10. Arkeometri Sonuçları Toplantısı - Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı

A.D.260, the drain must alıeady have been in place at the time of the palaestra'sconstructiorı (Russell, 1987, p.34). Given the massiye scale ofthe sea-wall and the existence of a large drain issuing from it, there canbe no doubt that the sea reached as far as the wal1, and that it was the intentionof its builders that waste water from the drain should flow direct­Iy into the sea at this point. This contrasts markedly with the present conditionof the wall, entirely concealed by mixed earth and beach sand. Infact, before excavation, the ground level lay above the crown of the vaultof the drain.Evidence of a similar sort has appeared in 1993 and 1994 some 150m further north along the shore where continuing erosion of sand-dunesand beach shingle has revealed substantial remains of a number of ancientstnıctures at various points along the beach. The most striking is theupper suıface of a wall exposed for a length of 60.45 m (Fig. 8). With amaximum thickness of 2.89 m, its massiye appearance and length, andthe gentle inclination of its upper surface towards the sea, suggest thepresence of a breakwater to protect the structures situated immediate\ybehind it. Also recently brought to light by erosion at a distance of 75 msouth of the massiye wall is a vaulted drain descending towards the sea(Fig. 9). Though much smailer than the large drain deseribed previously,it too must have discharged its contents directly into the sea. Flanking thedrain on each side are two walls, which may perhaps have served asgroynes to prevent the build-up of silt carried by longshore currentsaround the mouth of the drain, The date of these newly exposed structuresis uncertairı, but theyare probably not later than the end of thefourth century, by which time the nonhem part of the city had been enclosedwithin a new city-wall (Russell, 1987, p.19). At the time of theirconstruction, however, the beach must have increased considerably, forthe newly exposed breakwater fol1ows aline about 35 m east of the earliersea-front at the south end of the city,Even in the vicinity of the earlier sea-wal1 the beach had undergonesubstantial growth by the first half of the fifth century. The evidence forthis appears in the construction of a church identified as that of the HolyApostles (11 16) datable to that period. lt project 31 metres eastwardsfrom the line of the original sea-wall, which in fact had to be reduced toits foundation courses to accomodate the church's atrium (Figs, 3 and 4).On the other hand, the amount of solid ground available for buildirıg wasprobably stili quite limited, for the entire easteırı end of the building restson a massiye platform consisting in part of rubble concrete constructionand partly of large architectural spolia from earlier structures. This can138