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HARBOUR
GYMNASIUM AND VERULANUS BATHS
The Gymnasium was built in the
reign of Hadrian, and is entered from the
Harbour Road. It is an elliptical-planned,
mosaic-paved open court, above which is the
gate leading to the Atrium. A portal flanked
on either side with bull-heads bearing gems,
leads to two pools. The building, which
measures 40x20 m. has a palaestra in the
centre, as in other gymnasia of this sort,
surrounded by cells used by the students for
various purposes. The palaestra is faced with
coloured marble plaques. An imperial hall,
absidal in plan, flanks the northern wall. The
Gymnasium was two-storeyed, and to the east is
the Verulanus Stadium, built by the chief
priest of Asia during the reign of Hadrian
(117-138 AD.), the largest of a series of
sports facilities lining the length of the
Harbour Road. It measures 200x240 m. and
stretches from the Theatre Gymnasium at one
end to the Harbour Gymnasium at the other.
Access
to the main road is via a five sectioned
portal leading out to a narrow connecting
alley. The Stadium consists of a track
surrounded by a marble-paved triple columned
portico, with access to the Gymnasium on its
western flank.
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