Widely recognized as one of the greatest and best-preserved sites in the Classical world, Aphrodisias is a magnificent city of marble dedicated to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty, love, and sex. Although largely forgotten until the mid-twentieth century, Aphrodisias's remarkable state of preservation has led to comparisons with another well-preserved ancient city, Pompeii. In the seventh century BC, a devastating earthquake destroyed Aphrodisias.