Honor was a valuable virtue in the past. Mankind couldn’t survive without honor and the life was nothing without honor. We are visiting a site where honorable people lived. Xanthos was the biggest resident area Lycia State. The oldest Lycian theater and inscription were built here. It was a rich site due to trade. Nereid Monument of Xanthos that was brought to London was the similar of Halikarnassos Monument. Let’s travel in time and meet the honorable of society in Xanthos;

In 540 BC, Xanthos is under attack of Persians. Persian Empire is one of the destructive forces of ancient era. Xanthos is in difficulty because they don’t have enough source to resist. Persian Emperor is sending a delegate to propose to surrender. The society of Xanthos is discussing this proposal, they know that there will be a disaster even if they surrender. They are in dilemma, they have families and slaves with them. They think of a solution. They decided on a terrific and honorable solution. They decided to make a self-destruction attack but what about their families? Men of Xanthos killed their families and slaves. Then they prepared to attack Persian army. They know that they won’t come back so nobody was waiting for them. So a site was destroyed.

Xanthos ancient site is one of the important sites of Antalya. Don’t forget to visit Xanthos if you have any opportunity.

Rock graves are important monuments of this landscape. They reflect us the glory of death from ancient era. One of them is located in Çorum province of Turkey.

They remained from Roman period. The entrance of the tombs was decorated with lion figures. The columns were like guardians of tombs. They were carved on the hill of İskilip fortress.

It is one of the worth visiting places for history and architecture lovers.

This ancient site is located in Muş province of Turkey. It is a small settlement area of Urartu civilization but it doesn’t mean that it has no importance.

The construction period isn’t absolute. It is certain that it was an Urartu settlement area and well known graveyard region of Urartu civilization due to rock caves. Also this site had a military base of Urartu state. Valuable items such as bronze lion figure and similar were unearthed.

There is an ancient site that is named as Acem Höyük but indeed it was a well known Assyrian city. Its name was Puruşhattum. It was an important Assyrian city that was a mine processing and trade center. It was founded around 4000 years ago;

Puruşhattum was an important Assyrian city. It was the center of mine processing and trade. Also it was one of the centers of Assyrian Trade route. Palaces were built in the city, they were luxury palaces. It was the sign that they were very rich. Also as it was close to mines, mine processing was major economical activity. Assyrians prepared tablets as documents. The jewellery and souvenirs were well known in ancient era. The city was decorated with various buildings. It was reconstructed after a big fire in 18 BC.

It is located in Aksaray province and this region was a busy settlement region in ancient era. It was a great discovery to make the timeline of this peninsula’s history.

This site is a small residence area but it has its own features in the character of the site. It is located in Tokat province. This is ancient site;

This site was built by a governor that was dependent to Hittites. He had a palace built in that site and this palace was heated by the soil pots that was one of the few samples in the ancient era. There were wide streets in the site.

It is an attractive place despite of its small dimension. Its historical value is greater than it is thought because of the architectural features.

We are visiting a site that has one of the important philosophical monument in this landscape. We are going to Oionanda ancient site where is located in Muğla province. It is a very important city for philosophy because Diogenes left a great monument in this site. That’s the story;

Oionanda had been recorded in Hittites sources. So it means that it was built in earlier ages. This site was protected by city walls and they were dated back to 200 BC. The site had a visitor and this visitor presented a gift to the city. He typed his doctrines to a great wall in 2nd century AD.

Unfortunately this wall had been shattered for centuries. In addition to this wall, the city was decorated with various imperial and religious buildings during Roman Empire. A temple that was built during Emperor Augustus period was one of the other monumental building. Also churches and graveyards were attractive sections of the site. A royal person named Lician Flavilla lived here and was buried here. His family tree was typed in his grave in 2nd century AD.

This site is a worth visiting place because it hosted many valuable person such as Diogenes and royal Lycian people.

Have a nice joy!!

Southeastern Turkey also have archeological treasures like Western region of Turkey. Finik is one of them.

Finik was established in 4000 BC . There were various buildings like a palace and cisterns. Cave houses were carved in the region. The monumental of the city was a woman relief named “Borzana Sitiya”.

It is the sample of an ancient site that was formed of cave houses. It is located in Şırnak province of Turkey.

Adada ancient site is one of the sites that had outstanding features. Those sites such as Adada hide a feature that can be very essential. This site can’t be unearthed all. ;

Adada ancient site printed coins in I century BC. It was an important site during Roman period because it was one of the stops of a royal path. The site was so glorious that there were many temples in the site such as Imperial temple. In addition to temples, there were various buildings such as theaters and fountains. Acropolis had a defensive role in the city. There were towers and city walls. St.Paul came to Adada to proselytize Christianity. The most important feature was to be established on the Imperial road.

Adada is located in border of Isparta province of Turkey. It is the second longest Imperial route of Turkey.

Colossae ancient site is located in Western Anatolia( Denizli province). It had a strategical and religious value in this landscape. An ancient site that was located at strategical point like Colossae had been recorded several times. This is Colossae;

Colossae was constructed nearby the border region between Phrygia and Caria. Christianity apostles visited here and 7 holy churches were built nearby Colossae. But Hierapolis and Laodecia sites made its importance lose in this period. Earthquakes were the disasters that had destroyed the city several times. We could see St.Michael church in the city, also acropolis was a great building of the city. Last earthquake in 700 AD caused the city abandoned.

Colossae ancient site is one of the worth visiting sites of Turkey. But this site needs to be protected well.