Nöbetçi Eczaneler
In the ancient city of Magnesia, located in Aydın’s Germencik district and dating back 2,400 years, archaeologists are unearthing the city’s largest square—its agora—with its marble paving remarkably well preserved. Excavations in the ancient site are being led by Associate Professor Dr. Görkem Kökdemir from the Department of Archaeology at Ankara University’s Faculty of Language, History and Geography.
Since 2021, the archaeological team has focused on Magnesia’s largest agora, which also houses the Temple of Zeus. The excavations are part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Heritage for the Future” initiative. Dr. Kökdemir, head of the Magnesia excavations, explained that significant progress has been made in recent years. He noted that the site was buried under nearly 4 meters of sediment caused by centuries of earthquakes and flooding from the Büyük Menderes River. Despite this, most of the architectural elements beneath the layers have been found in excellent condition. According to Kökdemir, the area will soon offer an exciting new destination for visitors eager to explore the ancient city’s well-preserved urban layout.
“An IncredIble DIscovery”
Associate Professor Dr. Kökdemir emphasized the scale of the find, noting that the entire agora spans approximately 25,000 square meters. “We have uncovered nearly 10,000 square meters so far. The discovery is incredible. The entire marble flooring within this area has been preserved intact. This is highly significant. Considering the agora’s total size, we’ve reached nearly 50 percent of it. Our next goal is to expand toward the southern stoas—the colonnaded galleries—along the short side of the square,” he said.
“A Vast ArchIve WIll Be Revealed”
Dr. Kökdemir explained that the 25,000-square-meter marble-paved square is surrounded on all four sides by colonnades and rooms, adding: “We know these rooms were used as a state archive. To date, including those uncovered during earlier German excavations, nearly 200 inscriptions related to Magnesia have been found—and that was from just two small rooms. Once the excavation is complete, a vast archive spanning the full 25,000 square meters will be revealed. We may be uncovering the largest and best-preserved agora in the entire Mediterranean basin. That makes this discovery extremely significant. It’s very rare to find a site in such a remarkable state of preservation.”
