Model of the city center of Miletus during the Roman imperial period

The 1:300 scale model of the center of Miletus shows its state “c. 200 AD,” with many details such as roofs, windows and the wall design of buildings being hypothetical reconstructions. In the lower right corner, the same section that was chosen for the model is rendered in a reduced scale as a two-dimensional ground plan. Fairly well verified are the magnificent public buildings, of which numerous architectural elements and sculptures found their way to Berlin following the excavations at the beginning of the 20th century: the Hellenistic city hall (bouleuterion) with its atrium and the courtyard lined by both, across from it the late 1st century AD fountain (nymphaeum) with its monumental ornate façade, the distributing structure behind it with the arches of the water supply line leading to it, and the market gate from the early 2nd century AD placed perpendicular to the nymphaeum. The model gives a vivid impression of the location of the avenue and the agora between the bay of the Lion Harbor to the north and the large square of the south market to the south. Long porticos line the street, the sanctuary of Apollo Delphinios and the large squares of the city’s strict grid plan. The model that was designed and executed by building researcher Hans Schleif around 1930 and later faithfully reproduced by Klaus Stephanowitz not only adds details that are unknown and thus hypothetical, but reduces as well: the public squares and buildings, for instance, were much more densely decorated with statues, altars and other monuments. Recent geographical and archaeological-urbanistic research make it seem rather doubtful that the Lion Harbor was still fully operative around 200 AD: due to the silting process as a result of the Maeander delta’s continuous advance to the west, the Lion Harbor became less important and the Theater Harbor in the western part of the city was expanded, with building activities shifting more to the area to the west of the one shown here. Among the major structures of the late 2nd century AD are the Thermae of Faustina located beyond the section of this model; in addition, existing large structures such as the stadium and the theater were extensively renovated.