AKMED Conference - Magnesia Excavations (2021-2023) and the Temple of Zeus

Before the excavations of Carl Humann in 1890-1892, we had only ancient sources and civic coinage concerning the cult of Zeus in Magnesia on the Maeander. Humann’s excavation of the Agora in May 1892 revealed part of this important temple. The remains were reburied after Humann’s excavation, so this remarkable building has only been represented by a few architectural blocks in museums in Istanbul and Berlin. A 20-page chapter about the temple was also written at the beginning of the 20th century in the publication containing the studies and results of the excavations. New excavations carried out in the area of the temple in 2021-2023 have now unearthed some 75% of the original building, from its foundations to the many architectural blocks of its superstructure. In this paper, new evidence and knowledge of the cult of Zeus Sosipolis and its temple in Magnesia will be presented based on the scope of the new excavations, research, and approaches.

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