Description of the attraction
The ancient city of Termessos is located 34 kilometers from Antalya in the western part of the Gulluk Dagi Natural Park, on a plateau with a height of 1050 meters. It is one of the most significant ancient cities in Turkey and occupies a very large area.
The name of the city of Termessos originates from the Etruscan language. Translated from him, this word means "a high fortress in the mountains." It is believed that on the site of Termessos, the first human settlements existed around the 3rd millennium BC, and the city itself was formed at the beginning of the 6th century BC. The polis reached its heyday in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC, then its population increased to 150 thousand people. Since Termessos was an ally of Rome, it was granted an independent status by the Roman Senate. Thanks to this, the city could independently mint coins and not depict Roman emperors on them.
Almost all buildings that have survived to this day were built during this period. The city fell into decay in the 9th century AD, when several strong earthquakes took place here and the city's water supply systems were disrupted. Local residents moved to other Lycian cities. In the same form in which Termessos remained after the earthquakes, it has come down to us.
The location of ancient Termessos was very thoughtful and used the natural landscape favorably for defensive purposes. Natural rocky formations protected it from the east and west, and the entrances to the valley were fenced off by high and strong upper and lower city walls. It was possible to enter Termessos only by passing through the city gates located within the walls. It was impossible to bring heavy equipment here to break the walls, and it was impossible to storm the city under a hail of arrows from the defenders. Even Alexander the Great was unable to capture it and limited himself to setting fire to the olive groves that surrounded Termessos. As a result of excavations at the southern slope of Mount Solim, 30 km long canals carved into the rocks were discovered, which stretched towards the city of Phaselis to Antalya. Historians believe that olive oil and wine produced in Termessos flowed through these canals. And in the coastal Phaselis, they filled jugs that sailed on ships and were sold in other countries.
Most of the interesting objects of the city are concentrated along the so-called Road of the Kings. This city road in the Hellenic period passed through fortifications, past water cisterns. It was erected in the second century at the request and at the expense of the townspeople and crossed the city almost in a straight line.
The main attraction of Termessos today is a not very large theater, carved right into the rocks and designed for about 4000-5000 spectators. It was built during the reign of Emperor Augustus around the second century AD and is a typical example of Roman architecture. The seats for spectators are arranged in a semicircle and are separated by an arched entrance from the agora, which is now destroyed and covered with stones. The stage is separated from the premises by a wall with five doors of rich ornamentation. On the lower floor, there are five rooms for animals, which were previously released for fighting in the orchestra pit. From the seats for spectators, a stunning panorama of the surroundings opens - you can see Antalya and a little sea (you will definitely stop regretting that you climbed so high.) It is assumed that the back wall of the theater was very high - up to about 5-6 meters. The theater benches sagged in places, and in some places they completely collapsed, but they still retain their shape.
On the main square of the city is the Agora, the first floor of which stands on stone blocks. It is surrounded on three sides by columns, which were built as a gift to the city from King Attalos II in 150-138. BC. The street with shops and colonnades on both sides was in ancient times a place for walking. Now the agora and its columns are destroyed by the earthquakes that raged here, so the columns are chaotically scattered over the ground.
The ruins of a gymnasium dating from the first century AD are heavily overgrown with bushes and trees. The earthquake left only half of the walls from them. However, the two practice rooms have been fairly well preserved. The outer walls of the gymnasium building are decorated with niches and Doric ornaments. They are simple geometric shapes, but very well proportioned. The height and length of the building are striking.
The Odeon, the seat of the city council or parliament, was located near the theater. This arrangement was classic at the time. The structure resembles a theater and was built in the first century BC. The building is remarkably well preserved up to the roof level and speaks of the excellent quality of architecture and construction. The upper tier of the odeon is made of large rectangular blocks and decorated in the Doric style. The lower tier is devoid of ornamentation and has two entrances. The building was illuminated from eleven large windows located in the east and west walls. The roof of the building is very poorly preserved, but its dimensions are impressive - about 50 square meters. The interior of the odeon is now completely filled with weed earth and small stones. Archaeologists believe that it housed up to 500 people at a time. It is also known that the walls of the odeon were decorated with marble mosaics.
In ancient Termessos, six temples of various sizes and types have been discovered. Four of them were in the vicinity of the odeon. The first temple is dedicated to Zeus, who was worshiped by the inhabitants of Termessos. Fragments of relief images of scenes of battles between gods and monsters were found around this building. The second temple is dedicated to Artemis, and its area is approximately 25 square meters. In the temple, dating from the end of the second century AD, the steps and part of the bas-reliefs are perfectly preserved. The third temple was the largest in the city. It, too, was dedicated to Artemis and had six to eight columns. The fourth, the smallest temple, is located at the foot of the mountain. Previously, it was located on a high podium and was a place of worship for a demigod or hero. The temple was erected in the second or third century AD. The remaining two sanctuaries were built in the third century and are located near the columns erected by Attalos.
One of the most informative places in Termessos today is the ancient Necropolis. It is known that only the rich residents of the city are buried here, where the remains of ordinary citizens of the policy are still a mystery. The necropolis contains many tombs and sarcophagi made of limestone or wood, decorated with various ornaments. They are often located on pedestals and date back to 2-3 centuries. Unfortunately, they were all plundered and subjected to barbaric treatment. In some places there are sarcophagus lids, and some of them are dilapidated. They are randomly scattered and overgrown with grass. During burial, the best clothes and expensive jewelry were worn on the bodies of the dead - this was the reason for such a cruel attitude towards them. Now part of the sarcophagi are on display in the Antalya Museum, among them the coffin of General Akletis and an urn intended for a dog are interesting. But the greatest impression is still made by the family crypts carved out in the mountains. Unfortunately, vandals also had a hand in them, but now you can still see the original relief of the walls and bas-reliefs with the heads of furies, which were supposed to protect them from breaking.
On the territory of Termessos there is an underground reservoir, consisting of five huge cisterns, the depth of which reaches ten meters. The inside of the tanks is lined with limestone. In the city, you can see a monument to the hero Chiron and a functioning well, 2-3 meters deep.
Termessos is probably the least affected historical monument known in Turkey. Here the traveler finds the city the way the locals left it after the earthquakes many centuries ago. It is difficult to move around the city due to the abundance of bushes and thorny weeds, there are no convenient roads, toilets and catering facilities. Many historically valuable items are covered with a layer of earth. The city is poorly explored by archaeologists, which gives us hope for new bright discoveries.
