"BIGGEST" ROMAN COLUMN CAPITAL FOUND AT HADRIAN TEMPLE SITE IN TURKEY

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed what they described as the "largest" and most "exquisite" Roman capital at the site in Western Turkey of the Kyzikos Hadrian Temple ... a colossal temple which the Ancient Romans considered "The Eighth Wonder of the World."

"This is the largest and most exquisite Corinthian capital built within the territory of the Roman Empire," the World Bulletin website quoted Nurettin Kochan, head of Ataturk University’s archeology team, as saying.

The 20-ton colossal Corinthian capital in Erdek district is said to be 1.9m in diameter and 2.5 m in height.

In architectural terminology, the term "capital" derived from Latin caput, or "head," which forms the topmost member of a column. It also mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it.

Calling the Temple of Hadrian the eighth wonder of the world, Kochan said "There’s no other capital of this size in the Corinthian order."

He added: "Kyzikos Hadrian Temple outshines even the Baalbek Temple of Jupiter in Lebanon, considered the largest and most spectacular Corinthian temple in the world."

The Corinthian order is chronologically the latest of three recognized ancient Roman architectural styles.

The excavation, carried out by a team of university professors, grad and undergrad students and dozens of workers, began on August 15 and ends this week.

The team has also found the head of a large-scale bull figure.