Si̇de Agora-Theater complex

Due to its position in the Eastern Mediterranean, Pamphylia Region has been an indispensable port of call for maritime transport and trade between Greece, Aegean Islands, Cyprus, Syria, Phoenice and Egypt since the early ages. Ports were the main determinants of where the trade would take place. For this reason, Side, a port city, has become one of the most important trade centers in the Pamphylia region thanks to its export goods and slave trade. Therefore, this situation was reflected in Side's urban architecture and provided grounds for the formation of monumental structures. When the city of Side is evaluated in terms of urbanism, the agora and theater structures in the city center give clues as to how big the trade dimension for the city can be. When the agora and the theater structures of Side are considered, they need to be evaluated under the name of a building complex, rather than two independent structures. The meaning of "complex", which is referred to as the agora-theater complex, should be regarded as a phenomenon that is connected and related to each other and composed of multiple parts. Therefore, the overall composition of the agora and theater in Side should be evaluated under the name of a "building complex". Thanks to this feature, Side Agora-Theater Complex is in a unique position among the Roman Complex Buildings.