We made our way out to Miletus and Didyma today and I'm still grasping the reality of these ancient ruins. How did people live, what did they believe in, what were they like centuries ago? Thank goodness there are archeologists out there who are constantly searching for what has long been buried, whether it is the pyramids in Egypt or Mexico, or Central and South America, or the ancient communities of the Middle East.
Much of what I am seeing now was built and then partially destroyed through war and then rebuilt again. The structures are centuries old and still standing and hopefully they will remain standing for future generations to see and embrace. Unfortunately some sites close by have been obliterated by new war recently. Hopefully that won't happen here but I'm glad I'm having the opportunity to see all this now.
Our first stop was the ancient site of Miletus. The site at one time was the oldest populated area located near the Aegean Sea but as the centuries filled the delta lands up it is now located well back from the sea.
The journey took us through a traditional little town with whitewashed stone homes and cobbled streets. The village looked like it had been there forever. It was market day, which spread out from one end of the village to the other with many vendors operating their little business from the front step of their homes.
Only a couple of kilometers away we reached the site and there were very few people present. I loved the fact I could climb the site (the main one being an ancient theatre) and look down into the pit that would have housed many events for the royalty and the rich.
The theatre is supposedly one of the most beautiful examples of Greek and Roman types of architecture. It was built on the skirts of the hillside and originally housed 5,000 guests. It is even thought that Anthony and Cleopatra were part of the audience occasionally in the later years.
At one time there were more upper balconies built which increased audience size to 20,000 but they are no longer visible. The grand hallways leading to the theatre are still useable as were the tunnels leading out at the lower levels. Some of the ornate marble carvings are still intact too.
We made our way out of the theatre and down the hill (where we ran into the snake) toward some of the other structures. There was the Ilyas Bey Mosque and the Faustina Bath on the site as well as a caravan stop, which had room in the past for animals and people wishing to stay overnight after taking in the theatre. The Miletus site is still an ongoing archeological dig.
Our next stop was Didyma about 15 kilometers from Miletus. This time we parked and walked through the village to see the site. Judy had first visited the site 25 years before and had fond memories of staying at the Oracle Pension. She also hoped we would find the same great restaurant she used to eat at, which we did and had a great meal there. If you are out that way, stop in and try the food at Kamaci - 1 - Restaurant.
Didyma was one of the most important sites in the world at the time. The Oracle (someone in touch with the deities who could speak prophecies) consulted with every western emporer from Julius Caesar to Julian.
A religous temple was constructed at the end of the 8th century BC for the oracle and in the centre of the temple were sacred springs. The temple was named after Apollo, son of Zeus.
There is one solid piece of carved marble that weighs 70 tons on the site. It is considered to be the largest architectural item in the world. The columns on the site are higher than any others discovered from ancient Greek and Roman times.
One of the major carvings still on site is that of Medusa, the snake haired oracle. It was said she could turn people to stone with just one look. Many people believe that the powerful energy of the oracles still exist on the site. It's well worth the journey and there's just a small entrance fee. You can also rent an audio tape in English as you walk around.
I still have Ephesus and the Basilica of St. John to visit before I leave Selcuk but tomorrow is the local market day. Hopefully I'll get in a bit of pool and writing time too. The weather is great for sitting outside!
Much of what I am seeing now was built and then partially destroyed through war and then rebuilt again. The structures are centuries old and still standing and hopefully they will remain standing for future generations to see and embrace. Unfortunately some sites close by have been obliterated by new war recently. Hopefully that won't happen here but I'm glad I'm having the opportunity to see all this now.
Our first stop was the ancient site of Miletus. The site at one time was the oldest populated area located near the Aegean Sea but as the centuries filled the delta lands up it is now located well back from the sea.
The journey took us through a traditional little town with whitewashed stone homes and cobbled streets. The village looked like it had been there forever. It was market day, which spread out from one end of the village to the other with many vendors operating their little business from the front step of their homes.
Only a couple of kilometers away we reached the site and there were very few people present. I loved the fact I could climb the site (the main one being an ancient theatre) and look down into the pit that would have housed many events for the royalty and the rich.
The theatre is supposedly one of the most beautiful examples of Greek and Roman types of architecture. It was built on the skirts of the hillside and originally housed 5,000 guests. It is even thought that Anthony and Cleopatra were part of the audience occasionally in the later years.
At one time there were more upper balconies built which increased audience size to 20,000 but they are no longer visible. The grand hallways leading to the theatre are still useable as were the tunnels leading out at the lower levels. Some of the ornate marble carvings are still intact too.
We made our way out of the theatre and down the hill (where we ran into the snake) toward some of the other structures. There was the Ilyas Bey Mosque and the Faustina Bath on the site as well as a caravan stop, which had room in the past for animals and people wishing to stay overnight after taking in the theatre. The Miletus site is still an ongoing archeological dig.
A religous temple was constructed at the end of the 8th century BC for the oracle and in the centre of the temple were sacred springs. The temple was named after Apollo, son of Zeus.
There is one solid piece of carved marble that weighs 70 tons on the site. It is considered to be the largest architectural item in the world. The columns on the site are higher than any others discovered from ancient Greek and Roman times.
One of the major carvings still on site is that of Medusa, the snake haired oracle. It was said she could turn people to stone with just one look. Many people believe that the powerful energy of the oracles still exist on the site. It's well worth the journey and there's just a small entrance fee. You can also rent an audio tape in English as you walk around.
I still have Ephesus and the Basilica of St. John to visit before I leave Selcuk but tomorrow is the local market day. Hopefully I'll get in a bit of pool and writing time too. The weather is great for sitting outside!
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