The Council House, Aphrodisias Stock Photography

Council House BouleuterionThe Council House or Bouleuterion was completely rebuilt in the second century AD as a small, marble-lined covered theatre. This marked the Council as a prized political institution. It was the chief body of democratic city government but was controlled by a relatively few wealthy families who were close to Rome and the imperial government and made the domination of civic politics their business. Control of the Council was marked by the family that paid for it: their members received prominent statue honours set up inside and outside of the building. This is the period of the densest statue production and the use of portrait statues as active political symbols. The Council House preserves one of the best examples of the dynamic statue life of a major civic complex