Amphipolis

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Philip Ii ◽  
Trade Routes ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
Strategic Location ◽  
The City ◽  
Geographical Feature

The modern, small village of Amphipolis belies the importance of the ancient city whose name it bears. Located strategically along the Strymon River and on the Via Egnatia, Amphipolis was one of the most important cities of Macedonia in antiquity. The site of ancient Amphipolis is located between Thessaloniki and Kavala, about 65 miles east of Thessaloniki. From highway E90 there are signs that point the way to Amphipolis. The ancient city sits on a bend on the east bank of the Strymon River, surrounded by the river on three sides. This geographical feature gave rise to the name of the city, since Amphipolis means “around the city.” The site was originally settled by Thracians, who called their settlement Ennea Hodoi, meaning “Nine Ways” or “Nine Roads,” indicating the importance of the location as a crossroads for travel and trade routes. After several failed attempts the Athenians captured the area and founded the city of Amphipolis on the site of Ennea Hodoi in 437 B.C.E. under the leadership of Hagnon. In 424 B.C.E. the city came under Spartan control. Amphipolis was an important city both because of its strategic location on the Strymon River only 3 miles from the Aegean Sea and because of its rich natural resources of agriculture (wine, oil, and wood) and precious metals (especially gold from the mines on Mt. Pangaion). In spite of repeated attempts by the Athenians to recapture the city, Amphipolis remained a free city until its capture by Philip II of Macedon in 358–357 B.C.E. During the time of Macedonian rule, Amphipolis became one of the leading cities in the region. It was one of six cities chosen by Alexander the Great where large, costly temples were built. The city also played a significant role in Alexander’s military conquests. For example, the city and the surrounding area served as the staging ground for the beginning of Alexander’s conquest of Asia. After Alexander’s death his wife Roxane and their young son, Alexander IV, were exiled to Amphipolis. After the Roman victory at Pydna in 168 B.C.E., which effectively ended Macedonian rule, Amphipolis, along with the rest of Macedonia, became a Roman possession.

Thessalonica

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
First Century ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Northern Greece ◽  
Philip Ii ◽  
The Road ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
The Family ◽  
New City ◽  
The City ◽  
Point Of Departure

In 315 B.C.E. Cassander, king of Macedonia, once a general in the army of Alexander the Great, founded a new city in his kingdom. He named it for his wife, Thessalonike, daughter of Philip II of Macedon and the half sister of Alexander. In the centuries that followed, Thessalonica became the premier city of northern Greece, enduring and flourishing under Hellenistic, Roman, and Greek control. Many famous figures in world history played important roles throughout its lengthy and colorful existence, including Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Cicero, Pompey, and Sulëyman I the Magnificent, among others. But no resident or visitor to Thessalonica had a greater influence on the city than an obscure Christian missionary who visited there in the first century, Paul of Tarsus. The first New Testament writing is believed to be Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. Modern Thessaloniki (biblical Thessalonica), second only to Athens among the cities of Greece, is easily reached by automobile or by frequent flights from Athens. Although its ancient ruins and monuments are overshadowed by those of Athens, this city is well worth visiting for its fine archaeological museum and as a point of departure for the spectacular Royal Tombs at Vergina, home to the amazing riches of the family of Alexander the Great. Increasingly, more of ancient Thessalonica is being unearthed by archaeologists and made available to public view. According to Strabo, Thessalonica was established at the site of ancient Therme and formed from the incorporation of twenty-five smaller villages. The ancient city was laid out according to the Hippodamian plan, that is, in rectangular blocks. Its development was encouraged by its fine port and, during the Roman period, by being made the capital of Macedonia. When the Romans connected the Via Egnatia, the historic road linking east and west, to Thessalonica, the city prospered even more. The Roman orator Cicero was exiled in Thessalonica (58–57 B.C.E.) and wrote to his friend Atticus on July 21, 57 B.C.E., that he had delayed leaving the city “owing to the constant traffic along the road” (the Via Egnatia; M. Tullius Cicero, Letters 69).

Troas

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Julius Caesar ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
The Road ◽  
Greco Roman ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
New City ◽  
The One ◽  
The City ◽  
Trees And Shrubs

Called Alexandria Troas to distinguish it from other cities named Alexandria, the city is often referred to simply as Troas. (“The Troad” is the name used for the area around the ancient city of Troy.) What was once a large and important city on the western coast of Asia Minor has today been reduced to a few ruins overgrown by trees and shrubs, receiving only a cursory visit from a small number of sightseers. Troas was an important city in antiquity because of its location. Situated on the Aegean coast almost directly opposite the island of Tenedos (modern Bozcaada), the city became a major trading center. To reach the site of ancient Troas, take highway E87/550 to Ezine. In Ezine turn west onto the road marked for Geyikli and Odunluk Iskelesi. In Geyikli turn south toward Odunluk Iskelesi. The ruins of Alexandria Troas are by the highway that continues south to Gülpinar. Troas was founded circa 310 B.C.E. by Antigonus I Monopthalmus (“the One-Eyed”), one of the successors of Alexander the Great. Antigonus created the new city by forcing the residents of several smaller neighboring towns and communities to move to the new location. Antigonus named the new settlement after himself, giving it the name Antigonia. When Antigonus was killed in 301 by the Macedonian king Lysimachus at the battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, Lysimachus took control of the city and renamed it Alexandria in honor of Alexander the Great. Because of its proximity to Troy, the city became known as Alexandria Troas. With its artificial harbor, the city grew as a commercial and transportation center, becoming the leading city of the Troad during Hellenistic times. Eventually Troas developed into one of the most important cities in the Greco-Roman world due to its command of the western entrance to the Hellespont. Claims were made in the ancient world that Julius Caesar considered moving the capital of the empire to Troas, as also reportedly did Augustus (and, even later, Constantine). Whether true or not, that such ideas circulated in the Roman era and were believed by some people indicates the importance of the city.

Farewell to Freedom

2020 ◽  
pp. 9-28
Author(s):  
Ian Worthington
Keyword(s):  
Classical Period ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Military Establishment ◽  
Philip Ii ◽  
The City

After a survey of Athens at the height of its power in the Classical period, the chapter focuses on the rise to power of Philip II of Macedonia, how he expanded his kingdom, his relations with Athens, and his eventual military establishment of hegemony over Greece. Conditions in the city, especially during the Lycurgan era, are covered. On Philip’s death, that hegemony continued under his son, Alexander the Great. When Alexander died, the Greeks, led by Athens, revolted against Macedonian rule in what is called the Lamian War. The Macedonian general Antipater re-established Macedonian control, and punished Athens, including installing a garrison in the city, curtailing democracy, and reducing the number of citizens. This was the start of the Hellenistic era, commonly seen as a slump in Athens’ fortunes.

Topography of Athens

Classics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Hurwit ◽  
Ioannis Mitsios
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
Greek City ◽  
Urban Core ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
History Of ◽  
City States ◽  
City State ◽  
The City

The ancient city-state (or polis) of Athens was contiguous with the region known as Attica, a large, triangular peninsula extending southeastward from the Greek mainland into the Aegean Sea. In the western angle of Attica, on a coastal plain surrounded by four mountains (Hymettos, Pentelikon, Parnes, and Aigaleos), lay the city itself. Although the modern city has thickly spread up the slopes of the mountains as well as to the sea, the study of Athenian topography concentrates on the monuments, buildings, and spaces of the ancient urban core, an area roughly 3 square kilometers surrounding the Acropolis and defended in the Classical period by a wall some 6.5 kilometers in length. Athens is the ancient Greek city that we know best, and it is unquestionably the Greek city whose art, architecture, literature, philosophy, and political history have had the greatest impact on the Western tradition and imagination. As a result, “Athenian” is sometimes considered synonymous with “Greek.” It is not. In many respects, Athens was exceptional among Greek city-states, not typical: it was a very different place from, say, Thebes or Sparta. Still, the study of Athens, its monuments, and its culture needs no defense, and the charge of “Athenocentrism” is a hollow indictment when one stands before the Parthenon or holds a copy of Sophocles’ Antigone. This article will refer to the following periods in the history of Athens and Greece (the dates are conventional): late Bronze, or Mycenaean, Age (1550–1100 bce); Dark Age (1100–760 bce); Archaic (760–480 bce); Classical (480–323 bce); Hellenistic (323 –31 bce); and Roman (31 BCE–c. 475 ce).

Smyrna

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Asia Minor ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
The Third ◽  
The People ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
Major Route ◽  
New City ◽  
The City ◽  
The Temple ◽  
Of Greece

Izmir, the modern name for the city that once was known as Smyrna, is the third largest city in Turkey, with a population of around 3 million. Situated on the Aegean coast, it is Turkey’s second busiest port. Not only is Izmir an interesting place itself to visit, but the city also serves as a good base from which to visit several important sites in the area, such as the ancient cities of Ephesus, Sardis, Miletus, Didyma, and Priene. The ancient city of Smyrna, which according to some reports was the birthplace of Homer, was commercially successful due to its harbor and its location (approximately 35 miles north of Ephesus) at the end of a major route through Asia Minor. The earliest settlement at this location was in the first half of the 3rd millennium B.C.E. on a hill known as Tepekule in the Bayraklï suburb of the city. In the 10th century B.C.E., the first Greek colonists from Aeolia settled at Tepekule. They remained there until the end of the 8th century, when Ionian Greeks took over. Excavations at the site have uncovered houses from the 9th to the 7th centuries B.C.E. In the 7th century a temple to Athena was built. This temple was destroyed around 600 B.C.E. by King Alyattes of Lydia when he captured the city. The people of Smyrna rebuilt and enlarged the temple, but it was destroyed again around 545 B.C.E., this time by the Persians. An insignificant settlement in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C.E., the site was finally abandoned. According to a story related by Pausanias (Description of Greece 7.5.1–3), the city was refounded by Alexander the Great, who was instructed in a dream to establish a new city on Mt. Pagus (now the site of the Kadifekale, or “Velvet Fortress”). The new city was actually not started until the beginning of the 3rd century by the Hellenistic ruler Lysimachus. During the subsequent centuries Smyrna, situated around the harbor, grew and prospered. By the 1st century B.C.E., Strabo was able to describe Smyrna as “the most beautiful of all” cities (Geography 14.646).

Pergamum

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Aegean Sea ◽  
River Valley ◽  
Asia Minor ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Hellenistic Period ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Archaeological Evidence ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
The Temple ◽  
The Way

Pergamum is unquestionably one of the most impressive archaeological sites in all of Turkey. Pergamum’s attractions are hard to surpass—the breathtaking view from its theater carved out of the side of the acropolis, the magnificent restored Temple of Trajan, the foundations of the Great Altar of Zeus, the ancient healing center of Asclepius, the Temple of Serapis (the Red Hall), and the archaeological museum. A visit to Pergamum should not be rushed. There is much here to reward the patient visitor who will explore the riches of this ancient city. The site of ancient Pergamum is scattered in and around the modern town of Bergama, located in the western part of Turkey, approximately 65 miles north of Izmir. According to ancient mythology, Pergamum was founded by Telephus, king of Asia Minor and the son of Hercules (and thus the grandson of Zeus). Archaeological evidence indicates that Pergamum was settled as early as the 8th century B.C.E. Xenophon, the Greek historian who was involved in a mercenary expedition against the Persians, mentions that in 399 B.C.E. he and his soldiers spent some time at Pergamum. Little is known about Pergamum until the Hellenistic period, when Pergamum and all of Asia Minor came under the control of Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander in 323 B.C.E., Lysimachus, one of Alexander’s generals (the Diadochoi) involved in the struggle for Alexander’s kingdom, eventually gained control of all of Asia Minor. He deposited a considerable amount of wealth in the treasury of Pergamum and placed one of his officers, Philetaerus, in charge. Philetaerus eventually turned against Lysimachus. After Lysimachus’ death, Philetaerus (r. 281–263 B.C.E.) used the money to establish a principality, with Pergamum as its capital. Unmarried (and supposedly a eunuch due to an accident), Philetaerus adopted his nephew Eumenes I as his successor. Eumenes I (r. 263–241 B.C.E.) was successful in defeating the Seleucid king Antiochus I at Sardis and expanding the rule of Pergamum throughout the Caicus River valley and all the way to the Aegean Sea. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his adopted son Attalus I Soter (r. 241–197 B.C.E.).

Assos

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Asia Minor ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Greek City ◽  
Delian League ◽  
City States ◽  
The Village ◽  
The City ◽  
The Town ◽  
Steep Hill

With its acropolis perched on a steep hill overlooking the Aegean Sea, the city of Assos provides a spectacular view for the visitor. From the acropolis one can look down on the ruins of the ancient buildings on the slope and also see the remains of the city’s harbor in the Aegean. On a clear day the island of Lesbos is visible approximately 7 miles south across the Bay of Edremit. From this island came the first settlers of ancient Assos. The site of ancient Assos is located in the southern part of the Troad area of Turkey, on the modern highway that runs along the Aegean coast and connects the towns of Geyikli and Ayvacïk. Assos was in the ancient region of Mysia. Today the village of Behramkale occupies the site of ancient Assos. During the 7th century B.C.E. Aeolian Greeks from the town of Methymna (modern Molivos) on the island of Lesbos crossed the Edremit Bay and founded the city of Assos. During the first half of the 6th century, King Croesus of Lydia (whose capital was at Sardis) captured and controlled Assos. Lydian domination ended in 546 B.C.E., when Cyrus of Persia defeated Croesus and brought this area of Asia Minor under Persian control. During the following century Assos gained its freedom when a coalition of Greek city-states defeated the Persians. Assos then became a part of the Delian League under the leadership of Athens. One of the rulers of Assos in the 4th century was Hermias, who had been a student, along with Aristotle, of the philosopher Plato. At the invitation of Hermias, Aristotle went to Assos and lived there from 348 to 345 B.C.E., marrying Hermias’ niece. The Persians recaptured the city and killed Hermias, but their control ended with the conquests of Alexander the Great. After Alexander’s untimely death the Seleucids ruled Assos. In 241 B.C.E. the city became a part of the Pergamene kingdom and remained under the control of the kings of Pergamum until the death of Attalus III in 133 B.C.E., at which time the city passed into Roman hands.

Tashkent gates

Infolib ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-69
Author(s):  
Dilnoza Azimova ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Market Area ◽  
City Center ◽  
Trade Routes ◽  
Xviii Century ◽  
Eastern Side ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
City Gates ◽  
History Of ◽  
Xix Century ◽  
The City

nformation about the first 12 gates located in the territory of Tashkent, its construction, as well as the names of these gates are stated. In the history of the ancient and ancient city of Tashkent you can find a lot of information about the city gates. Sources say that the castle was built in the IX-X centuries in the market area in the city center. It is surrounded by defensive walls. Gates are installed on the defensive walls. According to some sources, the number of ancient gates of Tashkent varied in different periods. For example, in the XVIII century there were 8 gates, and by the XIX century their number increased to 12. During this period, Tashkent was crossed by 8 main roads, which were the main trade routes. The city of Tashkent, a crossroads between East and West, sought to protect itself from external enemies. The defensive wall of the city had 12 gates (Takhtapul, Labzak, Kashgar, Kokand, Koymas, Beshyogoch, Kamalon, Samarkand, Kokcha, Chigatay, Sagbon, Karasaray) and two gates (i.e., a gate for 1 horseman). Of these, the gates of Labzak, Kashgar, Kokand, and Koymas were built on the eastern side of the part that was later annexed to the city, some of which were replaced. The names have also changed due to the relocation.

Iconium

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Early Church ◽  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Apostle Paul ◽  
Theological Schools ◽  
South Central ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
Roman Province ◽  
Central Turkey ◽  
The City

Although mentioned in the New Testament as one of the cities visited by the Apostle Paul, the ancient city of Iconium is more famous today because of its Muslim mosques, its theological schools, and its connection with the great Sufi mystic known as Mevlana. Considered by many to be Turkey’s most religious city, modern Konya (ancient Iconium) is an intriguing place to visit because of its rich religious and architectural history. Known today as Konya, Iconium is located in south-central Turkey, approximately 170 miles south of Ankara. Situated in the Anatolian steppe, Iconium is one of the oldest cities in Turkey. Archaeological evidence indicates that the site of Iconium was occupied at least as early as the 3rd millennium B.C.E. During the 2nd millennium, the Hittites controlled the area. After the Hittite empire was destroyed, eventually the Phrygians gained control of the region and established a town at the site of Iconium. The Lydians took control of Iconium at the beginning of the 7th century, and then the following century the Persians ruled the area. When Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in the 4th century, Iconium became a part of Alexander’s empire. After Alexander’s death, Iconium was controlled by the Seleucids and then by the Pergamene rulers. In 129 B.C.E., four years after the Pergamene kingdom was bequeathed to Rome, Iconium was made a part of the Roman province of Asia. During the Roman period, Iconium was the seat of an archbishop and the location of an early church council (in 235). The city prospered under the Romans and also during the Byzantine time. From the 7th to the 9th centuries Iconium, like most of the towns and cities in the region, suffered from Arab raids. The Seljuk Turks unsuccessfully attacked the city in 1069, but by the next century they had taken control of the city, which they called Konya. As the capital of the Seljuk sultanate of Rum, Konya enjoyed a period of economic and cultural prosperity. Several of the mosques, mausoleums, and theological schools that can be seen in Konya today date from this period.

Apollonia

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde E. Fant ◽  
Mitchell G. Reddish
Keyword(s):  
Alexander The Great ◽  
Philip Ii ◽  
Solid Gold ◽  
Ancient Trade ◽  
Greek History ◽  
Stone Slab ◽  
East And West ◽  
Trade Route ◽  
The City ◽  
Of Greece

Apollonia of Macedonia, a city scarcely known even in Greek history, is on the verge of new prominence as a recent discovery brings its past to light. In the summer of 2000 a farmer digging in his fields near Nea (“new”) Apollonia, 30 miles east of Thessalonica, made an amazing discovery. In the bottom of a trench he found a wreath of thirty solid-gold ivy leaves, decorated with two bunches of grapes, that weighed more than a pound. Only three other wreaths of this type and quality have ever been discovered in all of Greece. Archaeologists from Thessaloniki dated the find at approximately 350 B.C.E., or more than 2,350 years old. (This remarkable wreath is currently on display in the Archaeological Museum in Thessaloniki.) The following day their probings uncovered a statue believed to be an image of the goddess known as the Nike of Samothraki, or the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Subsequently, massive fortifying walls and five towers from the 5th century B.C.E. were uncovered. Likewise, two pottery kilns and sixteen cist (stone slab) graves have been unearthed. Archaeologists now believe that this finding marks the location of ancient Apollonia of Macedonia. More surprising, they estimate its population at 10,000, roughly the same as that of Athens during the same period. The city is believed to have existed from approximately 400 B.C.E. to the 8th century C.E. and to have reached its zenith under Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. The first inhabitants of Apollonia were refugees from the nearby Chalkidiki peninsula who fled that location when it was threatened by Athenian warships during the Peloponnesian War. Prior to the recent discoveries, Apollonia was known only as a station on the ancient trade route between the east and west. King Xerxes of Persia passed through the area in 480 B.C.E. (Herodotus 7.112–115), as did Alexander the Great in his epic journey to the east some 150 years later (Arrian, Anabasis 1.11.4).

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