The Auditorium of the Theater in Ephesus.

The Theater of Ephesus on the west coast of today`s Turkey is known to many from Acts of the Apostles. It is reported that an enraged crowd of Ephesians, led by the silversmith Demetrius, gathered here to oppose the apostle Paul. Historically, the theater of Ephesus is a unique monument due to its architecture, its size and its state of preservation, but also due to the found inscriptions. The scientific exploration of the theater began at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century by archaeologists and architects of the Austrian Archaeological Institute. However, the complete excavation of the building took place only from the 1950s and was accompanied by the first consolidations and restorations. In this publication, the results of recent building archaeology in the auditorium of the theater, conducted in the years 2003-2011, are presented. It comprehends the first detailed documentation and architectural analysis of the auditorium after the completion of the excavation and restoration work in the 1970s. Starting with an introductory presentation on the history of research and the current state of preservation, the main section deals in detail with the construction phases of the auditorium from Hellenism to the Byzantine period. On the basis of drawings, maps and photos, nearly 800 years of architectural history are explained vividly and comprehensibly and discussed by comparison of apt buildings. Contributions to sculptures in the theatre and to the investigation of ancient mortar complement the findings. The publication represents the second volume of the comprehensive presentation of the latest research results and thus succeeds the book to the archaeological findings: F. Krinzinger P. Ruggendorfer (Hrsg.), Das Theater von Ephesos. Archäologischer Befund, Funde und Chronologie, FiE II/1, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2017.