Reconstructed Columns at the Ploutonion at Hierapolis
The Ploutonion at Hierapolis isn’t that large. There is a covered walkway to bring visitors around the ruins. Much of the place is just that, ruins. At the center is a statue of the god of the underworld Pluto or Hades for which this place was named for. The statue looks over the rest of the ruins and it looks a bit out of place with it being the only one which is not ruined. Continuing on the walkway, you still see more ruins. There are some columns which have been put back together. I would imagine this to be on gigantic jigsaw puzzle that someone needs to put back together.
Detail on a Column at the Ploutonion at Hierapolis
The columns that have been put back together give you an idea of how tall this place might have been. There is only one level of columns which won’t give any indication of the presence of a second level here. I wonder why would the Romans build a structure here right a cave which emits noxious gas. I don’t think it would be a good idea to build an enclosed area like that. I would imagine that there would have been casualties before they realized that it was a bad idea to enclose all the carbon dioxide being emitted by the cave.
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