Perge

Perge is situated 18 km east of Antalya, Perge is in the city limits of Aksu Bucagi. Because of its location on the Cilicia - Pisidia road, it was a vital part of the province of Pamphylia, and was founded around the same time as the other cities in the area (7th century BC). It was an important city for Christians of Perge who had worshipped the mother goddess Artemis. St. Paul and Barnabas visited the city and wealthy benefactors like Magna Plancia had a number of important memorials built here. The first excavations began in 1946 by Istanbul University and they resulted in many important discoveries: The theatre consists of three main sections: the seating, orchestra and stage. It held 12,000 spectators, with 19 rows of seats on the lower section, 23 on the top section, and a 52-metre stage. The stadium measures 34 square metres, with 13 rows of seats on top of the vaults. The eastern and western sides have 30 vaults each and the northern side has 10. For every three vaults there is an entrance to the stadium, and the other two were used as shops. The Agora was the commercial and political centre of the city, with shops surrounding the central courtyard, some of which have mosaics on the floor. The agora measured 76 square metres, with a circular structure in the centre with a diameter of 13.40 metres. The colonnaded boulevard lies between the Hellenistic Gate and the nympheum on the slopes of the acropolis. On both sides of the street, 20 metres in width, are porticoes, some up to five meters high, behind which are shops. The street is divided into two by a 2-metre wide water canal running through the middle. Other structures include the necropolis, city walls, gymnasium, Roman Baths, memorial fountain and the Greek and Roman gates. Around 1500 B.C. the Hittites settled down in a place we know as Perge. However some people believe that Perge was founded by Mopsus and Calchas in the 13th century B.C. Invaded by Alexander the Great, much of Perge’s architectural splendor is a living proof of the Hellenistic period. It was soon followed by a prosperous Roman Imperial period for the first three centuries A.D. With the arrival and spread of Christianity, Perge played an important and active role in its expansion. A slow disintegration of the Roman rule soon followed and the Byzantines occupied Perge. With the end of the Seljuk rule, which followed soon after, Perge was completely ruined and was soon abandoned.