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{{Authority control Towns in Turkey Aeolian colonies Former populated places in Turkey Buildings and structures in Çanakkale Province History of Çanakkale Province Tourist attractions in Çanakkale Province Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey Fishing communities in Turkey Geography of Çanakkale Province Greek city-states Populated places in ancient Mysia Populated places in ancient Troad New Testament places World Heritage Tentative List for Turkey
Assos (; grc-gre, Ἄσσος, la, Assus) is a beautiful small and historically important town on the Aegean coast in the Ayvacık district of
p. 790.and used to offer the only good harbour along the of coast north of it which made it very important for shipping in the Troad. During
History
The city was founded from 1000 to 900 BC by Aeolian colonists from
From this temple
p790) Hermias encouraged philosophers to move to the city and one of those who answered the call was Aristotle, who came here in 348 BC and married Hermeias's niece, Pythia. Aristotle founded an Academy in Assos where he became chief amongst a group of philosophers, and together with them, made innovative observations on
/ref> Assos' 'golden period' ended several years later when theAyvacık.
family grave with the name "Aristios" written on its cover. The grave contained the remains of a family of twenty-one. One of the family members was buried, while the remaining twenty were cremated and their ashes placed inside urn-like vases. The lids had been sealed with cement to prevent any foreign substance getting inside the urns.In 2018, archaeologists also discovered many strigils, some of them iron, but most of them bronze.
Archaeologists also uncovered a 2,200-year-old Çanakkale province
Çanakkale Province ( tr, ) is a province of Turkey, located in the northwestern part of the country. It takes its name from the city of Çanakkale.
Like Istanbul, Çanakkale province has a European (Thrace) and an Asian (Anatolia) part. The E ...
, Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
. It is on the southern side of Biga Peninsula (better known by its ancient name of the Troad
The Troad ( or ; el, Τρωάδα, ''Troáda'') or Troas (; grc, Τρῳάς, ''Trōiás'' or , ''Trōïás'') is a historical region in northwestern Anatolia. It corresponds with the Biga Peninsula ( Turkish: ''Biga Yarımadası'') in the ...
). Assos sits on the coast of the Adramyttian Gulf (Turkish: Edremit Körfezi.Eleventh edition of the Encyclopædia Britannicap. 790.and used to offer the only good harbour along the of coast north of it which made it very important for shipping in the Troad. During
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...
's lifetime (1st century CE), the city was also known as Apollonia (Ἀπολλωνία).
Alhough the modern town is officially named Behramkale () or Behram for short, most people still call it by its ancient name of Assos. The settlement consists of ''İskele,'' a small harbour area consisting mainly of hotels housed in old warehouses, and Behramkale (Behram's Castle), the modern residential settlement on the hill above the harbour.
Assos' most famous resident was the Greek philosopher Aristotle
Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of ph ...
but the Acts of the Apostles also refers to visits to the city by Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
and Paul the Apostle ().
Today, Assos is a holiday retreat amid ancient ruins. In 2017 it was inscribed on the UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey
Below is the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey. (For the criteria see the selection criteria.)
Tentative List
Geographical distribution
See also
*List of World Heritage Sites in Turkey
The United Nations Educati ...
.
History
The city was founded from 1000 to 900 BC by Aeolian colonists from Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...
, who are said to have come from Methymna
Mithymna () ( el, Μήθυμνα, also sometimes spelled ''Methymna'') is a town and former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2019 local government reform it is part of the municipality of West Lesbos, of wh ...
. The settlers built a Doric Temple to Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded ...
on top of the dominant crag in 530 BC.Points from TurkeyFrom this temple
Hermias of Atarneus Hermias of Atarneus (; el, Ἑρμίας ὁ Ἀταρνεύς; died 341/0 BC) was a Greek tyrant of Atarneus, and Aristotle's father-in-law.
The first mention of Hermias is as a slave to Eubulus, a Bithynian banker who ruled Atarneus. Hermias ...
, a student of Plato
Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
, ruled Assos, the Troad
The Troad ( or ; el, Τρωάδα, ''Troáda'') or Troas (; grc, Τρῳάς, ''Trōiás'' or , ''Trōïás'') is a historical region in northwestern Anatolia. It corresponds with the Biga Peninsula ( Turkish: ''Biga Yarımadası'') in the ...
and Lesbos during the town's greatest period of prosperity. (Strangely, Hermias was actually the slave of the ruler of Atarneus.Eleventh editition of the Encyclopædia Britannicap790) Hermias encouraged philosophers to move to the city and one of those who answered the call was Aristotle, who came here in 348 BC and married Hermeias's niece, Pythia. Aristotle founded an Academy in Assos where he became chief amongst a group of philosophers, and together with them, made innovative observations on
zoology
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...
and biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
.Ancient Greece: Aristotle/ref> Assos' 'golden period' ended several years later when the
Persians
The Persians are an Iranian ethnic group who comprise over half of the population of Iran. They share a common cultural system and are native speakers of the Persian language as well as of the languages that are closely related to Persian.
...
arrived and tortured Hermias to death.Aristotle then fled to Macedonia, which was ruled by his friend King Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
and where he became tutor to Philip's son, Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
. A modern statue of Aristotle greets visitors at the entrance to Assos.
The Persians were driven out by Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
in 334 BC. Between 241 and 133 BC, the city was ruled by the Kings of Pergamon
Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on th ...
. However, in 133 BC, the Pergamons lost control of the city and it was absorbed into the Roman empire.
According to Christian tradition, St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
visited the city during his third missionary journey (53-57 AD) through Asia Minor on his way to Mytilene
Mytilene (; el, Μυτιλήνη, Mytilíni ; tr, Midilli) is the capital of the Greek island of Lesbos, and its port. It is also the capital and administrative center of the North Aegean Region, and hosts the headquarters of the University o ...
on the island of Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...
. Acts 20
Acts 20 is the twentieth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the Christian New Testament of the Bible. It records the third missionary journey of Paul the Apostle. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uni ...
records that Luke the Evangelist and his companions ('we') "went ahead to the ship and sailed Troas.html"_;"title="Alexandria_Troas.html"_;"title="rom_Alexandria_Troas">Troas">Alexandria_Troas.html"_;"title="rom_Alexandria_Troas">Troasto_Assos,_there_intending_to_take_Paul_on_board_..._and_when_he_met_us_at_Assos,_we_took_him_on_board_and_came_to_Mitylene".
From_this_period_onwards,_Assos_shrunk_to_the_small_village_it_has_remained_ever_since._From_the_Middle_Ages_the_only_relics_are_the_Hüdavendigar_Mosque_and_Bridge_dating_back_to_the_second_half_of_the_14th_century.The_mosque_is_on_the_hilltop_near_the_ruined_temple_while_the_bridge_is_off_the_road_to____Modern_archaeological_discoveries_
The_ruins_of_ancient_Assos_continue_to_be_excavated.Modern archaeological discoveries
The ruins of ancient Assos continue to be excavated. In 2018, archaeologists discovered an undamaged Hellinistic">Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...Hellenistic
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
lion sculpture and a 1,500-year-old stone oven dating back to the Byzantine period
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
.According to Professor Nurettin Arslan, the sculpture was unearthed from a structure used as an inn at that time, and one of the Byzantine period findings contained a cooking stove with three pots.
The pillars from the ancient port lay in the harbour for over a millennia. Eventually they were probably sold.
Attractions
On the acropolis 238 m above sea level stand the remains of theDoric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of c ...
Temple of Athena, which date back to 530 BC. Six of the original 38 columns remain. On a clear day the view from the temple extends to nearby Lesbos
Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the nar ...
in the south, to Pergamum
Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on th ...
in the southeast and to Mount Ida in the east. The Tuzla River flows to the north. To the northwest, two massive Hellenic columns still mark the entrance to the city.
West of the acropolis stands the well preserved 4th century BC city wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
and main gate with towers. An ancient paved road leads northeast through the gate to the ruins of a large 2nd-century BC gymnasium, a 2nd-century BC agora and a bouleuterion
A bouleuterion ( grc-gre, βουλευτήριον, ''bouleutērion''), also translated as and was a building in ancient Greece which housed the council of citizens (, ''boulē'') of a democratic city state. These representatives assembled a ...
. Further south toward the seashore is a 3rd-century BC theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
built for 5,000 spectators.Also on the hillside are the remains of a cemetery full of broken sarcophagi which were able to eat flesh, according to Pliny, hence their name.
In the early 1900s the contents of the Temple of Athena were moved to museums like the Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
. Among the artworks found here were images of mythical creatures and heraldic events.
Lower Assos has is a small pebbly beach. Although the narrow road to İskele, the ex-fishing harbour, is steep and with sheer drops, a constant stream of cars and minibuses passes up and down it from dawn to dusk.
Notes
References
*Nurettin Arslan - Beate Böhlendorf-Arslan, Living in the Rocks Assos an Archaeological Guide, Istanbul 2010. . *Haiko Türk: ''Die Mauer als Spiegel der Stadt''. Neue Forschungen zu den Befestigungsanlagen in Assos, in: A. Kuhrmann - L. Schmidt (Ed.), Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2009/2010 (Berlin/Bonn 2009) p. 30-41, .External links
Official website
{{Authority control Towns in Turkey Aeolian colonies Former populated places in Turkey Buildings and structures in Çanakkale Province History of Çanakkale Province Tourist attractions in Çanakkale Province Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey Fishing communities in Turkey Geography of Çanakkale Province Greek city-states Populated places in ancient Mysia Populated places in ancient Troad New Testament places World Heritage Tentative List for Turkey