Turkey's Abundant Roman Cities
Make a Great Open-Air Museum

by Levent Ekendiz, Asia Minor Travel & Tours

The amphitheater at Aspendos

At its height around the 2^nd century AD, the Roman Empire encompassed most of Asia Minor, the land now occupied by the modern republic of Turkey. Because it has always been such an important bridge between East and West in terms of trade and travel routes, as well as culture, Asia Minor was an essential part of Rome’s imperial and military policies.

There was already a tremendous amount of wealth in this land from trade and agriculture, but invaders seeking a piece of the fortune were a constant threat. Rome’s legions established the secure borders Asia Minor needed to flourish, and during the 300 years of peace -- the Pax Romana -- that followed, many great cities thrived there.

Ephesus, dedicated to the goddess Artemis, is the most famous of these cities. It was the ideal spot for connecting Aegean Sea routes with land routes. Emperor Augustus, who was venerated in this city, made Ephesus the capital of the Roman Asian Province. The city soon became a major commercial center. Its great wealth and patronage supported a splendid architectural program and allowed the city to play a significant role in the growth of various branches of the fine arts.

Nearly 1,500 years after the fall of Rome, Ephesus was successfully excavated and restored by the Austrian Archaeological Institute. With its colonnaded streets, monumental fountains, numerous religious and public buildings, including the restored Library of Celsius and an enormous theater, it remains one of the greatest examples of an ancient Roman city.

A British map of ancient Asia Minor dating from the mid-1800s.

A bit inland from Ephesus lies Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite. Aeneas, the legendary hero of the Trojans, from whom the Romans claimed to have descended, was the son of Aphrodite. Therefore, the Romans considered Aphrodisias sacred ground and many emperors and governors visited the city. The high-quality marble obtained from local quarries made the city the center for one of the best-known schools of sculpture in the Roman world. Today Aphrodisias offers many good examples of Roman architecture, including the beautifully restored Tetrapylon, the Temple of Aphrodite and a museum where the best examples of the Aphrodisian School of sculpture are exhibited

To the south are two more important cities, Perge and Aspendos. Both were harbor cities that grew enormously rich under Roman rule. Their remains attest to that wealth even today. The ruins at Perge include a theater, stadium, huge Hellenistic and Roman gates, and an impressive colonnaded street. The hilltop ruins of Aspendos include a basilica, an agora and rock-cut tombs of Phrygian design. A huge theater, possibly the finest of its kind in the world, is carved out of the northeast flank of the hill. It was designed by the Roman architect Zeno in honor of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Perge and Aspendos were the most important of the Roman cities in Asia Minor, but any traveler to Turkey will soon note Rome’s extensive influence throughout the land at more than 400 different sites. One can safely claim that there has never been a period in history like the 2^nd century AD, and Asia Minor stands as its open-air museum.

by Levent Ekendiz, Asia Minor Travel & Tours

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