segunda-feira, 18 de novembro de 2013

Termessos

Aqueduto chegando à cidade.
I'd first heard of Termessos in relation to Antalya, a place to see if you had the stamina, then read that Alexander on his way to meet the Persians, had given it a miss because of its position, would have meant losing half of his army. Now it is true that many classical towns are in spectacular, impregnable places and there is a good reason for that - defense, if you are half way up a mountain, with your back to the mountain, few are going to come up and pick a fight. This has its limits though, because Alexander carried on up the road 100km and took on the Psidians at Sagalassos which too. lay atop a montain side.
We hired a car and as soon as we rose from the plain it started to rain. The entrance was clearly marked and then the real drive began, 7km of winding narrow road and finally you come out into a parking area and some toppled columns and a small temple tell you you have arrived. There begins about a half hour walk to the city proper.
Antalya had been pretty warm but I was already shivering here and it rained off and on. The ascent was not that steep but every now and again lower buildings in ruins could be made out in the bushes and trees. Cloud too rolled in covering the views and then rolled back again. Much better that way, though because once in the city there is little shade. The photographs speak for themselves,  of all the classical ruins I came to see Termessos was the one most difficult to build a picture of. It spreads out over the mountain, there is almost no information or map of the place, so you have to try and piece it together yourself. The amphitheatre is the jewel though, with the valley falling away behind it, breathtaking.
But its indicative of the isolation of Termessos that the Romans didn't take it over - too far from everything but also water was probably a limiting factor. Not enough for the fountains and baths, temples and urinals that populate Roman towns. I stayed at the amphitheatre a long time just marvelling, knowing that I woldn't see it again. We wandered down, Ane's legs held out and we left "Turkey's Macchu Picchu" to its Termessian ghosts.

3 comentários:

  1. Se quiser saber sobre Termessos,
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termessos

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  2. Imagens de Termessos

    https://www.google.com.br/search?q=termessos&client=firefox-a&hs=JDy&rls=org.mozilla:pt-BR:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-OmQUvzKLMqfkAeL-oDIDg&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=598

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  3. A haunting and awesome place Les. Astounding views from the surrounding mountains on a cloudless and clear day I imagine.
    Termessians were granted independent status by the Roman Senate in 71 BC. That was the prize for being good neighbours and allies !

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