Monday, June 15, 2026

Marmaris – Dalyan Caunos Ancient City / Turkey

Archaeologists have found six temples in Caunos. Four of these temples belong to the Roman period and two of them to the Hellenistic period.

Agora and Stoa (Market Place and Porticoes): An agora and a stoa were found around and at the end of a road running from the ancient fountain to the west, parallel to the commercial harbor.

There is a sacred temple area on the slope behind the stoa, which belongs to the Hellenistic period. M. Ö. It belongs to the 2nd century. It is 97 meters long and the floor is stone-paved. Inscriptions were found around it.

Nympheum (Monumental Fountain): The inscription in which the name of the Roman Emperor Vespasian is mentioned on the monumental fountain located in the east of the stoa contains records regarding customs. In terms of containing information about the commercial life of the period, the inscription is a very important written document.

Warehouse (Warehouse): It is a two-storey building not too big, on the road from the theater to the harbor in the ancient city. It is thought that there are buildings used as storage on the coast of Kaunos, which is a port city.

Harbor (Küçük Liman / Sülüklü Göl) and Customs: The port, known today as Sülüklü Göl, played an extremely important role in making Kaunos a commercial city. The port, where merchant ships could easily enter, was sheltered and included in the group of closed-type ports. Today it has been filled and turned into a swamp. It is estimated that the mouth of the harbor was closed with chains in time. It is understood from the inscription on the monumental fountain containing some rules and information about customs that there is also a customs office in the port. Breaking traces were also found in the harbor.

Tholos (Circular Building): It is claimed that the structure known as Tholos was built for a hero. It is close to the city walls to the south of the harbor. It is difficult to do research here because it is full of water.

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