Hanghaus 2 in Ephesos. Die Wohneinheit 6

Since the erection of the new protective roof of Terrace House 2 and its opening to tourists shortly afterwards, it has been one of the main attractions of antique Ephesos. Terrace House 2 is a big insula housing seven dwelling units built in the type of peristyle houses. The privileged status of the owners of Dwelling Unit 6 can already be hinted at the central location of the house and its entrance directly from Curetes Street, a main thoroughfare and processional way of the city. Fortunately, the home owner of Dwelling Unit 6, Gaius Flavius Furius Aptus, is known by inscriptions. He was responsible for the generous rebuilding of Dwelling Unit 6 in the building periods II (120 AD) and III (mid 2nd century AD), including big and lavishly decorated halls, which were used for banquets and celebrations (Marble Hall 31, Apsidal Hall 8). Gaius Flavius Furius Aptus not only held municipal offices, but was also priest of Dionysos Oreios Bakchios pro poleos. In this capacity, he opened his house for meetings of the Dionysos association, over which he presided. This is mainly indicated by the absence of private rooms in the house; albeit connecting doors between Dwelling Unit 6 and Dwelling Units 4 and 7 give evidence that these three houses belonged to the family of Gaius Flavius Furius Aptus. Following the publication concept of the Ephesian Terrace Houses, the publication of Dwelling Unit 6 provides a detailed description of the architecture, the reconstruction of the building periods, the water supply and drainage, the marble décor of the walls and floors, the wall paintings, stucco work, mosaics, sculpture, small finds, ceramic, glass and coin finds as well as the analysis of the archaeozoological remains; moreover, the numerous graffiti on the wall paintings giving a direct insight into everyday life are discussed as well as the extensive restoration work of Marble Hall 31, which has been undertaken in recent years. The publication also includes an analysis of the pre-use of the area, whereby as a new result a peristyle house can be assumed already in late Hellenistic times. The volume also provides a CD, containing visualisations of certain rooms as well as building and floor plans.