Das Vediusgymnasium in Ephesos

Within the last years the history, the architecture the furnishings and the decoration of the Vedius Gymnasium in Ephesus have been profoundly investigated by a team of archaeologists and architects. After this period of intensive research the history of th Imperial bath-gymnasium-complex can now be largely determined. The different phases of the building founded by the wealthy Ephesian M. Claudius P. Vedius Antonius Phaedrus Sabinianus can mainly be divided into a first major phase in the middle of the 2nd century A.D. (time of construction), a second major phase in the first quarter of the 5th century, the end of the buildings function as a bath at the end of the 5th century, a systematic robbing of the furnishings and the decoration of the monument at the beginning of the 6th century, processes of destruction in the second half of the 6th century and last traces of secondary use until the 8th century A.D. The history of the same area before the construction of the baths goes back to Late-Geometric times (middle of 8th century B.C.) The presented chronology of the Vedius Gymnasium served as a basis for any further interpretations, which were complemented by the conceived investigations on the structure of the building. With this publication we are now able to make an outline of the history of the building, and to determine the layout of the ground plan and exterior views and the circumstances of its destruction. The Ephesian bath-gymnasium-complexes were used multi-funcionally as places of intellectual and physical training, for conferences and lectures, for social and religious activities and - of course - for body care. The blending of Greek and Roman traditions in these centers of public life, which also served as vehicles for the display of patronage, offer us a vivid impression of everyday life in one of the capitals of the Roman Empire. Apart from new topographical and urbanistic aspects, the architectural blending of the Roman and Greek cultural heritage, which can hardly be demonstrated more impressively than in the Imperial bath-gymnasia, offered us far- reaching insights to "processes of acculturation", "Romanization", "provincial culture", "the Imperial cult", the system of "benefaction", "recreational activities", and "bathing culture".