Steppingstones: stepped urban terraces of Sardis in the late 7th and early 6th centuries bce

Abstract

Urban terraces played a crucial role in organizing the vibrant topography of the Lydian capital Sardis. The monumental urban terraces built in the 6th century BCE during the reign of King Croesus created palatial podiums overlooking the lower city. These terraces are characterized as high-rising platform structures that transformed entire hills into standalone cubical podiums, an architectural model that has become emblematic of Lydian terraces. However, ongoing field research in Sardis continues to reveal an extensive history of monumental terracing dating back to the Early Bronze Age, showcasing varied construction practices over time. In this article, I focus on urban terraces constructed as shorter stepped platforms during the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. By identifying their shared spatial, architectural, and stylistic characteristics, I argue that these stepped terraces represent a sophisticated system that can be attributed to the reign of King Alyattes in Sardis. This spatially unique stepped terrace system reflects Lydia’s expanding horizons of communication during the time of Alyattes and appears to have served as a significant step in the technical development of the high-rising platform-type terraces built a generation later.