Byzantine Preservation of Ancient Monuments at Miletus in Caria

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terion,12 Market Gate,13 Propylon,14 nymphaeum,15 and Ionic Colonnade (Fig. 1).16
Other notable ancient monuments elsewhere in the city centre that remained standing
throughout the early Byzantine period include the porch of a temple for Serapis,17 the
porch of the disused stadium,18 and three heroa.19 A so-called ‘Building of Laodice’
may also have remained standing until its parts were re-used for the building of the
Byzantine city walls in the seventh century20
In addition, half a dozen large bath buildings have survived in varying stages of
decay, indicating that they were never replaced.21 At least two of them, the Baths of
Faustina and the Southern Baths, were renovated and continued to be used during
the early Byzantine period,22 whilst a third one west of Humeitepe, a hill that forms
the north-eastern quarter of the city, seems to have been transformed into a palatial
mansion.23 Finally, two large squares that are known as the North and South Market
appear to have also been preserved and remained free of any buildings.24
Preservation through abandonment?
However, before any of the above can be claimed as a result of Byzantine antiquari-
anism, it needs to be established that the ancient centre of Miletus remained in use
throughout the early Byzantine period and that its preservation was not due to aban-
12 Knackfuß (1908).
13 Knackfuß (1924), pp. 69-73.
14 Knackfuß (1924), p. 229.
15 Hülsen (1919).
16 von Gerkan/Krischen (1928), p. 39.
17 Knackfuß (1924), pp. 185-187 fig. 196-197; Niewöhner (2013a), pp. 181-186.
18 For the porch see von Gerkan (1921), pp. 32-37. As to the stadium itself, the seats were re-used in various
early Byzantine buildings: Niewöhner (2015a); Niewöhner (2016a), pp. 20, 44; Niewöhner (2016c),
pp. 136-137.
19 The vaulted burial chamber of Heroon I still stands: Kleiner (1968), pp. 129-131; its superstructure is lost
and may have been razed in the late Byzantine period, when it would have obstructed the killing field
of the late Byzantine fortifications. Heroon II survives including the superstructure that was trans-
formed into a tower house some time after the end of antiquity: Weber (2004), pp. 3-4. Heroon III
appears to be another case of middle Byzantine earthquake collapse: Weber (2004), p. 158; before it
collapsed, it may in the early seventh century have been the model for the architectural decoration of
St Michael (see below).
20 Knackfuß (1924), p. 263.
21 Baths of Capito: von Gerkan/Krischen (1928), pp. 23-36; baths to the east of Humeitepe: Niewöhner
(2013a), pp. 168-175; baths to the west of the stadium: Tuttahs (2007), pp. 318-321; baths (?) opposite the
museum: Tuttahs (2007), pp. 311-318.
22 von Gerkan/Krischen (1928), pp. 48-94; Schneider (2009); Niewöhner (2015a).
23 von Gerkan/Krischen (1928), p. 142.
24 The ‘North Market’ has been excavated: von Gerkan (1922), p. 99; for the fonction of the square cf.
Emme (2013). The South Market has been charted by geophysical prospection: Stümpel/Wöltz/Mus-
mann/Rabbel (2005), pp. 186-187 fig. 3; it appears as an unobstructed square with a flanking market
basilica (cf. von Gerkan [1935], p. 116) that would have remained standing, too, until it had to be razed
in the seventh century, as it would otherwise have obstructed the killing field of the newly built Byzan-
tine city walls.