Sardis - Temple of Artemis

On a low hill within the Lydian and Greek city of Sardis are the remains of the celebrated Temple of Artemis built by King Kroisos (Croesus) of Lydia in the sixth century B.C. It was destroyed by the Greeks in 498 and later rebuilt in the reign of Alexander the Great. The temple is unusually large, measuring 100x48m/330x155ft. Along each long side stood 20 Ionic columns with eight more at the each end. The temple itself was divided into two parts by a transverse wall. A Lydian inscription with an Aramaic translation which was found nearby provided the key to decoding the Lydian language. On the southeast side of the temple can be seen the ruins of a Byzantine chapel dating from the eighth century. A necropolis from the Lydian period is situated near the temple.