos resembles prostylos plan. Marble postaments, fragments of columns with spiral flutes, architrave with reliefs and geison and similar pieces can be seen scattered in a wide area. The fragments of column capitals and corner capitals seen in the same field reveal that the building was in the Corinthian Order. Sebasteion was the main reason for bestowing on the city the title of neokoros meaning “temple guardian” during the reigns of Emperor Commodus (A.D. 180-192) and Caracalla (A.D. 211-217).
Coin of Caracalla
Sebasteion